With the summer over and autumn well and truly on its way, the drop in temperatures means we’re all starting to feel the chill. RJ Martindale’s put together our top 5 plumbing and heating tips for a warmer autumn in your Bolton, Horwich, Chorley and Preston home!
RJ Martindale’s local plumbing and heating engineers in Bolton, Horwich, Chorley and Preston know how busy this time of year can get. Children are back to school, holiday season is over and your day-to-day routine is in full swing.
With cooler temperatures now setting in, we all want a warm, welcoming home to return to, an inviting hot bath or shower to relax in after a long day, and the reassurance that our homes are gas safe during a time when we use more energy.
So what plumbing and heating jobs can you sort out now to make sure that your home stays cosy throughout the autumn and winter months? RJ Martindale’s top 5 plumbing and heating pointers will keep your home up and running, whatever the weather!
Your top 5 plumbing & heating jobs for autumn from RJ Martindale
Before autumn and winter really set in, RJ Martindale’s Gas Safe Registered plumbing and heating team in Bolton, Horwich, Chorley and Preston recommends you set aside some time for a few important jobs:
Check for leaks in your boiler, pipework, taps & connections
Carrying out a full visual check of your central heating and plumbing systems, both inside and outside, will help you to quickly identify any potential issues that may cause problems later. Leaks, bursts and drips are common in winter, but by getting ahead now and spotting problems early, you can save yourself time and money in a few months’ time.
Look for small drips or leaks that can get worse over time, resulting in property damage, wasted water and bigger repair bills. Check over all pipework, especially pipes and taps outside, and exposed pipework in cold and unheated areas such as basements and roof spaces, to look for cracks, corrosion, leaks, or other signs of wear and tear that may lead to costly repair bills once your central heating’s up and running regularly.
Protect exposed & outside taps & pipework
Cold or frozen pipes often burst in the winter, causing cracks, leaks and even flooding inside a property. As temperatures drop in the cooler months, especially overnight, ice forms on the inside of taps and pipes which expands, causing pipes to crack and burst. This doesn’t just affect outside taps and their associated pipework, but may also include your boiler’s condensate pipe and pipework in cold spaces such as basements, lofts or garages.
It’s a great idea to protect outdoor pipes and taps, particularly over winter, using lagging such as pipe foam insulation to prevent freezing. Easy to fit and inexpensive, lagging your exposed pipework protects against damage from frost and freezing which may be expensive to fix.
Check, bleed or power flush your radiators & central heating system
It’s worth turning on your heating system briefly to test its operation and efficiency before the cold weather really sets in. If you notice cold spots on your radiators, particularly near the top of the radiator, or have radiators which don’t seem to be working efficiently, this may be caused by excess trapped air which prevents radiators from heating evenly and fully, costing you more to heat your home.
It’s quick and easy to bleed your radiators, releasing trapped air and allowing hot water to move freely around your central heating system. This is also a great opportunity to check that your radiators’ thermostatic valves are in good working order, and to set them to the right temperature for your room once your heating is on more regularly.
Book a central heating power flush
After bleeding, if your radiators still feel cold or your rooms seem to take a while to warm up, your local RJ Martindale heating engineer in Bolton, Horwich, Chorley and Preston may recommend a Magnacleanse power flush to remove sludge and debris from your central heating system.
Debris and deposits build up in your central heating system over time, causing cold spots and wasted energy as your system works harder to heat your home. RJ Martindale’s heating and plumbing engineers in Bolton, Horwich, Chorley and Preston recommend MagnaCleanse power flushing, clearing out your central heating system with a MagnaCleanse filter to draw out debris through magnetic filtration.
A good power flush and a permanent MagnaCleanse magnetic filter could even help you to save up to 6% on your energy bills! We recommend carrying out a power flush once every 5 years.
Book a boiler service with RJ Martindale in Bolton, Horwich, Chorley and Preston
A boiler service is our number 1 tip for autumn, and is an essential for any household. If your boiler’s due its annual service, book in now for the reassurance that your boiler’s operating efficiently, safely and when you need it over autumn and winter.
Your annual boiler service makes sure that heating and hot water are ready on demand, spotting faults, leaks or potential problems which may lead to a boiler breakdown or reduce the efficiency of your boiler, increasing your energy bills (and that’s the last thing any of us need at the moment!).
A boiler service is a condition of many boiler manufacturers’ warranties, making this service an essential at any time of year. If your boiler’s due its service, stay covered under your warranty and make sure your home is gas safe for another year with a boiler service in Bolton, Horwich, Chorley and Preston by RJ Martindale’s Gas Safe Registered team.
Book your boiler service with RJ Martindale in Bolton, Horwich, Chorley and Preston today!
Get your plumbing & heating jobs for autumn booked in now with RJ Martindale!
With autumn our busiest time of year, get your plumbing and heating jobs booked in with RJ Martindale now to make sure your heating and plumbing system is protected and working at its best in the coming months!
As a Which? Trusted Trader, RJ Martindale’s team of gas engineers and plumbers in Bolton, Horwich, Chorley and Preston has over 1000 5 star customer reviews, delivering reliable boiler, heating and plumbing services with outstanding customer service, helping you to tick off those essential autumn jobs.
Fully trained and accredited, our plumbers and engineers professionally install, service and care for boilers and central heating systems of all ages, makes and models in Bolton, Horwich, Chorley and Preston, together with general plumbing repairs, installation of boilers and replacement radiators, and power flushing central heating systems.
RJ Martindale has helped homeowners save on energy bills with unmatched knowledge and trusted gas, plumbing and heating work that keep homes gas safe, cosy and warm.