Things to do before turning your heating on this October

October marks the start of Boiler Switch On Month, and with most of us not having used our boilers over the warmer months, you might find that your system has developed faults or even not work at all!

Home Emergency Assist can help protect your home against unexpected boiler or central heating breakdown with our Home Emergency Cover - and if you upgrade to premium, we can help with repairing faults too (as long as they're not pre-existing!).

With the cost of living at a high, it's important to save money where you can, and to keep your boiler working at its best. Here are some things you can check before you turn your central heating back on:

Have you had your boiler serviced?

It comes as no surprise that the busiest months for boiler breakdowns are December and January and so a big part of making sure your boiler and central heating are working as expected is to get them serviced during the warmer months. That way, if something does go wrong, you have time to have this fixed ready for winter.

When was the last time you bled your radiators?

Before you start using your central heating again, it's a good idea to bleed your radiators to make sure they're all working as effectively as possible. By bleeding your radiators, you're ensuring that your boiler doesn't have to work as hard to heat your home.

Have you set all your timers?

Heating your home when nobody is home isn't only a waste of money but a waste of energy too. Make sure you've set all your timers to the correct times and your thermostat to the correct temperature. For most households, a temperature of around 18-21°C but more vulnerable people may need a higher temperature.

While you're thinking about thermostats, it may also be worth considering installing thermostatic valves to your radiators; these mean that you'll only heat the rooms you're in as you can set the rooms you don't use as much to a lower temperature. This will ease your boiler's workload and help you save money on your energy bills too.

Turn your heating back on gradually

Turning your boiler on once or twice a month in the run up to winter can help stop any build-up of dust or corrosion - it also helps to flag any potential problems before you switch it back on ready for winter. If you haven't been doing this - don't worry. There's still time to fire your boiler up a few times over the next two weeks before the weather turns colder.

Once it's on, check for faults

There are a few simple checks you can do to look for any potential problems before you need your central heating:

• Pilot light not igniting: if your boiler's pilot light keeps going out, there are things you can do to check this

• Low boiler pressure: your boiler can lose pressure over time and a boiler without pressure will stop working. Your boiler should be at around 1 bar; any less and you may find issues with your system

• Balancing your radiators: if you've noticed some of your radiators take longer to heat than others, they may need balancing

Carrying out these checks will help you ensure your boiler can do its job over the winter but remember, if you're unsure about any problems with your boiler, you should call a qualified engineer to help.

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