All central heating systems will need a powerflush at some point in their lifespan as it’s easy for sludge, rust and debris to build up in the pipes and radiators. If left untreated, these will slow down the efficiency of your system and stop heat flowing evenly throughout your home, leaving some rooms colder than others.

In these cases, powerflushing may be the only solution (and it’s generally recommended where you may be installing a new boiler into an old central heating system). Depending on its age, if your system has never had a powerflush, the chances are that you will probably need one especially if you find yourself having to bleed your radiators on a regular basis.

How do I know when I need a powerflush?

• Rooms take a long time to warm up
• Some rooms are warmer than others
• Radiators need frequent bleeding (should only need doing a couple of times a year)
• Cold spots on radiators, even after bleeding
• Boiler keeps cutting out/making excessive noise
• Discoloured water after bleeding
• Cloudy tap water

How do I prevent sludge?

You may be able to avoid the need for a powerflush by getting a magnetic filter installed into your central heating systems. A magnetic filter (or magnifilter) is a device which collects the iron oxide and sludge that are circulating in your system. The iron oxide is attracted to the manet which then removes it from the system, stopping it from causing damage to your central heating.

If you’re installing a new boiler in your home, the engineer may recommend fitting a magnifilter and it’s sometimes possible to add one to an existing system (it’s sometimes a struggle due to their bulky size).

What do I need to know about powerflushes?

Most powerflushes take around 6 hours to complete although if your system is bigger, it can take longer. It generally takes half a day to powerflush a small system and a full day for a large one.

These can be relatively expensive but depend on your system’s size and location; they range from £300 up to around £800. If you’d like to do it yourself, you’ll need a powerflushing machine and an appropriate cleaning chemical.

Although they are expensive, it’s better to arrange an expert to do this rather than take on the job yourself unless you have experience, as it’s a very technical process which requires specialist machinery.

What are the benefits to me?

Some of the advantages of a powerflush are:

• A warmer home with heat evenly distributed
• Savings on your energy bills
• Reduced fuel bills
• Reliable hot, running water
• A reliable central heating system
• Increased system life span

To find out more about our Complete Home Emergency plans, boiler and central heating insurance or other types of home care cover plans, such as plumbing and drainage insurance and home appliances cover, contact our friendly team on 0330 09 48 301. You can even request a call back to discuss your requirements or get a quote online.

One of the ways you can avoid high energy bills is to make sure your boiler is running as efficiently as possible.

A boiler’s efficiency is the percentage of the total energy used by the boiler to provide useful heating. For example, a boiler which is 94% efficient will have 94% of the energy used going towards heating the home and only 6% is ‘lost’.

Modern condensing boilers are potentially 89-94% efficient whereas a boiler that is more than 20 years old can be as little as 60% efficient.

You may have seen efficiency ratings of A-G on other domestic appliances and boilers are the same. Modern boilers must be A rated and this will be shown on their literature.

• A: 90% and above
• B: 86-90%
• C: 82-86%
• D: 78-82%
• E: 74-78%
• F: 70-74%
• G: below 70%

As a guide for older boilers, you’ll find the following:

Check how energy efficient your boiler is

1. Look for the energy efficiency sticker: newer boilers should have a sticker on them, or somewhere in the information pack you were given when you had your boiler fitted which will tell you the rating of your boiler.
2. Find the model number: if you can’t find the sticker/don’t have one, there may be a plate with the brand name and exact model number of your boiler.
3. Use the Product Characteristics Database: most boilers are on this database, and if you have your brand name and model number, you can find your boiler’s rating.

Ways to increase your boiler efficiency

• Schedule a boiler service: having regular check-ups helps to keep your boiler running at its best, prevents unexpected issues and prolongs the lifespan of your boiler.
• Maintain your radiator and pipes: by bleeding your radiators, you’ll release any air trapped inside, allowing the full surface area of the radiator to provide heat and improving the heat efficiency of your system.
• Upgrade your boiler: if your boiler is over 10 years old, it may be time to start considering swapping to a new, more energy efficient model. According to information from The Energy Saving Trust, you could save between £100 – £200 a year in heating costs. The older a boiler gets, the more expensive it may be to repair and most home emergency policies won’t cover a boiler older than 15.

To find out more about our Complete Home Emergency plans, boiler and central heating insurance or other types of home care cover plans, such as plumbing and drainage insurance and home appliances cover, contact our friendly team on 0330 09 48 301. You can even request a call back to discuss your requirements or get a quote online.

As it’s your boiler’s job to keep you, your family and your home warm, it’s important to keep it working at its best, especially while the weather is still cold.

It’s important to recognise when your boiler may need attention before it breaks down completely.

Here are five signs to watch out for to help you know whether you need an engineer to look at your boiler.

1. Your radiators aren’t working properly

There are many possible reasons as to why your radiators aren’t working properly, but if you’ve tried bleeding your radiators and they still have cold spots, your boiler may need attention.

2. Pilot light is out or looks different to usual

If your pilot light is out, or keeps going out, it means you won’t have any heating or hot water. Follow our step-by-step guide to reigniting your boiler pilot light.

If the flame appears elongated or a different colour – such as orange or yellow – turn off the boiler immediately and contact an engineer.

3. Your boiler pressure is too low/high

If you’ve recently bled your radiators, releasing water from your central heating system can lead to pressure loss. There may also be a leak somewhere in your central heating system; check for damp patches near your boiler, radiators and pipes – don’t look in the boiler unit itself though; this is a job for a Gas Safe registered engineer.

You can top up your boiler pressure without an engineer to see if this fixes your heating and hot water problem.

If your boiler pressure is too high, switch off your boiler, allow it to cool and reduce the pressure. If this doesn’t work, there may be a fault with the filling loop, in which case you’ll need a Gas Safe registered engineer who can come and fix the problem for you.

4. Noisy boiler, banging pipes

If your central heating system has banging pipes, it’s usually caused by overheating. If you notice banging or thudding sounds, check your boiler’s thermostat. If it’s operating at a higher-than-normal temperature, allow your boiler to cool down by turning it off. Once you turn it back on, keep an eye on it to make sure it doesn’t rise too high again. If you continue to experience banging pipes due to overheating, you may need to call an engineer.

If your boiler/central heating is making strange noises, similar to a kettle boiling, it’s often caused by a build up of limescale and hard water inside your boiler’s heat exchanger. You’ll need to arrange for your boiler to be descaled.

5. Frozen condensate pipe

This is one of the most common boiler issues. Condensate pipes often freeze due to cold weather conditions during the winter, either causing your boiler to display a warning light or results in complete heating loss. You can insulate your condensate pipe with waterproof lagging to prevent this from happening, and if it’s already happened, defrost your condensate pipe.

To find out more about our Complete Home Emergency plans, boiler and central heating insurance or other types of home care cover plans, such as plumbing and drainage insurance and home appliances cover, contact our friendly team on 0330 09 48 301. You can even request a call back to discuss your requirements or get a quote online.

Home Emergency Cover ensures that your home’s most important functions are protected in the event of an unexpected breakdown.

Our cover means that you don’t have to spend large sums of money on repair bills or have the stress of locating your own tradesperson if a breakdown occurs.

Home Emergency insurance helps to provide you with the peace of mind that in the event of an emergency, such as having no heating and/or hot water, you’ll have access to our UK-wide network of fully qualified engineers who are ready to assist you 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.

Save 22% on any of the below Home Emergency Cover plans when you buy before 31.01.2022!

Tailor your plan

We know that our customers are looking for different types of home emergency cover, with different levels of cover, so we offer a range of different packages to meet your needs.

Boiler and Central Heating Cover: this protects you in the event of a complete breakdown or your boiler and/or central heating system. If you upgrade to our Premium plan, we’ll also help with non-emergency situations too, such as repairing leaks within your boiler/central heating system, including your radiators and pipes.

Plumbing and Drainage Cover: we’ll help in the event of damage to or failure of your plumbing and drainage system, where internal flooding or water damage are likely. If you upgrade to Premium, we’ll also help in the event of leaking pipes, clearing blockages and dripping taps too.

Utilities: if you add utilities to your Boiler & Heating Cover or Plumbing & Drainage Cover, we’ll cover you against electricity failures (as long as it’s at least one complete circuit) and repair or replace a section of damaged internal gas supply pipe which is causing a leak. Upgrade to Premium, and we’ll repair or replace any item or system after your supply meter which causes breakdown or failure of the electrical wiring system.

Complete Home Emergency Cover: our most comprehensive cover, Complete Home Emergency Cover includes boiler and heating, plumbing and drainage and utilities along with roofing (missing, broken or loose tiles causing internal water damage), pests (protection against infestations of wasps nests, hornet nests, black/brown nice and/or rats) and access to your home (damage to or failure of an external lock, door or window which renders the home insecure).

We’ll also include overnight accommodation in the event that your home becomes uninhabitable as a result of an emergency covered above and it hasn’t been possible to resolve it.

To find out more about our Complete Home Emergency plans or other types of home care cover plans, such as boiler and central heating insurance and plumbing and drainage insurance, contact our friendly team on 0330 09 48 301. You can even request a call back to discuss your requirements or get a quote online.

According to research by GoCompare, 44% of Britons made a New Year’s resolution at the start of 2021, and perhaps influenced by the Covid pandemic, the top five things people wanted to change related to health, fitness, and seeing friends and family.

Most of us spend the festive season with our family at home, so it’s the perfect time to think about protecting your home and family against unseen home emergencies.

Whatever you’re thinking about choosing for your resolution this year, here’s why you might want to include buying Home Emergency Insurance as one of them

Peace of mind

According to an article by mirror.co.uk, more than 2.8 million workdays are lost due to home emergencies such as broken boilers or burst pipes, which is over half (52%) of UK adults.

By taking out Complete Home Emergency Cover, you’ll have peace of mind all year round that a fully qualified engineer will come out as quickly as possible to help if your boiler breaks down, your heating fails or your pipe bursts. We’ll also provide alternative accommodation in the event that your home becomes inhabitable.

Types of cover available

We allow you to tailor your home emergency insurance to make sure you’re covering the things you care about:

• Boiler and Central Heating Insurance: we’ll cover you in the event that your boiler stops working and your home is left without heating and/or hot water. Unlike most insurers, we can cover gas, oil and LPG boilers under 15 years old. If you have a gas or LPG boiler, you can also add an annual boiler service
• Plumbing and Drainage Insurance: this covers you in the event your plumbing and drainage systems fail to an extent that you’re likely to suffer internal flooding or water damage. We’ll also help if you lose access to the only (or all) toilets in your home
• Complete Home Emergency Insurance: this includes boiler & heating and plumbing & drainage cover and adds cover for electrics, security, pest removal and your roof.

We also offer two levels of insurance, depending on the amount of cover you need for your home and whether or not you’d like to be insured for non-emergencies too.

Enhanced Cover

With our Enhanced Cover package, you’re insured for the most essential home emergency situations as detailed above. You’ll benefit from a cover limit of up to £3,000 a year.

Premium Cover

With our Premium Cover package, you get all the benefits of the Enhanced Cover, plus insurance for non-emergency situations such as dripping taps, repairing, and rectifying leaks within your boiler or central heating system and restoring toilet facilities. You’ll benefit from an unlimited cover limit each year.

Add Appliance Cover

We also offer Appliance Insurance for your important kitchen white goods. Cover up to 10 appliances on one plan, and we’ll cover you against accidental damage as well as mechanical and electrical breakdown. We can cover the following:

• Cooker, Hob, Oven
• Dishwasher
• Freestanding Cooker (excluding Aga/Rayburn and other cast-iron range cookers)
• Fridge
• Freezer
• Fridge-Freezer
• Hood/Extractor
• Microwave Oven
• Tumble Dryer
• Washing Machine
• Washer/Dryer
• Wine Cooler

*https://press.gocompare.com/news/new-years-resolutions-23-million-resolve-to-make-2021-healthier-and-happier-1

To find out more about our home appliances cover or other types of home care cover plans, such as boiler and central heating insurance, plumbing and drainage insurance and Complete Home Emergency plans, contact our friendly team on 0330 09 48 301. You can even request a call back to discuss your requirements or get a quote online.

Although most of us have a boiler in our home, you may not know exactly what type of boiler you have, how it works and how you can help keep it running efficiently.

Taking out Boiler & Central Heating Cover with Home Emergency Assist before a problem develops is important, so you know you’re covered in the event of an emergency, and with a 24/7 emergency helpline and a UK-wide network of qualified engineers, you can be assured your home will be back up and running as quickly as possible.

We’ve put together a handy article to answer any questions you may have about your boiler and heating system.

What is central heating?

Central heating is the system which provides you with warmth from a specific heating source. Your boiler produces a steady supply of hot water which is then pumped around the pipes within your home to fill the radiators you have in every room.

What is a boiler?

The boiler is the most important part of your central heating system as this is what produces the heat. It’s a small furnace which uses gas, oil or LPG (liquified petroleum gas) as fuel. The majority of boilers in the UK are fuelled by natural gas, which feeds through from the national grid. There are different types of boilers too.

How does a gas boiler work?

Typically, there are several pipes entering the boiler. One feeds gas from the mains gas supply (which will come from outside your home) into the boiler. Another pipe enables cold water to enter the boiler so it can be heated, and a further pipe enables hot water to exit the boiler to be pumped around your home.

1. When you turn on your heating, a valve opens which enables gas from the mains supply to enter a sealed chamber inside the boiler. The gas enters and is ignited by an electric ignition switch, which creates blue flames*. These heat a component within your boiler called a heat exchanger, which transfers the heat to the cold water pipe; this will heat up the water to around 60°C.
2. Once the water has been heated, a pump (which is either inside the boiler, or very near to it), will pump the water around a circuit of pipe which runs around your home and passes through your radiators.
3. The hot water enters each radiator, entering at one side and leaving at the other, providing heat for the room.
4. Once the water has travelled around all your radiators, it returns to the boiler. The water will have cooled down by now, so the boiler will reheat the water before sending it around again.
5. While the boiler is burning, it produces waste gases which need to be released outside your home. This is done via a pipe called a flue.

* IMPORTANT: if the flame in your boiler is not blue, i.e., it’s yellow or orange, the boiler isn’t getting enough oxygen. This can be very dangerous and mean that your boiler is emitting a lethal gas called carbon monoxide. This is colourless and odourless but can kill quickly so it’s important to install a carbon monoxide detector in your home.

How do oil and LPG boilers work?

These work in much the same way as a gas boiler. The key difference is that, rather than the fuel being supplied by a national network of pipes, it comes from a tank of fuel which needs to be kept on the property.

Do boilers produce hot water for taps as well as radiators?

This depends on the type of boiler you have, as there are key differences. Many modern boilers work as both a central heating boiler and a water heater for your taps. Others may only be able to supply your central heating.

• Conventional/Traditional Boiler: this will produce hot water for your central heating system but not your taps, bath, and shower. The boiler is fed cold water from a tank in your attic. These are used in combination with a hot water cyclinder in an airing cupboard which will heat and store water for you to use.
• System Boiler: this requires a hot water cylinder to store hot water for your taps, but it’s supplied with cold water from the mains at a high pressure. This means there’s no feed for a tank in the attic.
• Combination (or combi) Boiler: the most common type of boiler installed today. These have two heat exchangers and two hot water pipes. One is connected to your radiators and the other to your taps, bath, and shower. There’s no need to have a feed tank in the attic and as it produces hot water on demand, it doesn’t need a hot water cylinder.

What is a condensing boiler?

In the past, boilers were non-condensing which means that when the fuel burnt, a lot of heat was wasted when gases were released. Wasted heat meant that the boilers would have to work harder, costing you more money and increasing carbon emissions.

Today, all boilers installed must be condensing, which means any waste gases and residual heat pass through the heat exchanger that warm the cold water returning from the radiators before being released via the flue. This helps it to heat up and reduces the work your boiler has to do.

Condensing boilers are far more energy efficient, with over 90% of the energy used being converted into usable heat.

Considering a new boiler?

We’ver partned up with Heatable, who offer great boilers at great prices, guaranteed for 10 years. You can get a quick quote, 24/7, 365 days a year to find out how much you could save with a new energy-efficient boiler, with installation as little as 24 hours later!

You’ll also benefit from an additional £100 discount by using our exclusive discount code: HOME100 when you click to get a quote for a new boiler today using our referral link.

To find out more about our Complete Home Emergency plans, boiler and central heating insurance or other types of home care cover plans, such as plumbing and drainage insurance and home appliances cover, contact our friendly team on 0330 09 48 301. You can even request a call back to discuss your requirements or get a quote online.

Even the most well-maintained boiler will struggle to work properly if the condensate pipe freezes, and as the colder weather draws in, it’s important to know what to do if your boiler stops working.

What is a condensate pipe?

The condensate pipe carries condensation from your boiler to the outside drain. It’s usually made of white or grey plastic and travels from your boiler through the wall and directly outside where your boiler is located.

Common signs the condensate pipe is frozen

1. Gurgling/bubbling noises coming from the boiler
2. Your boiler fails to start
3. A fault code/warning light is on the boiler’s display (this depends on the make/model of your boiler)

 How to find the frozen portion of the pipe

Your pipe will typically be frozen at the most exposed point. Run your hands along the pipe until you find the section which feels colder than the rest.

 How to thaw the pipe

Pour hot water along the length of the pipe, repeating until its thawed. Don’t use boiling water as this could crack or damage the pipe. If you’re using your kettle to heat the water, leave it to cool for 15 minutes or so (you could also use a hot water bottle or a microwaveable heating pack).

Reset your boiler

Once you’re happy that the frozen section of your condensate pipe is melted, you can reset your boiler – use your manufacturer’s guidelines if you’re unsure how to do this. You should not find that your boiler works as expected.

How to stop this happening again

Leaving your heating on overnight can help to stop this happening by keeping your pipes warm while the weather’s cold. You could also buy foam pipe insulation to wrap the pipe in; this is available from most DIY stores.

To find out more about our boiler and central heating insurance, plumbing and drainage insurance or other types of home care cover plans, such as Complete Home Emergency plans and home appliances cover, contact our friendly team on 0330 09 48 301. You can even request a call back to discuss your requirements or get a quote online.

The weather may not be cold yet, but it won’t be long until the weather changes and we’re thinking of putting our heating back on.

October is Boiler Switch On Month so it’s a great time to start thinking about the colder weather ahead and the last thing you need is to discover your boiler doesn’t work or has developed faults in the time it hasn’t been used.

Boiler & Central Heating Cover can help protect your home in the event your boiler and central heating system stops working but it’s vital to have cover in place before a fault develops.

Read our tips for keeping your boiler and heating working as expected below.

Begin with a boiler service

Your boiler should ideally be serviced once a year by a Gas Safe Registered engineer.

If you add a boiler service to any of your Home Emergency plans with Home Emergency Assist, we’ll typically carry this out between April and September to ensure any potential issues are raised before the colder weather.

You can find out what to expect in a gas boiler service.

Turn your boiler back on gradually

Aim to turn your boiler back on once or twice a month during the summer to stop any debris building up. This will also help to show any issues that may be developing in time for you to have these rectified. If you haven’t been doing this, don’t worry, there’s still time! Fire up your boiler a couple of times over the next few weeks before winter hits.

Boiler not working as expected?

If you switch your boiler back on and it’s not working as expected, we’ve got a few articles that may help:

• If your central heating seems to be the problem, you may need to bleed your radiators
• If you have no heating or hot water and your boiler pilot light is out, you’ll need to reignite it
• If there’s no heating or hot water and your boiler pilot light is on, there may be a problem with your boiler pressure, which you’ll be able to top up
• Check that the boiler’s condensate pipe hasn’t frozen, as this will prevent your boiler from working at its best

To find out more about our Complete Home Emergency plans, boiler and central heating insurance or other types of home care cover plans, such as plumbing and drainage insurance and home appliances cover, contact our friendly team on 0330 09 48 301. You can even request a call back to discuss your requirements or get a quote online.

In honour of Gas Safety Week, we thought we’d share some more tips with you about keeping safe at home.

Unsafe gas appliances have the potential to leak, cause fires and carbon monoxide poisoning. According to information from the Gas Safe Register, 1 in 6 homes has an unsafe gas appliance. You can find out how safe your area is on their interactive map.

Here are some tips for keeping your home safe.

Use Gas Safe Registered engineers

Ensure you use a Gas Safe registered engineer to fit, repair and service your boiler and gas kitchen appliances. You can find (and check) engineers on the Gas Safe Register website.

With 1 in 6 boilers inspected being unsafe, it’s vital that you have your boiler regularly serviced and checked once a year. You can add a gas boiler service with any of our Home Emergency products for £6 a month and we’ll always send a Gas Safe Registered engineer to your home.

Check your appliances

If you spot any of these signs, you need to get your gas appliances serviced straight away:

• Your appliance isn’t working as expected
• There’s a floppy yellow flame instead of a crisp blue one
• There are brown/black marks around the appliance
• Your boiler’s pilot light keeps going out
• More condensation than normal on the inside of your windows

The Gas Safe Register recommend that you don’t wait for these warning signs before getting your appliances serviced; always follow the manufacturer’s guidelines to find out how often they recommend a service.

Know the signs of carbon monoxide poisoning

Carbon monoxide is a highly poisonous gas which is caused by the incomplete burning of gas or LPG. This usually happens as a result of a gas appliance being fitted incorrectly, badly repaired or poorly maintained. It’s especially dangerous as you can’t see, taste or smell it and some symptoms mimic a cold or flu.

The main symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning are:

1. Headache
2. Dizziness
3. Nausea
4. Breathlessness
5. Collapse
6. Loss of consciousness

If you have any of these symptoms and your gas appliances are showing any of the above signs, get into fresh air as soon as you can and see your doctor/go to hospital. They will be able to do a blood or breath test to check for carbon monoxide poisoning.

If you’re concerned there’s an immediate danger, you can also phone the gas emergency helpline on 0800 111 999 (mainland GB).

Prevent carbon monoxide poisoning

Getting your gas appliances checked regularly by a Gas Safe Registered engineer is the most important thing you can do to minimise the risk of carbon monoxide poisoning.

You can also install a carbon monoxide leak detector – or audible carbon monoxide alarm – in your home too, as they’ll emit a sound when carbon monoxide is detected. However, because these alarms only work when carbon monoxide is present, you shouldn’t rely on these alone.

To ensure their effectiveness, make sure any carbon monoxide detector you buy is kitemarked to standards BS EN 50291-1:2010.

To find out more about our Complete Home Emergency plans, boiler and central heating insurance or other types of home care cover plans, such as plumbing and drainage insurance and home appliances cover, contact our friendly team on 0330 09 48 301. You can even request a call back to discuss your requirements or get a quote online.

When you take out Home Emergency Insurance or Appliance Cover with Home Emergency Assist, it’s important to ensure you’ve registered your boiler and/or kitchen appliances.

You won’t be able to make a claim until they’re registered, so make sure you do this as soon as possible once you’ve taken out a plan.

• Appliance cover doesn’t start until 28 days after registration
• Boiler cover doesn’t start until 14 days after registration

It’ll only take a few minutes and ensures that your records are up to date in the event of a home emergency or appliance breakdown.

Information we need for registering your boiler

To register your boiler, all we need is your:

• Full name
• Policy reference
• Age of your boiler
• Boiler make
• Boiler model
• Date it was last serviced
• Fuel type (gas, oil or LPG)
• Whether it currently has any faults

Information we need for registering your appliance(s)

To register your appliance(s), we’ll need:

• Full name
• Phone number
• Email address
• Postcode
• How many appliances you’ve chosen to insure
• Appliance type, make and model
• Month/year of purchase (if you don’t remember the exact month, please put January)

If you have the manufacturer’s instruction booklet, you should find the make and model of your appliance. However, if you’ve misplaced it or no longer have it available, you should still be able to find the information you need to register your appliance. Read our guides below:

How to find out your boiler’s age

You can find out how old your boiler is by visiting the boiler database and filling in the make and model of your boiler. You’ll then see the dates that the manufacture of your model started and finished.

If you’re not sure about the make and model of your boiler, you should be able to find the serial number on a visible sticker and if you pull down the front panel at the bottom of the boiler, there’ll usually be a bar code underneath.

On some older models of boiler, the serial number will usually be either on the inside front panel or on top of the boiler itself. You can then type the serial number into Google to find the make and model of your boiler.

To find out more about our home appliances cover or other types of home care cover plans, such as boiler and heating insurance, plumbing and drainage insurance and Complete Home Emergency plan contact our friendly team on 0330 09 48 301. You can also request a call back to discuss your requirements or get a free quote online in minutes.