The Oil Firing Technical Association, OFTEC, have released their advice to customers for the upcoming winter season. They are urging households to check their heating systems are working correctly to avoid being caught out with an unexpected breakdown when the cold weather bites.
OFTEC are issuing the warning after this years ‘Beast from the East’ played havoc with peoples heating systems, leaving many in the cold. It also saw local engineers struggling to keep pace with the surge in demand from households requiring emergency repairs.
To help alleviate similar problems this winter it is their advice that homeowners take the necessary steps now before the wintery weather begins.
OFTEC’s advice includes:
- Book your boiler in for a service by an OFTEC (for oil) or GasSafe (for mains gas) registered technician. Correct servicing is vital and these professionals have been certified as fully competent and will complete the work to a high and safe standard.
- Purchase heating oil early to avoid the risk of possible price rises later in the winter. Oil is currently the cheapest form of off-grid heating so it’s worth ensuring you have enough to last the whole winter. Make sure you use a supplier who is a member of the Federation of Petroleum Suppliers (FPS) for complete peace of mind.
- Adjust the timers on your heating controls to ensure the heating comes on when you need it to and radiators are only on in the rooms you are using.
- Bleed your radiators to make sure they work efficiently as possible.
- For the oil households, check your oil tank is in good condition. Look out for any signs of corrosion, leakage or sudden drops in fuel levels.
Malcolm Farrow from OFTEC, commented: “Following this year’s scorching summer, the nights are drawing in and the cold weather is not far behind. As many of us look to turn our heating back on, it’s important to check everything is still working correctly and efficiently”.
“Regular maintenance by an experienced heating professional is the best way to avoid problems, so book your boiler service now before winter bites and use a qualified technician who will check everything is working correctly and identify any potential problems. Remember, it’s far easier and quicker to fix any issues now than to wait for the whole system to stop working when you need it most”.
Book a boiler service with a Gleaner Oils engineer today:
Our OFTEC registered engineers have many years of experience performing boiler services and repairs. We offer the option of an on-demand annual service, or alternatively you could take out a contract to cover your annual service.
Choose an Annual Maintenance Contract from Gleaner Oils:
Our annual maintenance contracts are managed by our experienced boiler maintenance staff, who will contact you when you are due a service to arrange an appointment at a time to suit you. Choose between a fixed rate or hourly paid contract, with the option to upgrade to 2 services a year. For more information and prices visit our boiler maintenance page, or to take out an annual maintenance contract contact our us on 01343 557 435.
Home is where the heat is.... #WinterReadyandWarm
Under our #WinterReadyandWarm campaign, we will be sharing some of our top-tips and advice for winter heating oil with our customers over the next few months.
Our Guide to Winter Heating Oil contains all the essential information you need to know as a heating oil customer preparing for the colder weather ahead.
For more information, and to view & download our Guide to Winter Heating Oil, visit our Winter Heating Oil page.
