Boiler Service Liverpool: Annual Gas Safe Service

Nearly four in ten Liverpool homes are terraced, from the two-up two-downs of Anfield and Walton to the bigger bay-fronted houses off Smithdown Road. In most of them the boiler is a combi in the back kitchen or a bedroom cupboard, with the flue going out through a rear wall onto a narrow entry.

An annual service is how you keep that boiler safe and its warranty valid. Most manufacturers ask for proof of a yearly service before they'll honour a claim.

Liverpool at a glance

Terraced homes: 37.9% of Liverpool households (78,552) live in a terraced house, against 30.7% in semis and 8.2% in detached homes. Source
Tenure: 46.8% of households own their home, 26.1% rent privately and 26.4% rent social housing, most of it (21.9% of all households) from housing associations rather than the council. Source
Water: United Utilities supplies Liverpool. It says most North West water comes from upland reservoirs and is soft or very soft, though some harder borehole water is blended in parts of the south of its region. Source

Inside the service

The engineer removes the case, inspects and cleans the burner and heat exchanger, tests the flue gases with an analyser and checks the gas rate, the condensate trap and the seals. They should also check the system pressure and the expansion vessel charge.

United Utilities water is soft across most of the North West, so heavy limescale is less common here than in the south. The magnetic filter usually tells the real story: a filter packed with black sludge means the radiators are corroding inside.

For Liverpool landlords

About 54,000 Liverpool households rent privately. Every one of those lets with gas appliances needs a landlord gas safety record each year, done by a Gas Safe engineer, with a copy to the tenant within 28 days.

HMOs in converted Victorian houses often have several gas appliances, and some have a separate meter per flat. Ask for every appliance to be listed on the record, including gas hobs.

If a housing association is your landlord

More than one in five Liverpool households rents from a housing association. Your landlord books and pays for the yearly gas check, so let them in when the date comes round.

Liverpool homes and what they need

Victorian and Edwardian red-brick terraces

If the flue exits into a shared back entry, the engineer will want to see it from outside. Make sure the yard gate can be opened on the day.

Interwar and post-war semis

Semis in Allerton, Childwall and West Derby often have the boiler in the garage or a converted outhouse. Clear space in front of it and check the condensate pipe isn't run along an exposed wall.

City-centre apartments and converted houses

In converted townhouses around Canning and the Georgian Quarter, the boiler may be boxed into a tight kitchen cupboard. Move stored items out so the casing can come off.

Areas covered

Engineers who cover Liverpool work across areas including Anfield, Walton, Wavertree, Allerton, Childwall, West Derby, Aigburth, Woolton, Garston and Toxteth.

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Questions people in Liverpool ask

How long does a boiler service take?

Usually 45 minutes to an hour for a standard combi. A landlord check on an HMO with several appliances takes longer.

My boiler is new. Does it still need servicing in year one?

Yes. Most warranties require the first service within 12 months of installation, and missing it can void the guarantee.

Sources

Also nearby: Boiler servicing in Warrington, Boiler servicing in Manchester, Boiler servicing in Preston, Boiler servicing in Bolton

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