Latest Tips and Information

Buying a radiator can seem straightforward until you start comparing the options. A quick search brings up hundreds of different sizes, outputs, panel configurations, materials and styles. Two radiators with similar dimensions can also provide very different levels of heat. The most important consideration is not simply whether a radiator fits the available wall space. It needs to provide enough heat for the room, work effectively with your central heating system and suit the temperatures at which that system operates. This becomes particularly important when replacing older radiators. Choosing a

The fan is essential to a modern gas boiler’s combustion system. It operates whenever the boiler needs to fire, helping create the controlled airflow required for combustion and moving combustion gases safely through the boiler and flue. A faulty boiler fan can prevent the appliance from firing altogether. Other problems may cause the fan to become noisy, run continuously, operate intermittently or start without the boiler progressing to ignition. One important point is that the boiler fan is not simply there to keep the appliance cool. Its operation forms part

A modern boiler relies on accurate temperature information to control both central heating and hot water. One small but important component that provides this information is the thermistor. A boiler thermistor is a temperature sensor. It continually provides water-temperature information to the boiler’s printed circuit board, allowing the boiler to decide whether to fire the burner, reduce output, or switch off. Depending on the boiler, several thermistors may be used in different parts of the appliance. These can monitor central heating flow temperature, return temperature and domestic hot water temperature.

A sudden bang from the pipework after turning off a tap can be surprisingly loud. You might hear a single knock, several rapid bangs or a thud that appears to travel through the walls or beneath the floor. One possible cause is water hammer, a hydraulic pressure surge created when moving water is forced to stop or change direction very quickly. Although homeowners often notice the sound first, water hammer is not simply noisy plumbing. Repeated pressure shocks can place unnecessary strain on pipes, joints, valves, flexible connections and other

The pressure relief valve is an important safety component within a sealed central heating system. Its purpose is relatively simple. If pressure inside the boiler and heating circuit becomes dangerously high, the valve opens and allows water to escape, preventing excessive pressure from damaging the appliance or other parts of the system. Problems become more complicated because water coming from the pressure relief valve does not necessarily mean the valve itself is faulty. In many cases, it is responding correctly to another problem elsewhere in the heating system. A faulty