A RECENT STUDY CARRIED OUT BY THE HHIC HAS REVEALED THAT ALMOST HALF OF HOMEOWNERS DO NOT HAVE THEIR BOILER SERVICED REGULARLY, AND APPROXIMATELY 3 MILLION UK HOUSEHOLDS MAY NEVER HAVE HAD THEIR BOILER SERVICED. SO, HOW DO WE CHANGE THE HOMEOWNER VIEW OF BOILERS AND THE HEATING SYSTEM, AND THEIR NEEDS?
These stark statistics show where boilers sit in homeowners’ views of household appliances. Whilst some £3 billion per year is spent on home repair and general upkeep (which will include the larger expenditure of new boiler sales), the relatively small cost of servicing seems to be overlooked.
So, where has this laissez-faire attitude towards heating come from? Perhaps it stems from a lack of education about importance of boilers? Of course, a functioning boiler and heating system bring obvious benefits, such as warmth, hot water and keeping humidity levels under control. But when these are not present, you realise how essential they are!
Servicing of the boiler/system and correct treatment thereof can keep bills lower; correct treatment using Sentinel products can typically reduce bills by 15%, compared to an untreated system.
There is a perception around the heating system that it is an expensive tool, and certainly that is a fair point regarding a boiler itself. However, when weighing up boiler costs versus service costs, then it should be a no-brainer that people have their boiler serviced. It seems that homeowners are playing a risk versus reward strategy; risking heating system health for the reward that the system will function and not cost them money. In actual fact, a small yearly cost for servicing and any extras such as correct water treatment, can lessen the risk hugely and make the reward last much, much longer.
Sentinel’s, Technical Director, Nisar Afsar, says “We at Sentinel try to educate installers on the benefits of water treatment and wider industry issues such as the importance of servicing and warranty compliance, which can be passed on to the homeowner, leading to increased awareness and ultimately extending boiler life.”. Yet despite the information available, it seems that homeowners are not heeding the warnings, as the statistics on warranty are equally stark; more than half of those surveyed say their boiler is out of warranty.
Servicing is key to maintaining warranty, but this was unbeknownst to a third of the survey participants. Items like a water test are now formally recommended in the BS7593 guidelines – testing plays an important part in warranty claims, not least as 87% of boiler call outs are to systems without correct water treatment. Indeed, many manufacturers will reject warranty claims based on water quality.
Evidently, servicing is recognised, but not valued to the extent it should be, which feeds into the lack of education at homeowner level. Once again, we come back to the perception of the boiler and lack of importance about the heating system, its components and the role it plays in a home. The perception of a heating system with expensive parts and disastrous consequences should they fail, persists. The reality is somewhat different, as smaller payments and regular maintenance actions can help it last a lot longer, running much more efficiently.
On average, a boiler service in 2020 was £80. Much like an MOT, this regular inspection allows necessary care and action to be taken, such as cleaning the system, emptying a filter or topping up inhibitor if necessary. Any issues can be caught and dealt with, extending boiler life and saving homeowners money.
Another finding of the survey was that 2 out of 3 boilers are out of their warranty period, at the point of breakdown. This leaves homeowners high, potentially not very dry and firmly out of pocket when it comes to sorting the issue, not to mention the health risks if a boiler is faulty, for example risks related to carbon monoxide.
Nearly two-thirds of those surveyed said they knew about the boiler and their system’s history, as well as being confident in using and understanding it…but this is very much at odds with the statistics on those who have the boiler regularly serviced. Are we once again back to the lack of education?
This is where the Benchmark app, developed by the HHIC whilst working closely with Sentinel, can help. For the homeowner, it can help them understand the work which has been done, value it accordingly, and remind them to get their boiler serviced. For installers, they will be able to access the record of the boiler, win and develop business opportunities. Overall, we will see more, healthier boilers, bigger energy savings, more business being cultivated and better efficiency all round. Ultimately, the effect of the Benchmark app, combined with information from Sentinel to help homeowners better understand the benefits, makes for a positive and encouraging future for regular servicing and water treatment.
The original Benchmark report can be downloaded here: https://www.benchmark.org.uk/
Sentinel is a company with a clear goal: we offer water treatment products and services that provide the best lifetime protection for heating and hot water systems. Originally launched in the UK by Grace Dearborn in 1988 and subsequently a subsidiary of the leading multinational General Electric, Sentinel has operated independently since 2005, expanding its international reach and range of innovative solutions. As of 2021, Sentinel is owned by Aalberts N.V., and sits in the hydronic flow control cluster.