The maintenance of your gas appliance, like a central heating system, gas stove or water heater is easily left out. Simply because you forget to make an appointment, or because you think that everything’s still working properly and it’s sufficient to have it checked once every few years. We can’t stress out enough that it’s very important to have your gas appliance(s) regularly checked by a certified installer, so you can keep using them safely and economically.  

 

Why is regular maintenance so important?

 

Regular maintenance of your gas appliances is important for more than one reason. It can not only lead to dangerous situations when the device isn’t working properly anymore, you can also save a fair amount of costs with sufficient maintenance. Periodic maintenance makes sure that:

 

• Your gas appliances are safe and the risk of a gas leakage (what can ultimately lead to a gas explosion when nothing is done in time) or the release of carbon monoxide is limited to a minimum. 
• You suffer less from small malfunctions. These are malfunctions that aren’t necessarily dangerous, but do cause a lot of discomfort as you won’t be able to temporarily use your gas appliance which stops you from having warm water or a heated house.
• Your gas appliance has a longer lifespan and you can spread out the initial investment over a longer period of time.
• Your gas appliances have the optimal economic settings, which will save a fair amount on the monthly costs. You will also contribute to a better environment because your household releases less CO₂.

 

Maintenance contract for your gas appliances

 

With a maintenance contract for your gas appliance you are ensured that the necessary maintenance is actually being done on a regular basis. Apart from the fact that with this maintenance you minimise the risk of malfunctions, a lot of boiler brands have also placed the absolute must of maintenance by a qualified fitter in their warranty conditions. However, should something happen to your boiler or other gas appliance during the warranty period at least you have complied to the terms of maintenance.  

 

An important piece of advice: never cut out maintenance to your gas appliance to save money, it can lead to life threatening situations. Installers that are allowed to use the certification Qualified Installers have professional, reliable fitters on their payroll who you can trust providing you with reliable, professional service. As of 2021 the rules will be tightened further, but at this moment the formulated recommendations by Techniek Nederland are a good directive for what you can expect of a qualified fitter when he/she drops by for service:

 

• Check safety of the smoke ventilation and the carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide and oxygen levels that are released from operating the appliance. 
• Optimal setting of your gas appliance for sustainability and safety.
• Fitting of the gas appliance itself. Is everything fitted properly, so there is no risk of any leakages.
• Check if there are sufficient means of ventilation so the air supply of your gas appliance is in order. 

 

What can you do with maintenance yourself?

 

Understandably you have a qualified fitter to carry out the maintenance for you. However, there are a few maintenance matters that you can take on yourself:

 

• Do a regular check on the pressure of your central heating system. When the pressure is too high or too low it limits the level of economy of your boiler and has a negative impact on the functioning of the pump. Add water to the boiler if necessary.
• In case the central heating installation makes strange noises when the boiler turns on it’s advisable to vent the radiators and boiler. Study the manual carefully first. Be aware that more modern boilers usually vent automatically, in that case the cause of the sound lies probably somewhere else. Then it’s advisable to get a qualified fitter to look at the situation.

 

For your own safety you should always make sure there is enough ventilation around the house. Especially when you have a well insulated house, it’s essential to have fresh air running through the house continuously. This way the risk of a dangerous level of carbon monoxide is strongly reduced. It’s also recommendable placing CO Alarms in areas where  gas appliances are operating, just to be sure.