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Boiler Service

An annual boiler service that finds the fault before the cold snap does

A proper service is not a wipe-down and a sticker. It is a combustion check, a gas rate, a flue test, the seals, the condensate trap, the expansion vessel and the safety devices, written up so you know what state the boiler is in. Combi, system and heat-only boilers, all makes, across London.

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ExcellentMany five-star reviews
Boiler Service

What people say after a service that was actually a service

Reviews

Excellent

Rated by London homeowners and landlords

  • Boiler repair, flat

    Boiler locked out on a Sunday evening and the flat was freezing by Monday. Explained the fault code over the phone, turned up when they said, had the part on the van. Heating back on the same visit.

    Sarah M.Reviewed on Google

  • New combi boiler

    Got a written quote with the boiler model, the flush and the filter all listed, nothing added later. Two days of work, tidy, and they talked me through the controls before leaving.

    Daniel O.Reviewed on Google

  • Landlord gas certificate

    Needed a CP12 quickly for a tenancy renewal. Booked for the next morning, the tenant said the engineer was polite and quick, and the certificate was in my inbox that afternoon.

    Priya K.Reviewed on Google

  • Blocked kitchen drain

    Kitchen sink had been slow for weeks and then stopped altogether. Cleared it, showed me the fat build-up on the camera, and gave honest advice on stopping it happening again.

    Tom R.Reviewed on Google

  • Radiators cold at the bottom

    Three radiators were cold at the bottom however much I bled them. Power flush took most of a day and the difference is obvious, the whole house heats up far faster now.

    Helen W.Reviewed on Google

  • Leak under the bathroom floor

    Water was coming through the kitchen ceiling and I feared the whole floor coming up. They traced it to one joint on the bath waste and only lifted two boards. Very relieved.

    Marcus L.Reviewed on Google

  • Bathroom refit

    Full bathroom, old one stripped out and a walk-in shower put in. Plumbing, tiling and electrics all handled by the same people, so nothing fell between the gaps. Really pleased.

    Aisha B.Reviewed on Google

  • Annual boiler service

    Straightforward service, no upselling. Checked everything, cleaned the condensate trap, adjusted the pressure and explained what the readings meant. Booked again for next year.

    George P.Reviewed on Google

What the work involves

Boilers fail in the first cold week of the year, because that is the first time in months they run hard. Most of those failures were visible in September: a condensate trap half full of sludge, an expansion vessel with no charge, a pump that had started to grumble, a flue seal that had perished. An annual service is the visit that finds them while the heating is a choice rather than an emergency.

It is also the visit that keeps the manufacturer's warranty alive. Nearly every boiler warranty requires an annual service by a qualified engineer, recorded in the benchmark logbook, and a missed year is the reason a claim on a five-year-old boiler gets refused. For landlords, the service sits naturally alongside the annual gas safety check, and the two are usually done on the same visit.

Dependable Heating services gas boilers of every make in houses, flats and rental properties across London and the surrounding towns. By law, work on a gas boiler can only be done by an engineer on the Gas Safe Register, and that is the standard every service is held to.

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01

What a boiler service covers

A service follows the manufacturer's schedule for the boiler in front of the engineer, which is why it is not the same on every make. The common ground:

  • A visual check of the boiler, the pipework, the flue run and the terminal, inside and out.
  • Flue gas analysis with a calibrated analyser: CO, CO2 and the ratio between them, which says whether the burner is combusting cleanly.
  • The gas rate and, where the boiler allows it, the working pressure at the burner.
  • Case seals and flue seals, because a modern boiler is room-sealed and depends on them.
  • The condensate trap, cleaned out, and the condensate pipe checked for a fall and for frost protection outside.
  • The expansion vessel charge, the pressure relief valve, the system pressure and the filling loop.
  • The magnetic filter, if there is one, emptied and cleaned. If there is not one, that is noted.
  • Controls: the thermostat, programmer and any zone valves checked for correct operation.
  • Safety devices: flame supervision, overheat stat, and the boiler's own fault log read for anything that has happened since the last visit.

Everything measured is written on the service record and in the boiler's logbook, with the readings, not just a tick.

02

Annual boiler service and safety checks

A service and a safety check overlap but are not the same thing. The safety check confirms the appliance is safe to use: gas tightness, flue integrity, ventilation, combustion within limits. The service goes further into the condition of the boiler and its components and does the cleaning and adjustment that keeps it that way. A homeowner wants both once a year. A landlord is required by law to have the safety check done and certificated annually, and is well advised to have the service at the same time, because the engineer is already there with the case off.

A service does not include stripping and cleaning the heat exchanger unless the combustion readings say it is needed. On a modern condensing boiler running cleanly, opening the combustion chamber unnecessarily does more harm than good. Where the readings are off, the burner and heat exchanger are cleaned and the readings taken again.

03

Boiler fault diagnosis and repairs during a service

A service often finds things. A pump that is noisy, a diverter valve that is sticking, an expansion vessel that will not hold a charge, a fan bearing on its way out. You are shown the problem, told whether it is urgent or can wait, and given a price for the repair. Where the part is on the van, it can be done there and then; where it needs ordering, the return visit is quoted. Nothing is done without agreement, and nothing found is left unsaid. Where a boiler is failing beyond economic repair you are told that too, with the reasons, rather than a service sticker and a surprise in December. Larger faults are handled as a boiler repair on their own visit.

04

Boiler brands and models covered

Worcester Bosch, Vaillant, Ideal, Baxi, Viessmann, Glow-worm, Potterton, Alpha, Intergas, Ferroli, Vokera, Main and the older Ravenheat, Halstead and Saunier Duval units still running in London flats. The engineers carry the manufacturer's service instructions for each and the analyser settings that go with them. Where a boiler is obsolete and parts are no longer made, you are told at the service so a replacement can be planned rather than forced.

05

Same-day and emergency callouts

A service is a planned visit, but a boiler does not always wait for one. Where a boiler has locked out, is leaking or is showing a fault code, that is booked as a repair rather than a service, attended as quickly as the day allows. Where a boiler is producing fumes, a smell of gas or soot marks around the case, turn it off, open windows and call the National Gas Emergency number on 0800 111 999 first; the repair follows once it is safe.

06

When to book and how often

Once a year, and late summer is the sensible time: the boiler has had its rest, the engineer has time, and anything found can be fixed before the heating is needed. A boiler that has been serviced in September and is running cleanly has the best possible chance of getting through to March without a call. New boilers need their first service within twelve months of installation to keep the warranty, even if they have barely run.

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How a job runs

What happens on the day

A service takes around an hour for a combi and a little longer for a system boiler with a cylinder. You do not need to do anything beforehand except make sure the boiler can be reached.

  1. Reading the job through before the visit

    01

    Book a slot

    Tell us the boiler make if you know it and whether it is a combi or has a cylinder. Landlords can add the gas safety check to the same visit.

  2. Checking the plans and paperwork

    02

    Inspection and readings

    Case off, visual checks, flue gas analysis, gas rate, seals, condensate, expansion vessel, filter and controls.

  3. Engineer drilling a wall for a fixing

    03

    Cleaning and adjustment

    Trap and filter cleaned, vessel recharged, pressure corrected, and the burner cleaned only if the readings call for it.

  4. A finished boiler and cylinder installation

    04

    Record and advice

    Readings written up in the logbook and on your record, with a plain note of anything that needs attention and a price for it.

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When was the boiler last serviced? Book the next one now

Pick a time that suits and an engineer confirms it. Landlords can add the CP12 to the same visit.

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Where we work

Boiler servicing across London

Combis in converted flats, system boilers with cylinders in family houses, back boilers still going in the odd terrace. Services are booked across the towns below and grouped by area so appointment times are kept.

  • London
  • City of Westminster
  • Islington
  • Chelsea
  • Battersea
  • Holloway
  • Brixton
  • Peckham
  • Fulham
  • Archway
  • Shepherds Bush
  • Canary Wharf
  • Stamford Hill
  • Willesden
  • Cricklewood
  • Putney
  • Streatham
  • Stratford
  • Catford
  • Canning Town
  • Acton
  • Wimbledon
  • Tottenham
  • Finchley
  • Leytonstone
  • Walthamstow
  • Mitcham
  • Wembley
  • Beckenham
  • Brent
  • Morden
  • Edmonton
  • Eltham
  • Croydon
  • Barking
  • Ilford
  • Carshalton
  • Enfield Town
  • Chingford
  • Greenford
  • Harrow
  • South Croydon
  • Hounslow
  • Welling
  • Southall
  • Heston
  • Surbiton
  • Sutton
  • Becontree
  • Purley
  • Borehamwood
  • Ewell
  • Bexley
  • Hayes
  • Dagenham
  • Feltham
  • Banstead
  • Cheshunt
  • Esher
  • Romford
  • Dartford
  • Watford
  • Uxbridge
  • Staines
  • Leatherhead
  • Hatfield
  • Redhill
  • St Albans
  • Grays

Jobs that often go with this one

  • Boiler Repair

    Boiler Repair

    Fault codes, lockouts, low pressure, leaks, no heating or no hot water. Diagnosed properly, priced before the repair starts, and fixed with the right parts.

  • Gas Safety Certificate

    Gas Safety Certificate

    The annual CP12 landlord gas safety check on boilers, hobs, fires and pipework, with the certificate issued on the day so tenancies and renewals are not held up.

  • Power Flushing

    Power Flushing

    Sludge and rust cleared out of radiators, pipework and the boiler heat exchanger with a proper power flush, so cold spots go and the system runs quietly again.

Resources

Guides worth reading before the visit

FAQ

Boiler Service: the questions people ask first

How long does a boiler service take?

Around an hour for a combi. A system boiler with a cylinder, or a boiler that needs the burner cleaning, takes longer. You are told on the day if it is running over.

Does a service include the gas safety certificate?

No, they are separate documents, but they can be done on the same visit. Landlords need the CP12 by law every twelve months; homeowners do not need a certificate but benefit from the same checks, which are part of the service.

Will you service a boiler you did not install?

Yes, any make and any age, provided it is safe to work on. If it is unsafe, it is made safe and you are told why.

Is it worth servicing an old boiler?

Usually, yes. An old boiler running cleanly with sound seals is safe and can go on for years. A service is also the honest way to find out whether it is worth keeping, because the combustion readings and the state of the heat exchanger say more than its age does.

What is the difference between a service and a repair?

A service is planned maintenance on a working boiler. A repair is fixing a boiler that has a fault. If a service finds a fault, the repair is quoted separately and you decide whether to go ahead.

Do I need to be home for the service?

Someone needs to let the engineer in and be there when the readings are explained, but that can be a tenant, a family member or an agent with a key.

Anything not covered here is answered on our contact page, and the longer reads on boilers, radiators and leaks live in our heating resources.

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Book the annual service before the cold arrives

The boiler make, whether it is a combi or has a cylinder, and a rough idea of when suits. The engineer confirms the appointment.

  • A written price before any work starts
  • Boilers, gas, plumbing, drains and bathrooms under one roof
  • London and the towns around it

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