One-Off Boiler Repair and Annual Boiler Insurance

If you already have a good relationship with your supplier, you can save money and enjoy lasting peace of mind getting both services under the same roof. Here we’ll look at what energy suppliers offer boiler repair, servicing and cover, as well as answering some common questions about boiler servicing and repairs.

List of suppliers offering boiler repair services

If you’re with one of the UK’s "Big 6" energy suppliers, you can enjoy boiler repairs, maintenance and cover alongside your energy at advantageous rates. Energy suppliers that offer boiler repair services include:

• British Gas
• E.On
• EDF
• N Power
• Scottish Power
• SSE

This is often offered in partnership with other companies. These companies all offer boiler repair services:

• Aviva
• Corgi
• 24|7 Home Rescue
• Boiler Plan UK
• HomeServe
• Hometree
• WarrantyPeople
• YourRepair

These cover providers all provide the following services using Gas Safe Registered engineers:

Boiler cover and servicing

Boiler cover is a form of insurance that prevents you from being left out of pocket if something goes wrong with the boiler unit itself. Most policies also extend to the boiler controls and heating exchange.

Basic boiler cover policies will cover the cost of repairs if your unit breaks down or malfunctions. If your boiler cannot be economically repaired, you will usually be able to get a significant discount on a replacement boiler or a new boiler for free (depending on your policy).

Some policies will also include at least one annual service, while others will offer servicing as an optional extra.

Heating, plumbing and wiring cover

Boiler cover policies can be upgraded to cover your central heating and plumbing infrastructure. This covers faults with your radiators, flue and pumps but not maintenance tasks like removing sludge from radiators.

Further cover can be added to include your home’s wiring and electrics.

Emergency boiler repairs

Most suppliers also offer 24/7 emergency call out if your boiler fails. So you can get a Gas Safe registered engineer on-site as quickly as possible.

Boiler replacements

There will be some circumstances where a boiler cannot be economically repaired. Depending on your policy you may get a contribution towards the cost of replacing a boiler that is beyond repair from your cover provider.

List of providers offering one-off repairs

All of the following companies can also offer one-off repairs:

• Aviva
• Corgi
• 24|7 Home Rescue
• Boiler Plan UK
• HomeServe
• Hometree
• YourRepair

However, there are also a wide range of local and independent companies that also offer one-off boiler and heating repairs. So many, in fact, that it’s virtually impossible to list them all. Your best bet is to visit the Gas Safe register to find local repair specialists near you if you’d prefer to go through an independent provider.

How much does boiler repair cost?

This depends on the nature of the damage or fault, and the age, brand and condition of your boiler. According to the consumer affairs website This is Money, the average boiler repair costs around £270. However, repair costs can exceed £1,250.

Which begs the question...

Should I repair or replace my boiler?

This is a difficult question to answer, as there are so many variables. It really depends on the age and overall condition of the boiler. Like cars, boilers can reach a certain age where repairs cease to be the economically viable solution and a replacement is a better value solution.

Your engineer will advise you whether you’d be better served by repairing or replacing your boiler. Broadly speaking, if your boiler is 10-12 years old or more, a replacement may be a better solution in the long term. Replacing your boiler may be a costlier solution, but it’s one that could save you money later down the line if you have an older boiler. Newer boilers are much more efficient and could save you over £300 per year on your heating bills. What’s more, as boilers get older, parts become rarer and harder to come by, meaning that repairs could get more expensive the older your boiler gets.

What is the average lifespan of a boiler?

With proper servicing and care, your boiler can have a long life. However, the average life expectancy of a boiler is between 10 and 15 years. As such, if you experience a fault with your boiler within this window, a repair may be a quicker and more affordable solution to help it limp on for a few years more. But replacing it may be more economical in the long-term.

How do you know when your boiler needs replacing?

Aside from the boiler’s age (around 10-12 years is when most boilers start to get less reliable), your boiler may display the following symptoms that could indicate that it needs to be replaced:

• Strange smells or noises coming from the boiler
• The pilot light burns yellow instead of blue
• Your heating bills keep getting higher and higher
• Your home takes longer to heat up
• Constant leaks

Boiler servicing

In order to get the most out of your boiler in terms of performance and longevity, regular boiler servicing is highly recommended. Although we appreciate that this is another annual expense that many households can do without, it is nonetheless an investment that could potentially save you money in the future.

Let’s take a look at what you need to know about boiler servicing...

How often should a boiler be serviced?

Manufacturers recommend that you service your boiler once every 12 months. If you have just purchased your boiler, it’s likely that you will need to service your boiler annually in order to keep your warranty valid.

What is done in a boiler service?

Different boiler cover and repair providers may use slightly different terminology when describing their boiler servicing procedures. However, if they are Gas Safe registered (which they absolutely should be!), you should ensure that a service covers everything on our checklist below...

Boiler service checklist

A boiler service should include the following:

• A visual inspection of the boiler unit itself, as well as the controls and pilot light flame
• Inspection and cleaning of the boiler’s interior after the casing has been removed
• A check of the heat exchanger, the main injector, spark probe and burner
• Inspection of the flue
• Checking the gas pressure

Once they have finished all their checks, the engineer will fire up the boiler to double check that everything is working as it should.

How much should a boiler service cost?

Many boiler cover plans include one free service. However, if you prefer to get standalone servicing, a one-off service will cost anywhere between £60 and £120 depending on who carried it out. As with anything pertaining to your boiler and heating, you should ensure that it is carried out by a Gas Safe registered engineer.

Is it worth getting your boiler serviced?

Absolutely. Getting your boiler serviced is just like getting your car serviced. It can identify and correct small issues before they become big problems. Furthermore, the checks and inspections carried out in a boiler service will ensure that your boiler continues to work efficiently. So you not only save yourself the cost of a repair later down the line, you also protect yourself from the excess heating costs caused by an inefficient boiler.

Let us find the perfect supplier and boiler cover for your needs

Not only can we help you find the perfect energy supplier for your needs, we can also help you to find a budget-friendly boiler care plan to give you affordable peace of mind. We can even manage your switch on your behalf. So you can combine outstanding cover with great value energy.

FAQ

Is it best to get on-off repairs or annual cover?

The average boiler repair costs over £200, while boiler cover plans start from less than £5 per month. While you may need to take a while to find the best value plan for your home and setup, annual cover is a no-brainer for most households.

What's is done in an annual boiler service?

A boiler service will include the following operations and checks to ensure that your boiler is in good health and minimise the risk of faults and failures:

* Visual inspection of the boiler unit, the controls, and the pilot light flame
* Removal of boiler casing and inspection and cleaning inside the boiler
* Checks of the heat exchanger, main injector, burner and spark probe
* Check of the flue
* Gas pressure check

The engineer will then fire up the boiler to ensure that all is in good working order.

What happens if your boiler can’t be fixed?

If your boiler is beyond economical repair, an engineer will recommend that it be replaced. If you have boiler cover, this can go some way towards mitigating the costs.

What if I want to cancel my boiler service?

Most boiler cover plans will include at least one scheduled service. But if your plans change, you can contact your cover provider to cancel and reschedule the service. However, they may advise that you have a limited window in which to re-book your service.

It’s advisable to get your boiler serviced every year to ensure best results.