How to Make the Most of Central Heating

By HSS Sales

Introduction• There are many ways to keep our house warm

during the winter; most of us have central heating installed in our homes, others count mostly on their fireplace(s) or solar panels and many amongst us opt for additional heating solutions, like ceramic, halogen or gas heaters when it gets really cold.

• In this presentation we are going to explain how you can maintain the central heating in your place in top condition, since central heating can keep your family cozy all winter long, if you maintain it and take good care of it. This kind of heating system isn’t difficult to maintain, but it does require some attention and care.

Understand Your System’s Functions

• To be able to take good care of your central heating, you need to understand how it works. Each system has some unique features, but in general most central heating systems have the same basic functions.

• The boiler heats both the hot water tank and provides heat for your home. The system includes a programmer that allows the heater to turn on and off. When the programmer tells the system to turn on, the hot water thermostat and the room thermostat turn the boiler on and off as needed.

• Your central heating unit also has a diverter valve that directs the water to move from the boiler to either the water cylinder or the radiators, or both, as needed.

• Each of these parts is important to how your central heating system works and if something isn’t working correctly chances are there is a problem with one of these parts.

Year Around Maintenance

To keep your central heating system in excellent shape, you need to perform some basic maintenance throughout the year. Some major maintenance procedures will need to be done by a professional, and if your system is damaged or isn’t working properly, you should have it repaired right away.

Replace Filters Regularly

• Your central heating system has a filter that stops things like dust, small particles, dirt and even mould from entering your home. These things all get caught in the filter, so it needs to be replaced often. If you don’t replace it regularly, it won’t work as effectively as it should.

• To do this, find the filter and remove it from your system. If it is a reusable filter, clean it as instructed by the manufacturer and replace it. If it isn’t reusable, replace it with an entirely new filter.

Check the Pilot Light

• Central heating systems that are powered with natural gas have a pilot light that should be blue. Check the light often and if it isn’t blue, but is orange or yellow, it could mean there is a problem with the unit and you should contact a professional.

• If your system isn’t providing warm air, it could mean the pilot light has gone out. This should be the first thing you check if you aren’t getting any warm air.

Flush the System

• Periodically, you need to flush your central heating system with a central heating flusher. These products are designed to remove oxide deposits which can lead to radiator cold spots and blockages. The flusher will also protect the boiler and pumps, which will keep your system working the way it should be.

• Flushing the central heating unit helps to improve circulation throughout the system and helps increase heating efficiency.

Check for Leaks

Visually check your central heating unit for leaks. If you find water on the floor or notice the walls or pipes are damp, you need to repair the leak right away. Catching a leak before it gets out of hand can save you money and can help you prevent water damage. A professional can repair the leak quickly to avoid further damage.

Have Your Boiler Serviced Annually

While there are some maintenance tasks you can perform yourself, and some problems you will be able to identify on your own, a professional needs to service your boiler every year. He will perform extensive maintenance and will check to make sure the unit is working smoothly. A professional has experience maintaining systems and can spot problems you may not notice.

For more information or to browse HSS Sales’ wide collection of heaters for sale, please

visit HSS Sales’ website.