The first chill of autumn often arrives suddenly, and the breezy warmth often ends as September gives way to October.
This means that many people will either turn on their heating systems by the end of October, or they have combi boilers and smart thermostats, which will automatically start to activate as the temperature plummets.
Because of this, if you need to service your boiler or get it replaced, it is best to do so sooner rather than later.
An interesting question that regularly comes up, often in the context of other heating solutions such as heat pumps, concerns efficacy in freezing cold conditions. How cold is too cold before a heating system simply stops working?
The answer is somewhat complex, and there are various factors that can affect the functioning of a boiler.
Theoretically, a boiler without adequate frost protection can cause either the condensate pipe, radiator or another part of the pipework to freeze, causing the heating system to seize up and potentially break.
Typically, if a boiler falls below five degrees Celsius, there is a risk that the boiler will stop working without frost protection, but most modern boilers will be able to sense this temperature drop and turn on the system to ensure it is just warm enough to avoid frozen pipes.
This is why, even if you turn off the heating using a thermostat, it will often display five degrees Celsius on the screen; this is the temperature which it will try to maintain and ensure that your pipes do not burst.
Exactly how effectively a boiler will work will depend on the insulation surrounding its coldest components, its overall efficiency, if there are any long-standing issues, the condensate pipe and if there is any air in the system.
Prevention is always better than cure, and getting a boiler serviced or replaced if required is much cheaper than an emergency callout in the depths of midwinter.
