Temperatures have dropped, Christmas markets have opened, festive lights have been lit in cities across the UK and maybe you’ve even been up in the loft this weekend to fetch down the decorations!

You’ve likely already booked your Christmas food ready for the big day, started your Christmas shopping for friends and family and booked to see the man in red himself if you have children in the family.

Whether you’re ticking through your To Do list or feeling rather less organised – is there something missing from your Christmastime checklist?

Your heating isn’t something you tend to think much about until it’s not there. But nobody wants to be feeling anything less than cosy at Christmas!

We would always advise carrying out checks on your heating system before the Winter arrives. But don’t be thinking that just because parts of the UK have seen snow this weekend that it’s too late! There’s less than a month to go until Christmas day, but there’s still time to check your boiler is in good working order ready for the festive season and the New Year.

Our expert heating engineers might be a bit busier this time of year but we’re still here for you through the colder weather.

If you want to make sure your boiler and heating system is ready and raring to go then here are some Winter checks you can make straight away.

Turn up the heat

If you want to really test whether everything is in working order, then turn up the heat on your radiators and your boiler to the highest setting for just 15 minutes.  This should highlight anything that’s not working the way it should.

Whilst this this test is good to carry out before the Winter, it’s not too late to do it now. There is still time to nip any problems in the bud, and hopefully prevent your boiler breaking down in the colder months when you really need it most.

Having a cold spot of bother on your radiators?

The most common reason for cold spots on your radiator, particularly at the top, is the build-up of air. It’s totally normal for air to build up within your heating system – And usually simple and easy for you to resolve yourself.

To make sure that your heating is working at its maximum efficiency, bleed your radiators. Again, this another good habit to get into once Autumn is starting to set in but there’s no reason why you can’t do it now). Check out our blog on how to bleed your radiators for more info.

Check the pressure on your boiler

When your system is cool, check your boiler pressure. You’ll usually find this on the boiler by a dial – You want it to be between 1 and 1.5 for it to be working at its optimum level.

Has it lost pressure or showing less than 1 on the dial? Don’t worry! You can re-pressurize it yourself using your boiler manual or have a read of our blog.

Watch out for a frozen condensate in sub-zero temperatures

This is probably the most common heating problem during the Winter. If part of your pipework is outside, then there is a chance that in very cold temperatures it could freeze.

Apart from the obvious, how will you know if your condensate pipe is frozen? Your boiler may be making a gurgling sound, or if your boiler has a digital display, it may be showing the ‘EA’ error code.

Thankfully, this is another easily fixed problem that you can usually sort out yourself without having to call anyone out. Head to our blog to find out how.

Avoid any nasty surprises this Christmas with regular boiler services

Our advice is and always will be to keep up with regular boiler services. You should also aim to carry it out before the Wintery weather arrives but if this blog has just reminded you to book your boiler service then that’s okay too. We’re here all year round to keep your boilers serviced and working as efficiently as possible.

It’s really important to service your boiler annually to keep your home and family safe, and your boiler in top working order.

Remember that if you are a landlord, it’s a legal requirement to have gas appliances checked every 12 months. You might also be interested in our tailor-made boiler cover which starts at just £7.50 per month and includes an annual boiler service.

We can help you keep warm this Winter

You can trust Aura Heating as your local heating experts to help keep your home warm this Winter. If you’ve got a persistent niggle with your heating system then get it sorted out sooner rather than later. Get your boiler and heating checks ticked off your to-do list.

You don’t want to end up in a chilly situation over the Christmas period!