Home Services. Feeling the Cold: is your boiler ready for winter?

Understanding the
importance of boiler care

Boilers are one of the most essential systems in your home, so when it shuts down unexpectedly, the radiators go cold or you hear strange noises, it’s important to take action with boiler repairs to avoid further issues.

With sufficient boiler maintenance and check-ups, many emergency issues can be caught early, which is why we surveyed over 1,000 people to understand how proactive the nation really is.

Over 35% of the public answered that they ‘never think about their boiler’ in comparison to only 22% that check their boilers annually. This means the vast majority of people aren’t taking regular steps to prevent the need for repairs. One easy step to take to remove the worry about boiler repairs is British Gas HomeCare cover and our service promise for a same-day engineer. Based on our 2024 performance data, 80% of customers contacting by 11am received the same-day service.

Naturally, many people head online to look up heating system issues, so we researched the most popular search queries, including 'ticking boiler noises’ or asking, 'what sounds do boilers make?’.

Are you with the 35% that never think about their boiler until it’s time for repairs? Or are you ready for winter with a yearly service? Let’s see the results. 

Do you know how to check the health of your boiler?

From being familiar with system parts and sounds to being aware of leaks and pressure changes, understanding your boiler health is important. But it’s always worth getting in the professionals to do regular checks and inspections to avoid costly repairs in the long run. With this in mind, we asked survey participants if they knew how to monitor their boiler and how often they did it.

The survey included results from 1,000 boiler owners in the UK. Respondents were a representative sample of the population reflected across region, gender and age. Data was collected in December 2023.

According to our survey, one in two people (50%) aren’t testing their boiler at all. And only 22% of people check once a year, as recommended. From that group, 27% of 25 to 40-year-olds were most likely to check. Which is good as frequent tests help a boiler to last longer and work more efficiently. It also shows that 73% of 25 to 40-year-olds could be putting steps in place to avoid boiler mishaps before it’s too late. 

If you’re not sure how to give your boiler a once-over or you don’t inspect it regularly, there’s nothing to fret about. You can quickly and easily book a boiler service online. Our engineers are available year-round for routine maintenance and emergency repairs. They’ll help detect issues before they become bigger problems.

How do you feel about solving boiler related issues?

It’s important to care for your boiler so you know your heating system is keeping your home warm. However, small maintenance issues can sometimes feel like a big concern when you don’t know where they’re coming from.

Our survey reveals that two in five people (40%) admitted that they find boiler issues stressful or intimidating’ while 35% of people answered that they never think about their boiler’.

In contrast, only a quarter of people asked said that they feel confident in these issues at home. So, there’s a wide range of comfort levels when it comes to boiler repair and maintenance in the UK.

The survey included results from 1,000 boiler owners in the UK. Respondents were a representative sample of the population reflected across region, gender and age. Data was collected in December 2023.

Not sure where to start? Try and get to grips with your heating system and its functions, including the different types of boilers and what they do. If yours breaks down suddenly or isn’t working, book in an engineer to fix it as soon as possible. If you need help and support with an emergency repair, always remember British Gas are here to help. 

When a boiler breaks and you can’t heat your home, at least you’ve got blankets and maybe electric radiators to help keep you warm. But there’s no substitute for warm showers. If your boiler switches off or struggles to heat water, and you can’t face the thought of a cold shower, you might be reaching for the phone and booking in a repair.

Londoners appear to be the most resilient when it comes to putting up with a cold shower (or even ten). It’s true, almost 10% of those living in the capital admit to having over a whopping ten cold showers before getting in an engineer.

Breaking it down into regions, we see even more variety. People in the North East put up with an average of six cold showers before looking into repairs. On the flip side, the East Midlands and the West of England were unlikely to go long without booking for repairs. Both only averaged around three cold showers, with Northern Ireland averaging even less than that.

When you call for an engineer right away, we can fix the issue quickly, sparing you from the chill of cold showers. And, in the past year, 80% of British Gas customers with no heating or hot water were able to get a same-day engineer when they contacted us before 11am, based on 2024 performance data.

Where are you most likely to get advice from if your boiler is broken?

When your boiler packs up, who do you turn to first for help? Some people might go to their housemates or family members, whilst others head online for advice.

But, taking the top spot across the board, most people concerned about their boilers would go to an expert first, with around 70% of respondents going straight to a professional for advice.

Another 22% of people chose online searches as their first point of call. But when it comes to social media, there’s a lot less confidence – only 3% of respondents said they’d use these platforms for advice. So, despite the huge number of people using social media, they don’t trust the advice given and would prefer to get professional help.

Because boilers are complex systems, it’s always safest to get an engineer when it’s broken. The last thing you want to be doing is trying to figure out the problem yourself. If you’ve got no heating or hot water and call British Gas, we can get an expert to look over your system on the same-day. 80% of British Gas customers have received a same-day engineer when they contacted us before 11am, based on 2024 performance data. And in the same report, 99% of broken boilers were fixed in the first or second appointment , so you can trust us to get your heating back on in no time.

The survey included results from 1,000 boiler owners in the UK. Respondents were a representative sample of the population reflected across region, gender and age. Data was collected in December 2023.

Age also plays a big role in how people handle boiler issues with 85% of people aged 65 and over seeking expert help straightaway. Compare this to only 47% of those aged between 25 and 34 who did the same.

In fact, it’s the younger generation with higher trust in online searches – with 35% reaching for online help. This trend declines significantly with age, with only 11% of 65 to 74-year-olds turning to search engines for boiler support.

Our results show that a significant 68% of boiler owners had never sought advice from these online platforms. In this group, 26% expressed they would never trust an online source to fix their boiler.

When it comes to technical issues like these, many people lean towards the experts, rather than take matters into their own hands. Alongside this, 7% of the overall answers admitted that they had gone to the internet for advice for boiler fixes, but it didn’t go well in the end.

Hearing vibrating sounds from your boiler? With over 2,740 searches a month, steady and continuous noises can be common and may indicate loose brackets that need tightening or trapped air. If you’re not sure where it’s coming from, get an engineer to scan the source and diagnose any faults.

Mechanical sounds like banging, knocking and clunking are also a common concern, with over 2,200 searches a month. This could be a faulty part inside a boiler or even a problem with the heat exchanger. It’s best to address these issues quickly so you can put your mind to rest.

Your boiler also pumps a lot of water through the pipes in your house, so hearing water and liquid sounds coming from the unit can be normal.

If you’re worried, take a step away from the search engines and check out the British Gas boiler noise guide to give yourself some peace of mind. Find out where the noise is coming from and if you’re concerned, book one-off boiler repairs and maintenance with one of our engineers – they’ll check to see if everything’s working how it should be.

How can I get my boiler ready for winter?

As the temperature drops and the heating warms up, now is the perfect time to winter-proof your home. Here are some top tips to prepare your heating system before the cold really kicks in. 

• Test your heating system: start testing the boiler and radiators by warming up the heating as early as possible, so you aren’t struck with icy pipes in winter or the wrong boiler pressure.
• Do you need to bleed your radiators? If they are cold at the top and hot at the bottom, you might need to bleed your radiators. To do this, turn off your heating, let your radiators go cold and then bleed them with a bleed key and cloth. This could also be the cause of any unwanted noises.
• Book in for annual boiler maintenance: schedule a full check-up of your system with one of our engineers, to make sure everything’s working in order.

Remember that if you find yourself without any heating or water, we’ll get an engineer to you on the same day, with 2024 performance data showing 80% of customers receiving a same-day service when they contacted us before 11am. You can also protect your boiler in the long run by opting for HomeCare cover. There’s no limit on repairs, so you can rest easy throughout the whole year, knowing our engineers will be there if you need them.