Five reasons households should not attempt DIY repairs this summer
Households planning summer DIY projects to save money are being warned not to attempt repairs on their heating systems as mistakes could lead to costly damage, safety risks and bigger bills later in the year.
The warmer weather often encourages homeowners to tackle maintenance jobs around the house while their heating systems are used less. However, boilers and other elements of the heating system should always be repaired and serviced by qualified professionals.
The warning comes as many households continue to face pressure from rising household bills and are looking for ways to cut costs. However, it’s estimated homeowners in the UK spend £539 million a year employing tradespeople to fix DIY jobs that have gone wrong and become more expensive to fix.
To highlight the risks, trade association OFTEC, which is a registration scheme for non-gas heating technicians, has outlined five reasons households should avoid carrying out their own boiler repairs this summer.
You could invalidate your warranty. Attempting repairs or a boiler installation yourself, or using someone who is not properly qualified, could void your boiler warranty in the likely event it causes damage. This may leave households facing the full cost of future repairs, or even a replacement boiler, if the damage is severe.
It could create problems selling your home. Poorly carried out heating repair work can raise concerns during property surveys and sales. Buyers may request additional inspections, repairs or paperwork before proceeding. This could potentially delay your sale, or lead to a reduced offer if it’s found expensive work is required.
DIY boiler and tank repairs can be dangerous. Boilers are heating systems and can pose serious risks if handled incorrectly. Attempting repairs without the correct knowledge or qualifications could lead to carbon monoxide leaks. For households on oil heating, attempting to fix or replace your oil tank on your own is also highly risky. Tanks are heavy and difficult to move without the correct equipment and expertise. An oil leak could result in serious environmental contamination, which can be very expensive and time consuming to rectify, and may not be covered by home insurance.
Small problems can quickly become expensive repairs. When faults seem minor, it can be tempting to carry out fixes yourself, but what may initially appear to be a minor fault can become a much larger issue if repaired incorrectly. Problems that are temporarily hidden during summer months may only become obvious when temperatures drop and the heating system is needed again. A qualified technician should carry out these repairs to ensure the issue does not become more serious.
Incorrect repairs could increase your energy bills. A poorly repaired heating system may not run efficiently, meaning it uses more fuel and costs more to operate. Professional servicing and repairs help ensure systems are running safely and as efficiently as possible.
While some simple maintenance tasks, such as bleeding radiators or adjusting heating timers, can safely be carried out by households, servicing and repairs should always be completed by a qualified technician. For mains gas, that’s a GasSafe registered technician, and for oil and solid fuel that means an OFTEC technician.
These technicians have been properly trained are regularly inspected to ensure the work meets the required standards and, most importantly, is completed safely.
Malcolm Farrow, from OFTEC, said: “Summer is often the time when households start tackling DIY jobs around the house. However, it’s important to remember that boilers and heating systems are burning fuels and can be incredibly dangerous if you aren’t qualified. They aren’t designed to be user-serviceable and, whilst we are all trying to save money, cutting corners and attempting fixes yourself will be much more expensive in the long run. It’s not worth the risk.
“OFTEC technicians are regularly inspected to ensure the highest standards of work, and using one gives households peace of mind that their heating system is safe, efficient and ready for when it’s needed again later this year.”
For more information and to find a local OFTEC registered technician visit: www.oftec.org.
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