Boiler notes: the figures that matter
A few short heating notes, gathered from the questions customers ask most often.
Power flush
Power flush in one line: 300 to 600 pounds for an average house. Beyond the number, it clears sludge that makes radiators slow and boilers noisy.
Manufacturers publish their own limits in the manual, and those take precedence over any general figure.
If a job involves the gas supply or the flue, it is Gas Safe work and not something to attempt yourself. In short, Power flush is worth understanding before it becomes an emergency.
Weather compensation
Weather compensation: the figure most people need is an outdoor sensor, on the north wall, and the boiler runs cooler on mild days and the house stays at the same temperature.
That figure is a typical value for a UK home rather than a rule; a good engineer will confirm it for your system.
Do the cheap checks before the expensive ones: pressure, thermostat setting, timer, then the engineer. That is the whole of Weather compensation for most households.
Timers
A short note on Timers. Expect two heating periods morning and evening; in practice, leaving the heating on low all day rarely costs less than two well timed periods.
Treat the number as a starting point. Older systems, larger houses and hard water all move it.
Write down what you find before calling anyone, so the conversation starts with facts. Knowing this about Timers saves a call-out more often than you would think.
Room thermostat
If you are looking into Room thermostat, start with this: 18 to 21 C, for most households. The practical point is that each degree lower saves roughly 10 per cent on the heating bill.
Manufacturers publish their own limits in the manual, and those take precedence over any general figure.
Check the boiler's own display or manual first; most of the time it tells you what it needs. In short, Room thermostat is worth understanding before it becomes an emergency.
Error codes
Error codes in one line: the manual for the exact meaning. Beyond the number, most codes point to low pressure, ignition failure or a blocked condensate pipe.
That figure is a typical value for a UK home rather than a rule; a good engineer will confirm it for your system.
Keep the service record with the boiler manual; it is the first thing a buyer or a warranty claim will ask for. That is the whole of Error codes for most households.
Gas rate
Gas rate: the figure most people need is checked at service, against the data plate, and a low reading means the burner is not getting the gas it was designed for.
Treat the number as a starting point. Older systems, larger houses and hard water all move it.
If a job involves the gas supply or the flue, it is Gas Safe work and not something to attempt yourself. Knowing this about Gas rate saves a call-out more often than you would think.
Inhibitor
A short note on Inhibitor. Expect one litre per 100 litres of system water; in practice, it slows the corrosion that turns to sludge.
Manufacturers publish their own limits in the manual, and those take precedence over any general figure.
Do the cheap checks before the expensive ones: pressure, thermostat setting, timer, then the engineer. In short, Inhibitor is worth understanding before it becomes an emergency.
Figures are typical UK values; your boiler's manual and a Gas Safe registered engineer take precedence.
This note is part of the Eco Gas search lab, a set of short heating notes used to study how search engines read pages.