EDF Energy Logo

Need a Better Deal on Gas and Electric?

Find out how much you can save with EDF Energy today

Find the best boiler service: repair costs & how often

Updated on
min reading
Man about to carry out a boiler service

By getting your boiler serviced, you are making sure your home, heating and hot water operate reliably. How often and how much you should pay for boiler service comes down to the current state of your boiler. Let’s look at what a good boiler service should include to keep yours in tip-top shape and at what point you should replace it, instead of just repairing it.

Why should I get my boiler serviced?

Making sure your boiler is serviced annually is key if you want to keep it running smoothly and avoid any potentially dangerous - or even deadly - issues.

Depending on the type of boiler you have in your home, it could be lethal if it releases Carbon Monoxide into the living space - there are up to 50 deaths a year linked to Carbon Monoxide poisoning in the UK alone. Regular boiler checks are the surest way to avoid this silent killer for good.

Signing up for boiler servicing and getting it checked once a year also means you’re far less likely to find your heating packing in when the depths of winter hit, saving yourself from any costly repairs or replacements.

To save on your boiler service costs, we recommend signing up for boiler cover. That way you’ll also always have someone on hand if something goes wrong with your heating when temperatures drop.

What does a boiler service include?

Illustration of a boiler

No matter who is coming to look at your boiler you should always ask what the engineer will be looking at as part of their service. A registered boiler or heating engineer will include this in their visit:

  • External and internal checks on the flue
  • Safety check on parts and enclosures.
  • They should remove the outer boiler casing to verify the heat exchanger, spark, burner, main injector and sensor probe.
  • A flame check.
  • Seals check on the body of the boiler.
  • Cleaning dirty boiler parts to prevent issues down the road.
  • A heat input or operating pressure check.
  • Test firing to ensure the boiler is working safely and to diagnose any working faults.
  • Checking boiler controls to make sure they function correctly.
  • Corrosion and leak inspection.

The engineer will provide you with a copy of the service report detailing all the checks that have been performed. You are within your right to request that he or she show you their gas safety certificate and walk you through the domestic service process so that you fully understand their workmanship.

Additionally, technicians can look at other issues around your home such as any central heating system piping which is just as important as your boiler.

How long does a boiler service take?

A Gas Safe registered engineer should be able to carry out a full boiler service inspection in about 30 minutes. However, if the gas boiler technician uncovers an issue that requires an urgent fix then their visit may take longer depending on the extent of the repair.

One thing to be aware of is that engineers are often more in demand during the winter when a lot of boiler or plumbing issues occur, don’t expect 24-hour availability. This means that when you need them the most they are more likely to be unavailable or have long callout wait times.

If boiler parts need to be replaced, the older your boiler is the longer you may have to wait for a part to be sourced and installed. This is especially the case when it comes to logic boards and electronic parts which can become obsolete rather quickly.

Feel like you’re spending too much on gas bills?Take a look at our guide to the cheapest gas tariffs to see how much you could save today!

How much does it cost?

The cost of boiler service mostly depends on who is carrying it out. If you have a boiler breakdown cover plan, a yearly service or check-up should be included. Generally, boiler cover costs between £100 and £200, although there are certainly cheaper offers out there.

If you don’t have any cover, a qualified engineer (Gas Safe certified will charge around £70 for standard residential service. Trained heating engineers are also a good option if you would prefer to book the service yourself, rather than rely on a third-party contractor.

It’s worth putting the service charge and average boiler cover cost in perspective. While boiler service doesn’t necessarily shield you from having to repair your boiler, it can catch issues earlier to prevent compounded failures that can add up significantly.

Typical boiler part replacement costs
Boiler part Average replacement cost
Boiler fan £240
Diverter valve £190
Boiler ignition £110
Air vent £100
Electronic logic board £280
Pressure relief gasket or valves £100
Thermostat control £105
Combi Boiler thermocouple £92
Liquid pumps £220
Gas Valve £220

Avoid costly boiler repairsCheck out our boiler maintenance tips for common issues and how to avoid them.

How often do I need to service my boiler?

It’s important to service your boiler regularly so that it operates both safely and efficiently. Here at Selectra, we recommend that you get a boiler or heating engineer to have a look at your boiler no less than once a year.

With all that’s going on in our lives, it’s easy to forget about your boiler. For some, the £70 service charge can be a bit of a stretch, especially if you are living month to month. However, ignoring your boiler maintenance or heating system servicing can really impact your wallet down the line.

There are a whole host of dire issues that your boiler could run into, they are extremely inconvenient and potentially expensive nonetheless.

  • Frozen boiler pipes - pipes that are part of condensing boilers and can easily freeze during the winter months. This leads to the boiler shutting down. Additionally, freezing can exacerbate sludge build-up issues. Thankfully this is an issue that you can easily solve yourself.
  • Loss of Pressure can happen when you haven’t used your heating in a while or if you’ve bled out a heater somewhat recently.
  • Water leaking often happens with older boilers or water heaters when corroded parts, such as washers, finally give out. Invariably this will require a qualified engineer to replace the part for you. As with any leaks, you also need to watch out for damage to your home and belongings.

When should I replace my boiler?

Illustration of a radiator

At Selectra, we strongly recommend that boilers be replaced every 10 years at most. Any boiler that is older is not only more likely to develop serious faults or have carbon monoxide leaks but even if everything seems fine, boilers become more inefficient with age. Energy efficiency directly impacts your gas bills.

You can expect a new boiler replacement to take a day ot two to complete and can cost anywhere between £800 and £2500. Boiler installation cost and time is highly dependent on the type of boiler, how heating systems are interconnected with radiators, and whether water tanks need to be installed, revised or removed.

The bottom line is that when you need to have more than a couple of parts replaced, you should start looking for a new boiler because the peace of mind and energy savings can be worth it. This is especially true once you factor in the labour costs of the service call to get the old clunker up and running.

The services and products mentioned on this website may only represent a small selection of the options available to you. Selectra encourages you to carry out your own research and seek advice if necessary before making any decisions. We may receive commission from selected partner providers on sales of some products and/or services mentioned within this website. Our website is free to use, and the commission we receive does not affect our opinion or the information we provide.

EDF Energy Logo

Need a Better Deal on Gas and Electric?

Find out how much you can save with EDF Energy today