Is It Safe to Turn Boiler Off At the Mains?

Heating your home has never been more expensive, so you may be looking for ways to cut the cost of your energy bills. From adding more insulation to switching from baths to showers, there are many ways that you can save money on running your home.

You may also be thinking about switching off your boiler at times when it is not needed, such as when you go on holiday, overnight, or when it’s not that cold. However, is it safe to turn your boiler off at the mains? And will it save you money?

Let’s take a closer look.

Will turning my boiler off cause problems?

Money aside, the most important thing to consider when switching off your boiler at the mains is the safety of your family. Fortunately, switching off your boiler at the mains is perfectly safe.

That being said, depending on the type of heating system that you have and how old it is, switching it off for long periods of time could trigger an issue with your central heating. For example, it could cause elements such as the pump or valve to seize up.

Therefore, if you are thinking about turning off your boiler at the mains, you should make sure you book in a boiler service first to check for any issues. If you are looking for a heating engineer Thurrock based, we can help you.

Will turning off my boiler save me money?

Whether or not it is worthwhile to turn your boiler off depends on when and why you are planning to turn it off.

Turning your boiler off to go on holiday

If you are going on holiday, it can be cost-effective to turn off your boiler because you will not need a hot water supply when you are away. However, it is worth noting that if you are going away during the winter months, you risk freezing your pipes if you turn off your boiler completely.

Turning off your boiler overnight

You may be tempted to turn off your boiler overnight, seeing as you are all warm and cosy in bed. However, it can be more cost-effective to use a room thermostat to lower the heat in your bedrooms if less heat is needed. You may also want to turn off the radiators in rooms that are not in use.

Turning off your boiler in the summer

Although you may not need your heating on in the summer, you do still need access to hot water, so it is not a good idea to turn your boiler off during the milder months. Unless, of course, you are happy to only use cold water during the summer. Instead, you may want to switch your boiler to “hot-water only” mode so that it still heats water.

Turning off your boiler when not in use

If you have a combi boiler, there is no need to switch your hot water on and off as this type of system works on demand anyway. They are also fitted with two heat exchangers rather than just one, which makes the boiler more efficient. However, if you have a system boiler that comes with storage tanks, you will either need to leave it on constantly or predict when you are going to need hot water.

If your boiler is due a service or you need a new boiler installed, we have the best gas boiler engineers Essex has to offer, so why not give us a call?