Has your boiler broken down? When you live in a chilly region or if it’s right in the middle of winter, a lack of heating can have serious consequences on you and your loved one’s health. While waiting for a qualified service professional to drop by and take a look at your boiler, make sure to wear extra layers, eat warm food, and even boil water to maintain a warm temperature indoors.
These emergency measures can only do so much to keep you safe. Heating, much like water and electricity, is crucial for survival in the modern day. If you aren’t sure who you can call for help, click here for more assistance on boiler repairs and maintenance.
How bad can a broken boiler be? Aside from not being able to heat your home, faulty boilers can also lead to carbon monoxide poisoning—and in the worst case, explosions. Be prepared and don’t let it get that far. To shed more light on this issue, here are a few commonly asked questions on broken boilers.
Can I Get Poisoned by a Broken Boiler?
Carbon monoxide poisoning is a serious issue. It causes flu-like symptoms and in some cases, hallucinations. Since it is an odorless and colorless gas, tenants who do not check their boiler may be unable to notice that something is wrong for extended periods of time.
Common signs that your boiler is leaking carbon monoxide leak is if it struggles to stay alight, there are greater amounts of condensation on windows, and you notice an unusual dark stain around your gas appliances.
Will My Broken Boiler Catch Fire or Explode?
While it is incredibly rare, broken boilers do have a small chance of causing a explosion. This may happen due to a combination of serious issues: ignition failure, loose valves, and a faulty gas line.
If you are a tenant, do not wait until the situation is too serious to remedy. Be proactive about your boiler and report any issues to the landlord immediately. This will help keep you, your loved ones, and other people in the building safe.
Im a Tenant. Is My Landlord Responsible for a Broken Boiler?
Mostly, yes. According to the Landlord and Tenant Act of 1985, it is the landlord’s responsibility to give their tenants a safe place to live. This includes making sure that the boiler is repaired and maintained if it breaks.
The tenant is responsible for conducting regular maintenance checks on the boiler. This helps ensure that everything is working correctly and that any deficiencies in the system can be acted on as soon as possible.
If a tenant has broken their boiler or mishandled the system, then the landlord is within their rights to ask them to cover the costs of repair.
Who Do I Call if My Boiler is Not Working?
The first thing you should do when your boiler breaks down is report it to the landlord. From here, they may already have an action plan for this particular issue.
However, if you are a homeowner and you need to cater to the repair and maintenance of the boiler system yourself, then you need to check whether your boiler is under warranty before calling anyone in. Boilers that are under warranty should only be serviced by the manufacturer or one of their approved engineers. If you do decide to go for someone outside of the scope of the warranty’s limitations, then it will compromise the agreement.
