What's the Difference Between a Boiler Service and Gas Safety Check?
Gas safety checks are required on all gas appliances every 12 months. It involves a licensed engineer examining the general safety of gas and ensuring that it's operating as intended.
Peace of mind
Having a boiler service can give you peace of heart that your heating system is safe to use. You can also save money by making sure that your heating system functions as efficiently as possible. A regularly-serviced boiler will be less likely to break down and cause costly and a huge expense for homeowners.
A gas safety certificate, also known as a CP12, is an official document that guarantees the safety of your home's gas appliances and installations. It is usually issued by a qualified Gas Safe registered engineer following an exhaustive inspection and evaluation. The CP12 will include information on the property where the safety check was carried out and the names and registration numbers for the engineer who performed the safety check.
Although a gas safety certificate is not an obligation for homeowners under the law but it is recommended to have one every year. This will ensure your boiler is safe and that you do not face the danger of gas or carbon monoxide leaks. Furthermore, some home insurance policies require that you have a gas safety certification before they honor the warranty of your boiler.
Landlords are legally required undergo an annual gas safety inspection carried out by an Gas Safe registered technician. It is important to ensure that gas appliances, flues, and fittings in a property can be safely used by tenants. Gas Safe registered engineers can be contacted to inspect and verify gas appliances.
A gas safety check will look at a variety of things such as the pilot light on your boiler, to make sure that it is not burning blue and not yellow, orange or red. It will also inspect the ventilation passages to ensure that gases that ignite are effectively ejected from the property, as well as checking the pressure of the burner and gas supply. Additionally the gas engineer will check the flues to make sure that they are clean and free of the combustible material.
Legal compliance
It is essential to comply with legal requirements, whether you are a landlord or the responsible party for an industrial installation. This will ensure the safety of employees and the occupants. This includes ensuring that gas appliances are in good condition and safe. This means regular boiler service and annual gas safety check. It's a great method to ensure the safety of your family members and to ensure your system is running efficiently.
Landlords must have a safety inspection conducted on all gas appliances, fittings and flues at their properties every year. The safety check must be performed by a Gas Safe registered engineer and is designed to ensure that the appliance conforms to all legal requirements. Landlords must also provide new tenants with the gas safety certificate before they move in, and maintain the records of each inspection for two years.
The annual gas safety certificate is also an excellent option for homeowners, particularly if they plan to sell their home in the near future. This document is proof that the boiler and all gas appliances have been checked and are safe to use. This could be helpful when trying to sell a house or claim back warranty repairs.
It's important to understand the distinction between a boiler service and a gas safety certificate. Both processes check and service gas boilers however the scope, function and legal implications differ. The boiler service is a maintenance process, while the gas safety certificate is a legal document that guarantees the safety of all the gas appliances and installations that are in a property.
Understanding the distinctions between these two processes can aid homeowners and landlords in maintaining security, efficiency and legal compliance. You can ensure that your homes conform to the latest laws by knowing the distinctions between these two documents. Tradify has a growing collection of gas certificates and forms that you can create, fill in and sign online.
Energy efficiency
A boiler service can ensure that your heating system runs smoothly. It will not only ensure the safety and security of your heating system, but also help you save money on energy bills. Inefficient boilers consume more fuel than is necessary and could increase your energy costs significantly. When you service your boiler regularly, it will run more effectively that means you will not require more energy to heat your home.
Gas safety certificates are required by all landlords who own properties that are equipped with gas appliances. It is a legal document which confirms that the appliances and installations of a building are safe to use. The certificate will also list the engineer who carried out the inspection and will provide details of any problems that were discovered. This information is vital to ensuring that any potential hazards are identified and rectified quickly.
The need for a gas safety certification is essential for all landlords, and it's recommended that homeowners obtain one too. This will put their mind at ease regarding the safety of their gas appliances and it may even catch any issues before they turn into bigger issues. A gas safety check can be booked in conjunction with a boiler service or it can be done on its own.
Gas safety checks are different from boiler services in that they examine all gas appliances and verify that they are safe to use. This includes checking for leaks, checking to see if the flues are blocked, and ensuring that there is adequate ventilation.
A boiler service On the other hand is a more thorough inspection of the boiler and its accessories. This will include taking off the front cover of the boiler, checking that the inside is clean and ensuring that the burners are operating properly. The engineer will also inspect the blue flame piloted by the boiler and conduct readings on gas pressure and flow. They will also check for corrosion or damage to the pipework and seals, as well as ensuring that there is sufficient air flow around the flue terminals.
Safety
In the UK, it is legal for landlords to get a gas safety certification and regularly service their tenants boilers. Regular servicing of your boiler will help ensure optimal performance and reduce your energy costs and making sure that your heating system works efficiently and safely. Some homeowners insurance policies require it.
A professional will make sure that gas appliances are safe to use. This involves checking the boiler for signs of corrosion or leakage, and making sure the pilot flame is blue (a yellow or orange, red or purple flame indicates an issue). The engineer will also check that the boiler is operating at the correct gas pressure and that it doesn't produce excessive carbon monoxide. They'll also test the ignition system to ensure that the spark is strong enough to ignite the gas and that the burners and heat exchanger are in good condition.

A boiler service will not include a Gas Safety Certificate. This will require an appointment separately. Gas safety certificates are an additional thorough inspection of all gas appliances in the home, including those that do not require maintenance. It also covers bigger installations such as central heating and fires.
To this end landlords are legally required to carry out a Gas Safety Certificate before letting the property. The certificate will need to be handed out to each tenant and kept in a safe place to be able to refer to in the event of a problem with the appliance.
In lieu of storage of paper-based documents property owners are choosing to store digital versions of their gas certificates. This improves efficiency, storage and security. It's also easier to locate the document when it's needed, and there's a less chance of it being lost or damaged while moving home. Having an electronic copy of your gas certificate is also helpful if you want to sell your property and makes it easier to transfer ownership. You can even upload it to an online tenancy tracking system so that you can show prospective purchasers the current Gas Safety Certificate.