Gas Safety Check and Boiler Service: What’s The Difference?

Scheduling an annual gas safety check and boiler service is essential for all UK homeowners and legally required by some. But what exactly are they, and aren’t they the same thing?

They are not the same, although they share some key elements, such as:

• Inspection of Gas Appliances
• Ventilation Checks
• Gas Leak Detections
• Combustion Efficiency Tests
• And General Pressure and Connection Checks for Gas Piping

So, what exactly happens in a gas safety check and boiler service? Let’s start with the gas safety check.

What Happens During A Gas Safety Check?

A gas safety check is when a Gas Safe registered engineer examines all the gas-connected appliances in your home. This includes:

• Cookers and hobs
• Fires
• Laundry dryers
• Barbeque grills and fire pits
• Heaters
• And, of course, boilers

A gas safety check is necessary to ensure these appliances work correctly. During this safety check, the Gas Safe registered engineer will focus on the individual parts of certain appliances.

While looking over these appliances, the Gas Safe registered engineer will be checking out the following:

• Boiler pressure
• Air supply
• Whether the gas is being burned correctly
• Checking all the gas connections and seals
• That flues and chimneys are clear and working
• And checking the functions of the appliances’ general safety features.

These devices have several built-in safety features, including boilers, which the engineer will inspect. When visually inspecting the flue system, they will also ensure that the ducts are in order, were installed correctly, and comply with building codes.

For landlords, ensuring properties meet safety regulations annually is also legally required for CP12 certification.

After the inspection, the engineer issues a Landlord Gas Safety Certificate detailing:

• Property address, landlord or letting agency information
• Location of the gas appliances and pipework
• Test results of the gas appliances
• Listing any potential safety issues if detected
• Date of inspection
• Details of the engineer who carried out the inspection

Regular gas safety checks are crucial for keeping appliances safe and maintaining the primary gas line. Make sure you understand the importance of having a gas safety check annually.

Now, what happens during a boiler service?

What Happens During A Boiler Service?

A boiler service should happen at least once a year to ensure it works as efficiently as possible. The average boiler service should take between 30 to 60 minutes to complete. As a rule of thumb, larger homes will take longer.

Our boiler service costs £90 for a one-off visit or just £8.99 monthly if you subscribe to our service plan.

But what gets done during a boiler service?

What Will The Gas Safe Registered Engineer Do During A Service?

During an annual boiler service, the engineer will complete the following tasks:

• Combustion tests, including the flue, using a gas analyser
• Ensure the correct gas and flow temperatures are present
• Check all seals
• Ensure all safety devices are operational
• Clean and check all electrical connections
• Clear the condensate trap if required
• Check all gas and water connections to the boiler for leaks
• Check your system filter
• And provide advice on correct operational use.

While this is a comprehensive list, boiler repairs are not made during the service and will require a separate callout. The engineer will not check if your heating system radiators, valves, or pipework are broken. To deal with these issues, you must book an engineer for a new callout to perform general repairs.

Lastly, your annual service will not include your Gas Safe registered engineer checking your external controls or changing batteries.

Both your gas safety inspection and boiler service (if you own a gas boiler) must be conducted by a Gas Safe registered engineer with the certification and accreditation.

Always ensure that the professional you’re letting into your home is qualified. Otherwise, you could be liable for a fine.

Now that we’ve defined these two separate inspections, what are their main differences?

What Are The Difference Between A Gas Safety Check And Boiler Service?

While we’ve established these are two separate services that need to be done by Gas Safe registered engineers (if you own a gas boiler), let’s define their main differences:

Purpose

A gas safety inspection’s primary focus is to ensure that your home’s gas appliances are safe and don’t pose a health risk.

Carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning is a real problem in the UK. According to the HSE statistics, annually, seven people in the UK die of CO poisoning caused by unsafe gas appliances.

CO poisoning can also take time and make residents sick. Early symptoms can mimic common illnesses, like food poisoning, colds and flu, or being exceptionally tired.

But according to the HSE, the main symptoms to look out for are:

• Headaches or dizziness
• Breathlessness
• Nausea
• Loss of consciousness
• Tiredness
• Pains in the chest or stomach
• Erratic behaviour
• And visual problems

If you suspect a gas leak, switch off the appliance immediately and shut off the gas supply at the meter control valve.

Open all doors and windows to ventilate the gas out, and call the National Gas Emergency Service on 0800 111 999.

A boiler’s service is specifically focused on it. Ensure the engineer can make the boiler work as efficiently as possible. Other reasons why you should have your boiler serviced annually by a Gas Safe registered engineer also include:

• Ensuring it is safe to operate and not leaking gas
• Making it as efficient as possible to save money on running costs
• Preventing breakdowns
• And keeping your boiler’s warranty valid

Scope Of Inspection

We mentioned that during both services, the Gas Safe registered engineer will visually inspect different areas.

For a gas safety inspection, it involves basic checks of all gas appliances to ensure they are functioning safely, which includes checking for leaks, proper ventilation, and correct pressure levels.

However, it’s worth mentioning that during a gas safety inspection the engineer will most likely not clean the internal components of your appliances.

With a boiler service, the scope of the inspection is just on the boiler. However, during a boiler service the engineer will be cleaning the internal components, such as the heat exchanger and burners, testing the boiler’s pressure, inspecting seals, and making sure your boiler is working as efficiently as possible.

Checks Performed

With a gas safety inspection, the engineer will be performing pressure tests on all gas-connected appliances around your home.

Also, during a safety check the engineer will also check if the ventilation is up to standard, that there are no CO issues, or gas leaks. These tests will confirm that the household is safe.

While the tests the engineer will perform during a boiler service will include the test mentioned above, as well as cleaning and adjusting components to ensure it is running as efficiently as possible.

Frequency, The Law, And More

The only service legally required to be performed annually is a gas safety check for UK landlords, who will receive a Gas Safety Certification (CP12).

However, it is highly recommended for all UK citizens to have their boiler serviced once a year, as well as a gas safety check.

For those wanting a quick comparison, below is a table outlining the key differences between the two:

Now that you know the difference, you can contact one of our consultants to book a service. A Gas Safe engineer will be at your home within 48 hours.