The Met Office has recently released stats on how many brits get caught out by the winter weather every year. The research shows that over a third of those surveyed were caught out due to a lack of preparation.
As your nationwide, experienced Heating Oil supplier we have collated our top tips below to help you be prepared for the winter weather:
1. Have your boiler serviced by an OFTEC Heating Engineer
According to this article, 19% of those surveyed experienced a broken boiler during the winter months. At TankTopper, we always recommend that you have your boiler serviced annually to ensure it’s in full working order and is ready for winter.
Having your boiler serviced during the warmer months allows the engineer to ensure your system is running to peak efficiency ready for the colder parts of the year while also giving them the ability to identify and fix any issues that could cause boiler failure during winter.
2. Get your tank checked by a professional
When you book your boiler service it is important to ensure you book an OFTEC engineer who will also check your tank at the same time as your service. Having your tank checked annually is just as important as having your boiler serviced because the condition of your tank could massively impact your heating system. You can check your tank yourself in some cases for cracks or leaks on the outside however an OFTEC trained engineer will be able to check the quality of your fittings and inspect the inside of the tank for any contamination or sludge.
3. Use Heating Oil additives
Using Heating Oil additives can help reduce sludge build-up in your tank, improve the efficiency of your system and reduce maintenance issues when compared to those running on regular Kerosene. At TankTopper, our specially designed additives BoilerExtra and CookerExtra have been formulated for heating oil boilers, AGA’s and range style ovens.
By using additives problems with your boiler or aga are less likely to occur as your system is running cleanly and efficiently. You can purchase individual additive bottles online here or simply upgrade to Premium Fuel when you next top up online at tanktopper.co.uk
4. Stay topped up
Many people get left out in the cold because they don’t have as much Heating Oil as they expect. We recommend getting a gauge or a fuel level monitoring device to help you keep track of how much fuel is in your tank. If your tank runs out of fuel it can cause damage to your heating system and you may need an engineer to visit to restart your boiler and replace any damaged parts.
Staying topped up can be simple! We recommend checking your tank every 2 weeks if you don’t have a monitor which notifies you when your fuel levels are getting low. We also recommend ordering your fuel when you get to somewhere between a quarter and a half-full tank as during times of very high demand there could only be the longer delivery window orders available to get you your Heating Oil.
5. Use a TankSponge Eco
The TankSponge Eco removes water from your oil tank, maintains the quality of your fuel and helps prevent the build-up of harmful tank sludge.
The TankSponge Eco is designed to remove contaminated water from oil tanks that are prone to water collection at the base of the tank, specifically from condensation and atmospheric moisture. The TankSponge Eco is made with the environment in mind, the outer plastic casing is made of recycled plastics and can be used many times, only the water-absorbing sock inside the cage needs to be replaced. The TankSponge Eco is a simple and cost-effective preventative measure that we recommend to all heating oil users. You can buy yours online here.
With these top tips, staying warm this winter should be easy however if you need any more advice or have any questions and with winter just around the corner please don’t hesitate to contact us.
Don’t forget to have a quick check of your heating oil level and if you need a quote please click here or call our friendly team on 0800 038 4437. We are happy to help anyway we can!
