How often should you service your boiler? (And what happens if you don't)

Most boiler breakdowns aren't sudden failures. They're the slow result of a fault that a service would have caught months earlier. Servicing is cheap compared to the emergency callout, replacement part, or full boiler replacement it prevents.

How often

Once a year, every year, is the standard recommendation from every major boiler manufacturer, and most manufacturer warranties require an annual service to stay valid, so skipping it can void cover you're already paying for.

What's actually checked

A Gas Safe registered engineer will check the burner and heat exchanger for correct operation, test the flue for safe gas expulsion, check the gas pressure and burner pressure against the manufacturer's specification, inspect seals and safety devices, and test carbon monoxide levels. The whole visit typically takes 30-45 minutes.

What it costs

A standard boiler service in the UK runs roughly £80-120, depending on region and boiler type. Compare that to a typical emergency callout for a breakdown (£100-200 just for the visit, before parts) or a full boiler replacement (£1,500-3,500), and the annual service is clearly the cheaper path over any multi-year horizon.

What happens if you skip it

Beyond voided warranties, unserviced boilers are more likely to develop carbon monoxide leaks: a genuinely dangerous, sometimes fatal risk that a service is specifically designed to catch early via the flue and pressure checks. They're also more likely to fail entirely in winter, which is exactly when you most need heating and when emergency engineers are hardest to book.

Booking one

Always confirm the engineer is Gas Safe registered. Ask for their ID card or check the register directly, since this is the same legal requirement that applies to any gas work. On Fixies, every trader offering boiler servicing is verified and insured before they can accept the job, and you get an AI-estimated fair price for the visit before anyone quotes.