Gas Services

Gas Appliance Servicing

An annual service keeps a boiler, fire or cooker burning cleanly and catches the wear that turns into a breakdown. We service domestic gas appliances under Gas Safe registration 568345, and we tell you what we found in plain English.

Call 01273 911551
Vaillant boiler with its front casing removed, showing the heat exchanger, fan and gas valveVaillant boiler with its front casing removed, showing the heat exchanger, fan and gas valve

What's involved

A service is a set sequence of inspection, cleaning and testing, not a quick look and a tick in a box.

Visual Inspection

Checking the appliance, its pipework, seals, flue and ventilation for wear, corrosion, blockage or damage before anything is opened up.

Cleaning and Component Checks

Stripping and cleaning burners, heat exchangers, condensate traps and filters, then reassembling with seals renewed where they have hardened.

Pressure and Combustion Testing

Tightness testing, measuring working pressure and gas rate at the appliance, and reading combustion with a flue gas analyser.

Safety Device Testing

Proving ignition, flame supervision, thermostats and cut-off devices operate correctly, so the appliance shuts down when it should.

What a proper service actually involves

A gas appliance service is a sequence, and skipping steps in it is how a boiler ends up failing in the middle of winter. We start with the room rather than the appliance: whether the ventilation is still clear, whether the flue terminal is unobstructed, and whether anything has been built, boxed in or stored around it since it was last looked at. A surprising number of faults turn out to have nothing to do with the appliance itself.

Then the appliance comes apart. The case comes off, the burner and heat exchanger are inspected and cleaned, the condensate trap is emptied and flushed where there is one, and the seals are checked and renewed if they have hardened. On a gas fire the same principle applies differently: the burner, the catchment space and the closure plate all get looked at.

Most of what a service does is remove the small faults that would otherwise have become a breakdown.

With everything reassembled, the testing starts. A tightness test confirms the installation is not losing gas. Working pressure and gas rate are measured at the appliance and compared against the manufacturer's data, because an appliance running outside its figures is either wasting gas or burning badly. A flue gas analyser reads the combustion, which is the honest measure of whether it is burning cleanly. Last come the safety devices: ignition, flame supervision, thermostats and the cut-offs that are meant to shut the appliance down when something goes wrong.

More information

What we service

  • Gas boilers: combination, system and regular
  • Gas fires and decorative fuel-effect appliances
  • Back boilers and the fires that sit in front of them
  • Gas cookers and hobs
  • The pipework, meter connection and ventilation serving them
  • Landlord gas safety checks, with a CP12 certificate issued

As an accredited Vaillant installer we know Vaillant boilers particularly well, down to the service intervals and the parts that wear first. We service other makes too, and we work to whichever manufacturer's figures apply, whatever badge is on the front.

A service and a CP12 are not the same thing

The two get used interchangeably, so it is worth being clear. A landlord gas safety check produces a CP12 certificate, and what it records is that the appliance is safe to use on the day it was checked. A service goes further: it includes the cleaning and the internal inspection that keep an appliance working properly over years, rather than just today.

A CP12 tells you the appliance is safe now. A service is what helps keep it that way.

If you are a landlord, both can be done in the same visit, which is usually the sensible arrangement. Our registration, number 568345, covers domestic gas work, so this is homes and rental properties rather than commercial premises.

We put dust sheets down, move furniture back where we found it, and tell you plainly what we saw and what, if anything, is worth keeping an eye on. We are based in Woodingdean and cover Brighton, Hove, Worthing, Lewes, Shoreham-by-Sea, Haywards Heath, Seaford, Burgess Hill and surrounding Sussex towns. Call 01273 911551 to book a service, or come and see us at 58 Warren Road.

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Before you book

The questions we are asked most about servicing gas appliances.

How often should a gas appliance be serviced?
Most manufacturers ask for an annual service on boilers and similar appliances, and that is the interval we would suggest as a default. Older appliances, or ones working hard in a busy household, can be worth looking at more often. Check the manual, or ask us and we will tell you what your make expects.
Is a service the same as a gas safety certificate?
No. A gas safety check produces a CP12 certificate and records that an appliance is safe to use on the day it was checked. A service is more thorough, taking in cleaning, internal inspection and combustion testing, and it is aimed at keeping the appliance working properly over time. Both can be carried out in the same visit.
What actually gets done during a service?
The appliance, its flue and its ventilation are inspected, then the burner, heat exchanger and condensate trap are cleaned and any tired seals renewed. Gas pressure and gas rate are checked against the manufacturer's figures, and combustion is read with a flue gas analyser. Finally the safety devices are tested to confirm the appliance shuts down when it should.
What happens if you find a fault?
We explain what we have found and what it means in practice, then set out the options, whether that is a part, a repair or further investigation. If an appliance is unsafe we will need to isolate it and leave it off until it is put right. Nothing gets done without you knowing what and why.
Do you only service Vaillant boilers?
No. We service a range of makes and models, working to whichever manufacturer's figures apply to your appliance. As an accredited Vaillant installer we do know Vaillant boilers particularly well, including their service intervals and the parts that tend to wear first.
Do you service commercial gas appliances?
No. Our Gas Safe registration, number 568345, covers domestic gas work, so servicing is for homes and rental properties rather than commercial premises. If you are a landlord, we can service the appliances in a rented house or flat and issue the CP12 at the same time.
Which areas do you cover for gas appliance servicing?
We are based in Woodingdean and cover Brighton, Hove, Worthing, Lewes, Shoreham-by-Sea, Haywards Heath, Seaford, Burgess Hill and surrounding Sussex towns. Our premises at 58 Warren Road, Woodingdean can be visited if you would rather speak to us in person.
How do I book a service or get a price?
Call us on 01273 911551 with the make and model of the appliance and roughly when it was last serviced. That tells us what to expect and what to bring with us. You are also welcome to call in at 58 Warren Road, Woodingdean if you would rather talk it through face to face.

Let's get your appliances serviced

Tell us what you have and when it was last looked at, and we will get a service booked in.

Call 01273 911551