A survey conducted for boiler manufacturer Worcester Bosch reveals the lack of regular maintenance and servicing by much of the UK's boilers.

The survey reveals that half of the nation has never asked for the service history of a boiler upon moving into a new house, with 18% believing that servicing is unnecessary until a boiler breaks down.

The survey also reveals that over a tenth of the population have never had their boiler serviced, and a further 20% haven’t had their boiler serviced for over 12 months.

Although there are regional differences: in the North East, almost double the population have had their boiler serviced in the past six months when compared with Londoners.

As we approach the beginning of the colder months and the most common time for boilers to break down, the lack of understanding in boiler maintenance is concerning. Often, a boiler’s warranty is voided if it is not serviced at least once a year, meaning that a significant number of UK homes may have lost this opportunity.

This could cause problems for much of the population, particularly millennials, of whom over a third said they would wait for their boiler to break down before servicing it.

It is clear that the UK population don’t realise the risks of ignoring their boiler, with one fifth of men and nearly one sixth of womenbelieving that their money could be spent better elsewhere.

Martyn Bridges, Director of Technical Communication and Product Management at Worcester Bosch, stated, “It’s extremely important to understand the importance of servicing your boiler. Not only does an annual service ensure the boiler is running smoothly, you could be subjecting yourselves and your loved ones to safety risks, particularly with older, open flue boilers.”

Gas Safety Week is a chance for organisations from across the UK to raise awareness of the dangers of poorly maintained gas appliances, which can cause gas leaks, fires, explosions and carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning.

Find out more about Gas Safety Week.

All surveys were conducted between 16th August 2019 and 19th August 2019. The sample comprised 1,106 UK homeowners. All research conducted adheres to the UK Market Research Society (MRS) code of conduct (2014). RWB is registered with the Information Commissioner’s Office and complies with the DPA (1998).