Czech gas professionals advise: now is the right time to service gas appliances

The Czech Gas Association (ČPS) recommends that gas consumers arrange an appointment now for regular servicing of their boilers and other gas appliances and installations. In autumn, when the heating season begins, gas service companies are fully booked and waiting times are long. Annual servicing before the increased demands of winter is the best thing owners of gas equipment can do to ensure it operates without problems. It can also help prevent potential issues such as those that arose during the past heating season in connection with copper sulfide deposits.

Regular servicing is essential for the reliable operation of household gas appliances. Gas professionals advise people to have their gas boiler, for example, inspected at least once a year. Experts unanimously advise against leaving inspections and maintenance until the last minute before the start of the new heating season: consumers should book an appointment to have their appliances inspected now, before gas service companies’ schedules fill up. This will give consumers peace of mind that their gas equipment will be ready in time for the coming heating season.

“We recommend that all consumers have their gas installations and appliances, such as boilers, stoves and household gas pipework, serviced regularly. Such an inspection not only ensures the safe operation of gas equipment, but can also significantly extend its service life,” says Josef Kotrba, CEO of the Czech Gas Association (ČPS).

Servicing gas appliances can prevent problems associated with dirt accumulating in burners and other parts of the equipment. It can also uncover issues related to incomplete gas combustion and the possible production of harmful substances such as carbon monoxide.

Service companies are fully booked in autumn

Booking an appointment with a heating engineer or gas service technician is straightforward. Servicing is offered by manufacturers and distributors of gas appliances, as well as companies specialising in heating, gas and plumbing work.

As with other services, when arranging regular inspections or servicing a gas boiler, it is not worth choosing solely on the basis of price; it is also advisable to consider past experience and any customer references.

“Gas equipment should always be inspected by professionals. They are people who have received training from the gas appliance manufacturer and are qualified to service and, if necessary, repair it,” explains Ivo Kršek, Director of the Technical Department at the Czech Gas Association, adding: “We recommend booking an inspection as soon as possible rather than leaving it until the very last minute, when heating will already be needed and it may be difficult to find an available appointment.”

Inspections can help prevent deposits

Last year, several dozen cases of copper sulfide forming inside customer gas installations were reported across the Czech Republic. These deposits can form when hydrogen sulfide reacts with copper components in a customer’s gas installation, such as a boiler or household gas pipework.

Hydrogen sulfide occurs naturally in natural gas. Its concentration is regularly measured, as are the concentrations of other gas components, and remains within the limits set by regulations. Regular measurements are carried out at gas entry points into the Czech Republic. Gas quality can also be checked at any time on distributors’ websites. The potential formation of these deposits is therefore most likely related to the specific technical parameters of customers’ gas installations.

The Czech Gas Association therefore points out that regular servicing can also help gas consumers in these cases and prevent potential problems. If a preventive inspection detects these deposits, the technician will clean the pipework by blowing it through.