Don't get caught out this winter. Now is the right time to service your gas boiler in Czechia

Heating season will begin in just a few months. That’s why now is the ideal time to have your gas appliances checked, recommends GasNet, the largest gas distributor in Czechia. Service companies have availability in the summer, and regular maintenance is not just a formality. It extends the life of your appliances and ensures their reliable operation during the increased demands of the winter months, when a heating breakdown can be especially unpleasant. A poorly functioning appliance may also consume more gas, making it unnecessarily expensive to run. Regular servicing can save you thousands of crowns and a lot of stress.

Being left without heating on freezing days is no fun. Repairing a broken gas boiler can take a long time, especially if it breaks down in the middle of the heating season, when service technicians are busiest.

While gas distributor GasNet takes care of the gas pipelines, the operator is responsible for the operability and technical condition of gas equipment from the main gas shut-off valve into the property. This is usually the property owner, who should always turn to specialist companies, known as gas service providers, to service their domestic appliances.

“These service companies have full schedules in autumn and winter. Booking a technician at the last minute can mean a longer wait. Regular servicing in the summer is the best way to prevent problems. It helps prevent breakdowns and also extends the life of the equipment,” advises GasNet’s Operations Director Petr Koutný.

Gas appliances should be checked at least once a year. A service visit can uncover, for example, dirt in the burners or other operational faults that can reduce combustion efficiency and lead to the formation of harmful substances, such as carbon monoxide. This is dangerous if it leaks into living spaces. A poorly functioning appliance may also consume more gas than usual, making it unnecessarily expensive for the customer to run.

“Servicing should always be carried out by a trained professional who knows the specific type of boiler,” adds Petr Koutný.

Booking an appointment with a heating engineer or gas service technician is straightforward. Servicing is offered by manufacturers and sellers of gas appliances, as well as companies specialising in heating, gas and plumbing. Some gas suppliers also offer inspections as part of their services to customers who have signed a gas supply contract with them.

As with other services, when arranging regular inspections or servicing of a gas boiler, it is not worth choosing based on price alone; it is also a good idea to consider previous experience and any references.

Preventing contamination

For households that have had problems with contamination in the past, gas technicians recommend installing a filter after the appliance’s connecting fitting as an additional measure. It captures mechanical impurities that can occasionally form in internal gas pipes.

Their formation is always caused by specific technical parameters at the point of consumption, and if this happens, professional help should be called in. During an inspection, a technician will clean the pipes by blowing them through and may then recommend installing a protective mesh (filter) before the gas appliances’ inlets.

As for natural gas itself, gas distributors guarantee that its quality meets regulatory requirements. Customers can check the composition and properties of the natural gas supplied at any time on their distributor’s website. The largest Czech distributor, GasNet, regularly publishes the information on its website at Gas quality | GasNet.