Do I Really Need an Annual Service?
Short answer: yes, and here's the honest reasoning rather than just "because we say so."
It protects your warranty
Nearly every boiler manufacturer requires proof of an annual service to keep the warranty valid. Skip a year, and a claim on a part that fails later can be refused — even if the fault has nothing to do with the missed service.
It catches small problems before they become emergencies
A service checks things you can't easily see yourself: the flue, the burner, the pressure, the safety devices, the CO alarm. Small faults — the kind that turn into a no-heat call on a Saturday night in January — are far cheaper and easier to fix when caught early.
It's a genuine safety check, not just a formality
Boilers burn gas. A proper service checks for carbon monoxide risk, correct ventilation, and safe operation — not just efficiency. That matters most in households with young children or elderly or vulnerable family members, who we know from experience are the ones who suffer most when something goes wrong unexpectedly.
What happens if you skip it
Nothing, most years — until the year it isn't nothing. The boilers we get called to in the depths of winter with a dead PCB or a cracked heat exchanger are disproportionately the ones that haven't been serviced in 2-3 years. It's not guaranteed to happen, but it's a real, avoidable risk.
What it costs
£100 + VAT for a one-off service. If you're doing this every year anyway, our Checkup care plan works out cheaper and throws in a free CO alarm.
Last updated August 2026 by The Boiler Doctor, York.