Should My Boiler Be Turned Off When I'm Away On Holiday

If you’re lucky enough to be able to escape on holiday this year, there are a few things you’ll be pondering. You naturally want to leave your home safe from harm. And remember to switch the water off, and the heating off, and then make sure all the doors and windows are locked and closed. There’s one pressing question we get asked a lot though, and that is whether we should turn our boilers off before we go away.

 So, what’s the answer?

We wish there was a simple one. But it really depends on how long you’re going away and what type of boiler you have. Each boiler will perform very differently from another. So it's best to figure out the age and type of your particular boiler before going on vacation. Naturally, the older a boiler is will determine how likely it is to break down or play up. It goes without saying that any boiler, old or new, regardless of type needs to be regularly maintained. And this should be done by a qualified and trained professional and checked annually.

Summer or winter vacay?

The time of year can also be an important factor in whether or not you switch your boiler off while you go on vacation. If you’re going away in summer then it’s less of a problem. You won’t have much need for your boiler during the warmer months anyway.

When it's winter it’s better that you keep your boiler switched on. This will help avoid frozen pipes. If you keep your boiler switched on at a lower temperature until you’re back, then your home will be warm and comfortable for you once you return.

What different ways can you switch the boiler off?

This is if the weather is warm but not hot. Try turning your thermostat down to a lower temperature, under 20℃, and try around 18℃. If you have a modern boiler you could set the heating to come on when you return from holiday. This is a great benefit of having a more contemporary, modern boiler.

Antifreeze and frost protection.

You may have a boiler with antifreeze settings, and this will help you keep it running at a low temperature. If you have a frost protection setting on your boiler, it will switch off when this is on. If you need to keep fuel bills low, and who doesn’t right now, then having one of these on your boiler is ideal.

Timers.

You can also use a timer to keep your boiler running while you’re away. Set it to go on for an hour or two per day if you wish. If you know when it will be at its coldest, make sure the boiler goes on then, so your pipes don't freeze.

Ask the family.

A simple and cheap option is to ask friends or family members to keep an eye on things while you’re away. They can come in and switch the boiler on a few times, keeping an eye out for anything unusual. Remember to leave the contact details of a professional plumber or heating engineer should anything go wrong.

Hot water tanks - on or off?

If your heating system has a hot water tank, do switch this off. The hot water tank is there to give you boiling hot water, you won’t be needing this if you’re away so it’s okay to switch it off.

Some people believe it might be cheaper to keep your heating on while you’re away. However, it’s far more energy-efficient to switch it off. Leave your boiler on during a cold, freezing winter if you’re going on holiday at this time of year. This will help you avoid those frozen pipes we spoke of.

Is it dangerous to leave your boiler switched on?

It’s highly unlikely your boiler will come to any harm if it’s left on while you’re away. However, this is only if it’s in peak condition and you have it checked regularly by someone who’s qualified and certified.  You could get someone to check it while you’re away or use a smart timer to ensure it switches on or off in your absence. You can lower the temperature or switch it off completely, it won’t damage the system irreparably.

Bryan Morris Plumbing & Heating - for professional boiler and heating system maintenance.

If you have any questions about what we’ve talked about here or you have any questions regarding boiler maintenance, get in touch. We’ll be more than happy to answer your queries. We’re always here to help.