Useful things to know, and practical things to do to ensure it all goes smoothly. Here’s this month’s blog: “How to prepare for your boiler installation”.

Your New Boiler Is On Its Way.

Fabulous news. There’s an Ideal, Baxi or Worcester model with your name on it, and it’s coming home soon. You can look forward to a reliable, energy-efficient boiler that’s easy to programme and even easier to manage.

Over time, you could even lower your energy bills.

This sounds strange, but we think you’re going to love your new boiler. Most likely, it will be more compact. Once installed, because it’s smaller than you old one you could regain some storage space, which is a bonus. Happy days. Plus, modern boilers are whisper-quiet; no more chuggy noises waking you up in the wee, small hours.

So, what should you do before we come?

Here are some tips to help you make the most of the time we’ll be in your home with your shiny new boiler.

1. Let’s Get This Out of The Way:

There will be some disturbance.

In truth, if we remove your old boiler and replace it – otherwise known as a “conversion” (rather than a straight swap), there’s going to be quite a bit of crashing and banging. Conversion means replacing your old conventional boiler with a sleek, contemporary system. It’s an upgrade. It will of course be fabulous, but the project needs significant work.

With a like-for-like replacement, there will also be some disruption, but, as with a conversion project, it will be totally worth it.

There’s no need to worry. During our initial site visit we’ll manage your expectations and confirm everything in in writing. And, we’ll talk you through the entire process on the first day we come.

2. Paying Your Deposit

Please be aware that we can’t start anything without a deposit settlement, so if you could pay this promptly, we’ll set our schedules and look forward to getting going.

3. The Time it Takes

Generally, a straightforward swap with no major system alterations takes about two working days.

As mentioned, conversions can take three days, so do allow for this.

4. Your Children and Pets

Do arrange for them to be safely out of the way, especially as there will be a disturbance. Noisy strangers can be stressful and we don’t want to upset little people or animals.

5. Clear Your Space

Please may we ask you to clear as much space as possible to allow us easy access and protect your worldly goods. Remove any in-the-way furniture and boxes. If we need to get into your coat cupboard, it’s best to move them to another room while we’re there.

Talking of space, what’s parking like near yours?

6. Check Your Airflow

Where’s your boiler going to be fitted? Again, we’ll already have decided this, but for safety reasons your new unit will need adequate ventilation.

7. Where’s It Going? Don’t Change Your Mind

An extension to the above point, really: Once we’ve decided together where your new boiler will be installed, changing its position could slow us down. And, equally, if we need to carry out additional work, there could well be an extra cost added to our final invoice.

8. What We Need to Know

The location of your:

• Stopcock
• Gas mains
• Gas meter

9. Keeping Everything Clean

The RWL team is exceptionally clean and tidy.

Not only do we have to be (for health and safety reasons), we want to be. The guys are extremely aware they’re in your home and will lay down dust sheets and any other covering materials they need. If we walk on your carpet we’ll either remove our shoes or wear shoe covers.

10. Storing Our Tools and Equipment: A Request

If there’s room, it would be extremely kind of you to let us store our “stuff” at your home overnight. Would that be OK? This saves us from back-and-forth carrying of what often turns out to be a considerable selection of must-have equipment and tools.

The team will neatly and safely stack everything to take up as little space as possible.

11. It’s True What They Say About Tradespeople

Yes, it’s true. We love our tea and coffee. It’s in our DNA, obviously. Installing boilers is thirsty work. So, hot drinks are very much appreciated.

However, we’ll pop out at lunchtime, giving you some well-deserved peace for a while.

12. What You Won’t Have: Hot Water

It sounds obvious, but we must make it clear that you won’t have hot water at home until we’ve connected and tested your new boiler. So, you will need to make provision for that – is there a friend, family member or neighbour who could offer you a hot shower? Plus, we may need to shut off the water completely for a short time. If so, we’ll turn it back on each day for you to access drinking water. And, flush the loo.

13. Being Available

May we ask that you make yourself available during our visit – if you can? It’s great to have someone to answer any questions and show us your property. Otherwise, the process could be slower, and we certainly don’t want to make any mistakes.

14. What Will Happen To Your Old Boiler

We’ll remove it from your property as carefully as possible for temporary storage in our van. Thereafter, a trusted third party with expertise in safe, legal, greener disposals will deal with it.

Similarly, all the pipes and other detritus removed during your replacement.

15. Putting Everything Back. And, cleaning up

We’ve completed everything. How good is that? Commonly known as “making good”, if we have to take up a carpet, remove tiling, panelling or disturb your property in any way, your engineer will repair or repaint everything.

Plus, we’ll clear up, clean up and hoover.

Job done.

16. Your Lesson in Boilering

Yes, we’ve just made up a new word.

Your boiler will be effortless to use, we promise. Contemporary boilers are a doddle to programme and switch on and off. But, we’ll take you through everything and leave the manual in a smart new folder for you to refer to if needed.

17. Your First Service…

…Is free of charge with RWL. Look out for an email from us in just under a year to arrange your first servicing. Has the time really gone by that quickly?

18. Recommend Us!

We’d love you to leave us a great Google Business Profile review and say nice things about us to others who need a new boiler.

Don’t forget, there are incentives on offer, including a referral bonus. Or, would you prefer an Amazon voucher?

And now, all you need to do is to start enjoying your hot water and heating – without a second’s thought. Thank you for your business; it’s been really great working with you.

From Russell and the RWL Team.