Boilers provide homes with heat and hot water every day, so it makes sense to get them checked regularly. That’s why we recommend getting an annual gas boiler service from a Gas Safe registered engineer.*
Here’s what’s to expect when getting your boiler serviced, including how much it costs and how long it takes.
*Gas central heating systems are the most common in the UK, so our advice here is for gas boilers. However, a lot of the same points apply to oil and other boiler types. If you’re unsure, speak to a registered professional to get tailored advice.
A boiler service is similar to an MOT for a car. It’s an annual check by a qualified engineer to make sure everything is running as it should and efficiently. Servicing your boiler also helps spot any issues so they can be resolved before they become a problem.
If your boiler is under warranty, it’s likely you’ll need a service every year to keep its warranty valid.
A typical service involves a series of checks and general maintenance. It includes:
A service can take around 40 minutes to an hour, but this depends on your boiler, its age and its condition.
We recommend getting a service every year by a Gas Safe registered engineer.
If you’re a landlord, you must get any boilers serviced every year by law. The same applies to any other gas equipment in your property.
As well as to maintain any warranty, getting a service is a good thing to do in general.
It makes sure your boiler is running properly and efficiently, making it cheaper to heat your home. It also helps extend the life span of your boiler by spotting and fixing issues before they cause problems.
An important part of a service is checking that the boiler is safe to use. An engineer will check to make sure there isn’t the risk of carbon monoxide leaking, for example. This gives you peace of mind that your boiler is running safely.
A one-off gas boiler service can cost around between £80 and £120, according to Checkatade. If the engineer identifies a problem, then it might cost more if you need extra work done or any spare parts.
You can also get boiler cover from some manufacturers or engineers. You might even have boiler cover as part of your home insurance policy. This is usually a fixed monthly payment that often covers boiler repairs throughout the year. It might also include an annual service but check the terms and conditions to make sure.
Gas boilers must be serviced by a Gas Safe registered engineer. All gas businesses in the UK must be on the Gas Safe register by law.
Use the Gas Safe register’s ‘find and check’ tool to find a Gas Safe registered engineer near you. You can also use it to check whether a business is Gas Safe registered.
You can also look for local, qualified boiler engineers using Trustmark – a government-backed quality scheme.
We recommend getting at least three quotes. This will let you compare costs and find the best value for money.
This is the pressure of the water in your radiators or underfloor heating. The ideal boiler pressure should usually be between 1 and 1.5. You can usually check it by looking at the water pressure dial or digital display on the front of your boiler. If the pressure is less than this, you should re-pressurise your boiler or get a heating engineer to do this for you.
Check the instruction manual for how to re-pressurise your boiler before doing this. If you’re unsure, ask your engineer. Always switch off your boiler and let it cool down before re-pressurising it.
If the boiler pressure has dropped suddenly, this could mean a leak in your radiator or underfloor heating system. If this happens, you should get an engineer to inspect the system.
Low boiler pressure also usually occurs if you’ve been bleeding your radiators, so you normally need to re-pressurise the boiler afterwards.
If the pressure is too high there may be a problem with your boiler, so you should have this checked by an engineer.
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Last updated: 12 November 2025
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