The end of summer is fast approaching and with September experiencing some last minute sunshine you will still be enjoying the break you are having from heating your home over the summer months.

However, during the summer period you should have been thinking ahead to the winter months and getting your boiler and central heating system serviced and if necessary repaired or replaced over this quiet period.

This is because summer is the best time to get the condition of your boiler checked-out by a qualified tradesman and there are many reasons why.

Firstly, if your boiler does have a problem then it can be fixed on your own time and the repair doesn’t become an emergency as if it arose over the winter months. Having this flexibility of time would just not be a factor in winter months.

Secondly, the price may be cheaper in the summer as the engineer and their resources will not be so pressed and booked up. Many companies offer households incentive schemes in the summer months to replace their boilers as they find that their engineers are less busy over this period. Currently, British Gas is running a £400 boiler scrappage scheme on selected new boilers. This means that households who are with British Gas can get a quote to trade-in their old boiler to a newer more energy efficient Worcester boiler and save £400. The only proviso is that the quote and installation needs to take place by the 2nd October 2011.

Finally, if you have to replace your boiler completely, by doing it in the summer months it will mean that you won’t experience any loss of heating as it won’t be on anyway. This would be a real problem in the cold winter months. Also, by replacing a boiler over the summer months it will start saving you money as soon as you need to use it as the newer boiler will be much more energy efficient. This will mean that when your first energy bill of the winter months arrives, though it will be more than your summer consumption it will be less than you have experienced in the past.

If you haven’t had your boiler serviced yet this year or you know that it needs repairs or possibly replacing then it is recommended that you should look to do this as soon as possible. There is still time to book this in before the busy winter period starts and don’t forget to look out for boiler scrappage schemes to help you financially. Make sure you aren’t left in the cold this winter by getting your boiler serviced, repaired or replaced today.

Guest Article by Sarah Wain

British Gas HomeCare is an insurance scheme that aims to give households cover on their central heating, gas appliances and electrics by providing maintenance when unexpected incidents arise.

Households can choose a HomeCare plan for them and the amount of coverage they want in their home. There are currently four plans available which range from £13 to £27 per month dependent on the type of cover required and the additional options selected. British Gas HomeCare plans currently covers boiler and controls, central heating, plumbing, drains and home electrics.

The main feature of the plans is maintenance and repairs as well as accidental damage cover and the allowance of unlimited callouts per contractual year.

Obviously, the greater the price of the plan that you choose the more additional features you get and the more home emergency problems you are covered against. For example, the cheapest policy at £13 per month only covers boiler and control repairs whereas the £27 per month policy will cover against repairs to your central heating boiler, controls, radiators, pipework and your hot water system as well as repairs to your internal hot and cold water supply pipes, internal waste pipes and non-shared external drains.

The plans ensure that you are covered 24/7 and give you access to over 7000 qualified gas registered engineers as well as 500 highly skilled electricians. Therefore, this type of protection can ensure peace of mind for any household. However, as with any type of insurance cover you should make sure you are aware of the key exclusions within the policy documentation to ensure you are being covered exactly for what you require and expect.

So is this type of cover any good and is it worthwhile paying for British Gas’s HomeCare service?

From doing some research it appears the British Gas HomeCare service has received some bad press and complaints regarding the standard of service that has been received by policyholders. However, this is balanced out by the number of positive comments regarding the service. Many of the negative reviews tend to come from households who have older central heating systems and it is therefore harder for companies such as British Gas to support these boilers as getting parts if maintenance is required becomes harder or impossible. Therefore, in these situations British Gas will have no choice but not to support the boiler any more. It would therefore be worthwhile considering the age of your boiler when you take out such a policy and gain an understanding from the policy holding company as to how long the boiler will be supported for, so you aren’t in for any nasty shocks.

It is however generally regarded that these types of policies are a good deal as they can offer households peace of mind. If you don’t have a policy in place then you will either need to fix the problem yourself or find a local tradesman to come and fix the problem. Both of these options can cause unnecessary stress and hassle.

At least with a policy such as HomeCare you will know that you have access to qualified professionals and experts as well as a knowledgeable customer service team or help centre that are there specifically to answer any concerns or questions that you may have.

Guest Article by Sarah Wain