Heating System Inspection Before Season - Complete Checklist

Why Is Heating System Inspection So Important?

Imagine this scenario: Frost -15°C, middle of winter, and your boiler stops working. Service will come in 3-5 days, plus emergency call costs… This doesn’t have to happen!

Statistics are clear:

• 80% of boiler failures occur in the first weeks of heating season
• Regular inspection reduces fuel consumption by 15-25%
• Inspection cost: 65-130 EUR
• Emergency repair cost: 330-1,100 EUR + discomfort

When to Perform Heating System Inspection?

Best Period: August - September

Advantages of September: ✅ Services are not busy (faster implementation) ✅ Time to order parts if needed ✅ Lower service prices (off-season) ✅ Ability to test installation before frost

Avoid November-December: ❌ Service queues (even 2-3 weeks waiting) ❌ Higher service prices (season) ❌ Risk of failure during frost ❌ No time to order parts

Comprehensive Inspection Checklist

1. Gas Boiler - 15 Control Points

Combustion and Efficiency Check

Flue gas composition measurement:

• CO₂ content (should be 9-10%)
• CO content (max 100 ppm)
• Flue gas temperature
• Combustion efficiency (min. 90% for condensing boilers)

Problem signals:

• Yellow flame instead of blue = non-optimal combustion
• Increased gas consumption (above 15% y/y)
• Noise during operation

Cleaning Key Components

What we clean at SDI:

1. Burner - remove deposits and contaminants
2. Heat exchanger - scale and deposits (increases efficiency by 10-15%)
3. Gas filter - replacement or cleaning
4. Ionization sensor - crucial for safety
5. Condenser (condensing boilers) - acid deposits

Cleaning price: 65-110 EUR Annual savings: 90-175 EUR (lower gas consumption)

Safety Check

SDI safety tests:

• Gas installation tightness (soap + detector)
• Safety valve operation
• Flue gas discharge test (CO detector)
• Installation operating pressure (manometer check)

2. Solid Fuel Boiler - Specifics

Additional points for coal/wood boilers:

• Combustion chamber cleaning
• Door seal control
• Grate condition
• Flue channel cleaning
• Refractory material condition

Note: Solid fuel boilers require cleaning every 2-4 weeks in season!

3. Heat Pump Inspection

Control of 10 parameters:

1. Refrigerant pressure
2. Exchanger cleanliness (external and internal)
3. Air filter (cleaning/replacement)
4. Condensate drain
5. Compressor operation parameters
6. Control settings
7. Temperature sensors
8. Expansion valve
9. Compressor oil level
10. Heating and cooling series tests

Frequency: Every 12 months (before heating season)

4. Central Heating Installation - Bleeding and Pressure

Problem: Air in Installation

Symptoms:

• Radiators cold at top
• Gurgling and noise in pipes
• Uneven room heating
• Higher energy consumption (by 10-20%)

SDI Solution:

1. Bleeding all radiators (from highest)
2. Water refill to correct pressure (1.2-1.5 bar)
3. Adding corrosion inhibitor (protects installation)
4. Connection tightness test

Pressure Check

Correct pressure:

• Cold installation: 1.0-1.2 bar
• Hot installation: 1.5-2.0 bar
• Too low (<0.8 bar): risk of pump damage, uneven heating
• Too high (>3 bar): safety valve activates

5. Cleaning Filters and Pump Strainer

Contaminated filters mean:

• Reduced flow (uneven heating)
• Higher energy consumption (+15-30%)
• Faster circulation pump wear
• Installation noise

What we clean:

• Filter before circulation pump
• Strainer in check valve
• Air separator
• Dirt separator (if installed)

Cleaning price: 33-65 EUR

6. Circulation Pump Control

7 pump checks:

1. Noise level (silence = correct operation)
2. Vibrations (minimal is normal)
3. Housing temperature (slightly warm)
4. Operating parameters (power, speed)
5. Connection tightness
6. Performance setting
7. Energy consumption

Pump replacement signals:

• Loud operation or vibrations
• Housing heating
• Uneven radiator heating
• High power consumption

Pump replacement cost: 130-330 EUR

7. Expansion Vessel Check

Function: Water expansion compensation during heating.

Initial pressure control:

• Disconnect vessel from installation
• Measure pressure in air chamber (should be 0.5 bar less than working pressure)
• Check membrane (no water in air chamber)

Damaged vessel = frequent pressure drops in installation

8. Thermostat and Automation Control

What we check:

• Batteries in programmable thermostats
• Temperature sensor calibration
• Time settings (summer/winter time)
• Heating schedules
• External sensor operation

Optimization saves 15-25% energy!

9. Pipe Insulation - Often Overlooked Element

Problem: Heat Loss

Uninsulated pipes in boiler room or basement mean 20-30% thermal energy losses.

Where to insulate:

• All pipes in unheated rooms
• First 3 meters from boiler
• Hot water installation (especially circulation)
• Valves and connections

Insulation cost: 110-265 EUR Annual savings: 65-155 EUR

10. Chimney and Flue Gas Discharge Inspection

Legal obligation: Chimney inspection minimum once a year (Art. 62 Building Law).

Chimney sweep control:

• Duct clearance
• Connection tightness
• Chimney technical condition
• Chimney draft

Danger: Blocked chimney = carbon monoxide poisoning!

Step-by-Step Inspection - SDI Procedure

Stage 1: Visit and Diagnostics (1-2h)

Visual inspection:

• Boiler and equipment condition
• Signs of corrosion, leaks
• Installation correctness
• Boiler room ventilation

Measurements:

• Flue gas analysis
• Installation pressure
• Supply/return temperature
• Electrical parameters

Stage 2: Cleaning and Maintenance (2-4h)

• Exchanger and burner cleaning
• Filter replacement
• Installation bleeding
• Pump and valve cleaning

Stage 3: Adjustment and Testing (1h)

• Combustion parameter optimization
• Heating curve setting
• All operating mode tests
• Safety verification

Stage 4: Report and Recommendations

You receive:

• Inspection protocol with measurement results
• Recommendation list (urgent and future)
• Next inspection schedule
• Warranty on performed work

What Savings Does Regular Inspection Provide?

Real Numbers (150 m² House, Szczecin)

Scenario without inspection:

• Gas consumption: 2,500 m³/year
• Cost: 1,650 EUR/year
• Failures: 1-2 times/year (660 EUR)
• Total: 2,310 EUR

Scenario with regular inspection:

• Gas consumption: 2,000 m³/year (more efficient boiler)
• Cost: 1,320 EUR/year
• Inspection: 110 EUR/year
• Failures: 0
• Total: 1,430 EUR

ANNUAL SAVINGS: 880 EUR

SDI Heating System Service

Service Packages

STANDARD PACKAGE (90 EUR)

• Gas boiler inspection
• Burner and exchanger cleaning
• Flue gas analysis
• Installation bleeding
• Technical report

PREMIUM PACKAGE (145 EUR)

• Everything from Standard package
• Filter and pump cleaning
• Automation control
• Inhibitor refill
• 12-month warranty
• 15% discount on repairs

VIP PACKAGE (200 EUR)

• Everything from Premium package
• 2 inspections per year
• Priority in emergencies (24h)
• 25% discount on repairs
• Free control visit

Service Area

We serve Szczecin and surroundings (150 km): Police, Stargard, Gryfino, Goleniów, Świnoujście, Pyrzyce, Mieszkowice.

Book Inspection Today!

Don’t wait for frost - take care of installation now!

📞 +48 513 166 235 📧 kontakt@sdi-instalacje.pl

We offer:

• Implementation deadline up to 7 days
• Professional service with 35 years of experience
• Original spare parts
• Warranty on performed services
• Flexible deadlines (also weekends)

Promotion: Book inspection by end of September and get 10% discount + free pre-season control!

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Article prepared by SDI sp. z o.o. experts - leaders in heating system service in West Pomeranian Voivodeship since 1987.