Guides
Straight answers on boilers and heating.
27 practical guides written with Gas Safe and OFTEC installers on the PlumbersNI network. No sales pitch, no doom. The facts on what's happening in your system and what to do next.
Grants · 7 min read
Boiler grants in Northern Ireland, explained
NISEP, Affordable Warmth, replacement schemes and gas conversion subsidies, who qualifies and how to apply.
17 Apr 2026
Coming soon Grants · 5 min read
Gas boiler grants in Northern Ireland
Financial support for new gas boilers, conversions and energy-efficient upgrades across NI in 2026.
12 Apr 2026
Coming soon Grants · 5 min read
Oil boiler grants in Northern Ireland
NISEP, Affordable Warmth and replacement schemes for oil-fired systems, who qualifies and how to apply.
6 Apr 2026
Coming soon Grants · 5 min read
Phoenix Natural Gas grants and discounts, explained
What Phoenix offers for new connections, conversions and boiler upgrades, and how to stack it with other schemes.
1 Apr 2026
Coming soon Boilers · 5 min read
New boiler cost in Northern Ireland (2026 prices)
Combi, system and regular boilers from £1,950. What's included, what isn't, and what drives the price up.
26 Mar 2026
Coming soon Plumbing · 4 min read
Water pipe leak in your home: what to do first
Isolating the supply, finding the source, and stopping damage before you call anyone.
21 Mar 2026
Coming soon Plumbing · 5 min read
Leaking water main in Belfast: your options
Who's responsible, how to spot a main leak, and what NI Water will and won't pay for.
15 Mar 2026
Coming soon Bathrooms · 6 min read
Bathroom design in Belfast: what to think about before you start
Layout, plumbing, pressure, tiling. The practical decisions to make before you pick the suite.
10 Mar 2026
Landlords · 4 min read
Landlord gas safety certificate: what NI landlords need
Legal requirements, what we check, what happens if the boiler fails, and how we make it easy for portfolio landlords.
4 Mar 2026
Oil to gas · 5 min read
Oil to gas conversion cost in Northern Ireland
Realistic pricing, what's included, Phoenix/Firmus connection fees, and whether it pays off over 10 years.
27 Feb 2026
Coming soon Oil boilers · 5 min read
Oil boiler pump problems: symptoms and fixes
A failing fuel pump causes strange symptoms. Here's how to spot it and what your options are.
21 Feb 2026
Coming soon Oil boilers · 6 min read
The most common oil boiler problems (and quick fixes)
Lockouts, air in the line, sooted burner, clogged nozzle. The problems we see week in, week out on Belfast oil systems.
16 Feb 2026
Oil boilers · 6 min read
Oil boiler fault codes, decoded
F1, F2, F3, L1, E1, what each fault code means, what to try, and when it's engineer territory.
10 Feb 2026
Oil boilers · 6 min read
Oil boiler not firing up? Six things to check first
Reset procedure, tank level, fuel filter, fire valve. What to try before calling an engineer.
5 Feb 2026
Power flushing · 4 min read
How much does a power flush cost in Belfast?
Honest pricing on power flushing, what drives the price up or down, and when a flush isn't the right call.
30 Jan 2026
Coming soon Power flushing · 6 min read
How to power flush radiators (what actually happens)
A step-by-step walk-through of a proper power flush, from connection to final test, so you know what you're paying for.
25 Jan 2026
Coming soon Power flushing · 4 min read
Do I need a power flush? Five signs it's time
Cold bottoms, slow warm-up, noisy pump, black water when you drain a rad. The five symptoms we look for.
19 Jan 2026
Coming soon Power flushing · 5 min read
What is a power flush and when does your system need one?
A power flush clears sludge and corrosion from your central heating. Here's how it works and when it's worth doing.
14 Jan 2026
Heating · 4 min read
Radiator cold at the bottom? It's probably sludge.
Hot at the top, cold at the bottom, almost always sludge build-up. What's happening and how to clear it.
8 Jan 2026
Heating · 5 min read
Why your radiators aren't heating up
Cold spots, rooms that won't warm, one radiator stuck icy. Six causes and how to tell which one is yours.
3 Jan 2026
Heating · 5 min read
Thermostatic radiator valves (TRVs): a practical guide
What TRVs do, how to set them, why one radiator must stay open, and when they need replacing.
28 Dec 2025
Coming soon Boilers · 4 min read
How often should a boiler be serviced?
Annual service keeps the manufacturer warranty valid and catches problems before they become faults. Here's the schedule.
22 Dec 2025
Boilers · 3 min read
How much is a boiler service in Belfast?
£90 for gas, £95 for oil, but what should a proper service include? And how to spot a thin one.
17 Dec 2025
Boilers · 5 min read
When should I replace my boiler?
Seven signals your boiler is near end of life, and why replacement now often saves money on the next repair.
11 Dec 2025
Boilers · 6 min read
Combi vs system boiler: which is right for your home?
Small home, one bathroom, combi. Larger home, multiple bathrooms, system. Here's the honest trade-off.
6 Dec 2025
Boilers · 4 min read
Combi vs regular boiler: and why regular is rarely the answer now
Regular (conventional) boilers have loft tanks. Most Belfast homes don't need them any more. Here's why.
1 Dec 2025
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