The Great Big Boiler Test: Brits urged to check their heating before the first cold snap

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As summer begins to wind down, many households are already thinking about darker evenings and the moment the heating gets switched back on for the first time. 

That's why British Gas is launching The Great Big Boiler Test, encouraging households to give their heating a trial run before colder weather arrives. 

The reminder comes as British Gas data reveals that 40% of boiler breakdowns occur when people switch their heating back on after summer^[1], suggesting many households are waiting until the first cold snap to find out whether everything is working as it should. 

And while most of us know winter is coming, boilers often remain firmly in the "deal with it later" category. Research among 2,000 UK adults found that nearly six in ten (59%) only think about their boiler when it starts misbehaving, while 82% admit they don't tackle household problems straight away.

Perhaps that's because many Brits have a slightly suspicious relationship with their boiler. Nearly three in ten (29%) secretly believe boilers break down at the worst possible moment on purpose, while 19% are convinced they only ever fail on the coldest day of the year. 

When problems do strike, calm and collected isn't always the nation's response. For almost a third (31%), their approach can best be described as "panic, panic, panic" or simply stressing about it. 

Unfortunately, delaying action can sometimes make matters worse. More than one in five (22%) have experienced a boiler breakdown after postponing or skipping a service, while 11% have been left without hot water following a fault. A third (33%) also say putting off household maintenance has ultimately cost them more money. 

It's perhaps no surprise, then, that breakdowns soar when temperatures start to drop and people switch their heating back on after months of inactivity. 

To help households avoid an unwelcome surprise this winter, British Gas is encouraging people to carry out The Great Big Boiler Test by turning on their heating over the weekend of 12 and 13 September to check everything is working as expected. 

If the heating fails to come on, radiators are not warming up properly, the boiler starts making unusual noises or hot water is unavailable, customers can get issues checked before demand begins to increase during the colder months. 

Sheena Anker, Engineer at British Gas, says: "The first really cold day of the year is often when people discover there's a problem with their boiler. Unfortunately, that's also when demand for repairs starts to rise." 

"The Great Big Boiler Test is a simple reminder to give your heating a trial run before winter arrives properly. Taking 15 minutes to switch it on and check everything is working could save households a lot of stress later on, particularly when temperatures begin to drop." 

To help give households an extra incentive to get prepared, British Gas is also offering customers who have signed up to their free membership the chance to win a brand-new boiler and installation worth £5,000. 

The free prize draw will run from 7 September to 20 September through the British Gas Membership Wallet. 

This summer, British Gas supported customers through its Warm and Working scheme providing free boiler servicing and home upgrades to 1,000 households to help keep homes warm, safe and energy efficient ahead of winter. 

British Gas Membership is free to join and gives customers access to exclusive offers, discounts, competitions and giveaways through a personalised membership wallet. Since launching in 2025, members have saved more than £2 million through offers and discounts. 

British Gas offers expert advice, boiler servicing, home and boiler cover, as well as same-day engineer callouts for issues raised before 11am. 

To enter the competition, customers can join British Gas Membership for free and access the prize draw through their Membership Wallet between 7 and 20 September. Terms and conditions apply. For more information about British Gas Membership, visit britishgas.co.uk/membership.