A cold shop floor on a Monday morning, staff working in coats, or a burst pipe discovered after the Christmas break: none of it is good for business. Small shops, offices, salons, cafés and workshops across Bristol and Bath rely on their heating just as much as homes do. A few winter heating checks in the autumn, plus a service by an engineer qualified for your type of system, can prevent most problems. Our commercial heating team can help you get ready.
Start with a service
Book a service before the coldest weather arrives. Commercial premises often use larger boilers, multiple boilers, warm air heaters or other appliances that differ from domestic ones. Gas work on commercial appliances must be carried out by a Gas Safe registered engineer who holds the right qualifications for that type of appliance, so check the engineer’s Gas Safe ID card lists commercial work.
A service is also a good time to ask about anything that hasn’t felt right during the previous winter, such as rooms that never warm up, noisy pipework or a boiler that keeps locking out.
Match the controls to your opening hours
Heating controls are often set when a business first moves in and then forgotten. Over time, opening hours change, a shop starts opening on Sundays, or staff start earlier.
- Set the timer so the building is comfortable when people arrive, not an hour after
- Make sure the heating isn’t running all night or over weekends when nobody’s in
- If different areas are used at different times, such as a stockroom and a front-of-house space, check whether they can be controlled separately
- Lock or limit thermostats if they get turned up and forgotten
Plan for closures
Many small businesses shut for a week or more over Christmas and New Year. Turning the heating off completely is risky in a cold snap. Pipes in storerooms, toilets and outbuildings are often the first to freeze.
Leave the heating on a frost protection or low setting, and make sure someone knows how to check the building. Keep a note of where the stopcock and gas emergency control valve are, along with the number for the National Gas Emergency Service, 0800 111 999.
Think about the people inside
Keeping staff and customers comfortable matters for morale and for business. The Health and Safety Executive’s guidance on workplace temperatures says workrooms should normally be at least 16°C, or 13°C where work involves rigorous physical effort. Getting your heating checked early in the season makes it easier to keep to that when the weather turns.
Draughts from busy front doors are a common complaint in shops and cafés. Door closers, draught strips and a well-positioned heater near the entrance can make a real difference.
Air conditioning that heats as well as cools
Some businesses have air conditioning units that also offer a heating mode. If yours does, have it checked before winter so filters are clean and it’s working as it should. Work on refrigerant systems needs an F-Gas certified engineer. You can find out more about our air conditioning services.
Small businesses in Bristol and Bath
From independent shops in Bath’s city centre to offices and workshops on Bristol’s trading estates, business premises in the area vary hugely. Older buildings often have heating systems that have been extended and adapted for different tenants over the years, which can leave some areas over-heated and others cold. A proper look at the whole system, rather than just the boiler, often explains why. We look after homes right across the area, from Keynsham to Portishead.
Frequently asked questions
How often should a commercial boiler be serviced?
Manufacturers usually recommend an annual service, and many insurers and landlords expect one too. Check your boiler’s manual, lease and insurance policy for any specific requirements. Keeping a record of each service is useful for your own maintenance planning and if you ever need to show the system has been looked after.
Can a domestic gas engineer work on my business heating?
It depends on the appliance. Gas Safe registered engineers are qualified for specific types of work, and commercial appliances need engineers with the matching qualifications. Ask to see the engineer’s Gas Safe ID card, which lists the work they’re qualified to do. If the business uses domestic-type appliances, a domestic engineer may be suitable.
What should I do with the heating over the Christmas closure?
Don’t switch it off completely. Leave it on frost protection or a low setting so pipes stay above freezing. Make sure someone can check the building during the break, and that they know where the stopcock is. Reset the timer before you reopen so the premises are warm for the first day back.
Get your business ready for winter
If your premises need a heating service or your controls need setting up, give us a call on 01275 400 687 or drop us a message and we’ll arrange a visit at a time that causes as little disruption to your business as possible.