Heating engineer in Instow
Big houses in Instow tend to have an unvented cylinder as well as a boiler. I'm George Lane, Gas Safe registered and G3 qualified, based in North Devon, and I service both.
- £220 including VAT for all the labour to get it working again, however long it takes
- Parts priced before they're fitted. Decide not to go ahead, and you only pay £105
- Travel to Instow included
Prefer to write? Send an enquiry.
George Lane, Gas Safe No. 515374. Fully insured, 25+ years on boilers. I do every job myself, from the first visit to the finished work.
What my customers say
5.0 from 103 Google reviews for Thames Boilers, my previous business in Kent
Tarka Boilers is new to North Devon, so it has no reviews of its own yet. Every review here is from a customer of Thames Boilers, the heating business I ran in Kent before I moved here.
Read all 124 reviewsExcellent service, all problems have been fixed, full service carried out,in fact more was done than British gas have done over several years. I would recommend Thames boilers without any hesitation. Well done and thank you.
Brian P.Google review, May 2026Customer of Thames Boilers, Kent George was very pleasant and worked hard to give my boiler a thorough service. A sudden leaking pipe meant that the job took much longer than expected but this was no problem at all for him. George done an excellent job and I will definitely be using his services again.
Frances M.Google review, May 2026Customer of Thames Boilers, Kent Hi everyone, I had an amazing experience with Thames Boiler Service. George was the one who did all the work. The service was precise, punctual, and the problem was sorted in just a couple of days. I strongly recommend them if you want a reliable boiler service for your property. Thank you, guys! Agnes
Agnieszka W.Google review, April 2026Customer of Thames Boilers, Kent I have been a customer of Thames Boilers for several years. They provide a top quality service, high levels of expertise and excellent customer service.
Teresa H.Google review, January 2026Customer of Thames Boilers, Kent I've been using the services of George at Thames Boilers to service my Boiler and Central Heating for many years now. Always reliable, friendly and efficient.
Paul C.Google review, October 2025Customer of Thames Boilers, Kent In the past ive had a few unreliable plumbers. George did some plumbing work for me in the kitchen recently. Very happy with the repair - always polite, punctual, and tidy. George also services my boiler annually. Will continue to use his services. Have recommended him to friends and family.
Joan R.Google review, June 2025Customer of Thames Boilers, Kent
- Gas Safe No. 515374Check it on the Gas Safe Register
- 25+ yearson boilers and heating
- G3 qualifiedfor unvented hot-water cylinders
- Fully insuredGeorge Lane trading as Tarka Boilers
I work on Worcester Bosch, Vaillant, Baxi, Ideal, Glow-worm, Potterton and Viessmann. Mains-gas boilers only: I don't work on oil or LPG, and I don't fit new boilers.
Prices in Instow, including VAT
Every price includes VAT and travel. Repair parts are priced before they're fitted.
Boiler repairs
£220fixed labour, including VATAll the labour to get your boiler working again, however long it takes. Parts are priced before they're fitted. Decide not to go ahead, and you only pay £105 for the visit.
Book online (opens in a new tab)Boiler service
£105including VATStandard service. The full service is £185 including VAT.
Book online (opens in a new tab)Landlord gas safety check
£105including VATOne appliance, with the certificate by email. Each extra appliance £30, or £80 for a gas fire.
Book online (opens in a new tab)Unvented cylinder service
£105including VAT£52 when booked with a boiler service on the same visit.
Book online (opens in a new tab)Central heating repairs
£220fixed labour, including VATThe same fixed price as a boiler repair, however long it takes. Parts are priced before they're fitted. Decide not to go ahead, and you only pay £105 for the visit.
Book online (opens in a new tab)Smart thermostats
Priced before I startHive, Tado and Nest, fitted and set up on your phone. You agree the price before I start.
Book online (opens in a new tab)
Travel to Instow is included in every price.
Every price includes VAT. Repairs are £220 for all the labour, however long it takes, and parts are priced before they're fitted. Decide not to go ahead, and you only pay £105 for the visit.
A small village with bigger than average heating systems
I'm George Lane, and in Instow I service and repair mains-gas boilers and unvented cylinders, fix heating faults and carry out landlord gas safety checks. My Gas Safe number is 515374, and I'm G3 qualified. Travel to Instow is included, so it costs nothing extra.
Instow sits on the east bank of the Torridge, looking across the water to Appledore, with Marine Parade along the front and the Tarka Trail behind it on the old railway line. It's a small village, but a lot of the houses are large, and many are second homes or holiday lets.
Services available in Instow
Boilers, cylinders and the rest, for Instow homes on mains gas.
- Boiler repairsFaults found properly rather than guessed at. £220 including VAT for all the labour to get your boiler working again, however long it takes. Parts are priced before they're fitted, and if you decide not to go ahead, you only pay £105 for the visit.
- Boiler servicingA standard annual gas boiler service is £105 including VAT. The Full gas boiler service at £185 adds a new burner gasket plus a full heat exchanger and burner clean.
- Landlord gas safety checks£105 including VAT for one appliance, with the certificate emailed to you and a reminder when the next one is due.
- Central heating repairsCold radiators, noisy pipework, pressure that won't hold and systems that never balance properly. The same fixed price as a boiler repair: £220 including VAT for the labour, with parts priced before they're fitted.
- Unvented cylinder service and repairG3 qualified. £105 including VAT on its own, or £52 added to a boiler service on the same visit. Cylinder repairs are the same £220 fixed labour price as a boiler repair.
- Smart thermostat installationHive, Nest and Tado fitted, wired correctly and set up on your phone before I leave. Priced per job, and agreed before I start.
Why do big houses need the cylinder looked at too?
More bathrooms usually means stored hot water, and in a house of any size that's often an unvented cylinder: a pressurised tank that gives good pressure at every tap. Add two or three heating zones, and there's a lot more in the airing cupboard than a boiler.
An unvented cylinder has safety valves that stop it building up dangerous pressure, and those valves only do their job if someone checks them. Manufacturers ask for a service every year, and it needs a G3-qualified engineer. A standard gas boiler service and unvented cylinder service on the same visit is £157, instead of £210 booked separately. With the full gas boiler service it is £237, instead of £290. Both prices include VAT. It costs less because it's one visit instead of two, and it can't be combined with any other reduction.
If the house stands empty between guests
An empty house over winter is where most spring breakdowns start. Leave the boiler powered with frost protection on, hold the heating at a low temperature rather than switching it off, and book a service before the season starts. If the house is let, the landlord gas safety check is due every 12 months, and I'll time it around a changeover so no booking is lost.
You book
Book online and your time is confirmed straight away. I work Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm, and I'm not an emergency service. If it isn't a job for me, I'll say so and point you to someone who can help, rather than going quiet on you.
You'll know when I'm coming
You choose a start time when you book, not a morning or an afternoon. It is an estimate, because the job before yours can finish early or run on. When I set off to you, you get a text with a link that shows where I am, so you can see when I'll be at the door.
Areas around Instow I also cover
Travel to Instow is included in every price.
Frequently asked questions
Does an unvented cylinder need servicing every year?
The manufacturers ask for it. More importantly, the yearly check is when the relief valves and expansion vessel get tested, and they are the parts that keep a pressurised cylinder safe.
Can the boiler and the cylinder be serviced on the same visit?
Yes, and it costs less than two separate visits. The cylinder service is £52 when it's added to a boiler service, instead of £105 on its own.
Do you cover Appledore and Fremington too?
Yes. Appledore and Fremington each have their own page, and so does Bideford.
The house is empty all winter. Should I drain the system?
Usually not. Draining a sealed system lets fresh air and oxygen in, which speeds up corrosion once it's refilled. Leaving it on frost protection is normally the better choice, and I'll check the settings on the service.
Need a heating engineer in Instow?
Every price includes VAT. Repairs are £220 for all the labour, however long it takes, and parts are priced before they're fitted. Decide not to go ahead, and you only pay £105 for the visit. Travel to Instow is included in every price.
Prefer to write? Send an enquiry.