Running a heating or HVAC company in Romford, part of London’s Borough of Havering, means competing with dozens of other firms for local customers. Whether you repair boilers, install new heating systems or service air‑conditioning units, people in Romford will search online when they need help. In 2025, the most cost‑effective way to attract high‑quality leads is through local search engine optimization (SEO). Research shows that 88 % of consumers who perform a local search on their smartphone visit or call a business within 24 hours cubecreative.design, and SEO leads convert at 14.6 % compared with only 1.7 % for outbound leads such as direct mail digitalmarketinginstitute.com.
Claim and optimise your Google Business Profile
Your Google Business Profile (GBP) is critical for local visibility. To appear in map‑pack results when someone searches “boiler repair Romford” or “central heating installation Havering”:
- Claim and verify your GBP and ensure your name, address and phone number (NAP) are accurate. Add “Romford” and nearby areas like Hornchurch, Upminster and Dagenham as service areas.
- Select appropriate categories such as Boiler repair service, Central heating installation and HVAC contractor.
- Upload photos and videos of your team, vans and completed installations. High‑quality visuals build trust and can increase engagement cubecreative.design.
- Encourage reviews and respond. Positive reviews act as social proof and influence map‑pack rankings cubecreative.design.
Build service‑specific pages with Romford keywords
Google ranks individual pages, not entire websites. Create dedicated pages for each service—boiler servicing, central heating installation, thermostat replacement, ductless AC installation, etc.—and optimise them with local phrases such as “boiler repair Romford,” “central heating installation Havering” or “gas engineer East London.” This approach helps you rank for searches that focus on specific services.
Make sure each page:
- Has a clear headline and detailed description of the service.
- Includes testimonials or case studies from Romford customers.
- Provides a call‑to‑action for booking appointments.
Address Romford‑specific heating and boiler issues in your content
London homes often rely on gas boilers and central heating, and common problems can generate search traffic. According to EDF Energy’s guide, the most frequent boiler issues include: the pilot light going out, noisy boilers (gurgling or banging), no heating or hot water, leaking boilers, low boiler pressure, cold radiators, kettling, thermostat faults, frozen condensate pipes and boilers that switch off unexpectedly edfenergy.com. Create blog posts or videos that explain how to identify these problems and when to call a professional. For example:
- Pilot light keeps going out: Explain potential causes such as draughts or faulty thermocouples and recommend professional inspections edfenergy.com.
- Noisy boilers and kettling: Discuss air in the system or limescale build‑up, and suggest bleeding radiators or calling an engineer edfenergy.com.
- No heating or hot water / boiler leaks / low pressure: Outline basic troubleshooting (checking pressure gauges, turning off water) and emphasise when to contact a Gas Safe engineer edfenergy.com.
- Thermostat and frozen condensate pipe issues: Offer guidance on checking thermostat settings and thawing condensate pipes safely edfenergy.com.
By addressing these local problems, you’ll attract traffic from homeowners in Romford searching for solutions and position your business as a trusted expert.
Build local backlinks and partnerships
Search engines view backlinks as votes of confidence. Partner with other Romford businesses—electricians, plumbers, estate agents—and request links on their websites. Sponsor community events or sports clubs in Havering to earn mentions in local news. These high‑quality local links strengthen your prominence signal.
Continue gathering reviews and refine your strategy
After each job, ask satisfied customers to leave a review mentioning the service and location (“boiler service in Romford” or “heating installation in Hornchurch”). Monitor your rankings and web analytics to see which pages and keywords drive inquiries, and adjust your content strategy accordingly.