Boiler breakdowns are simply the worst, especially when they happen during the winter when demand is at its highest.
Unfortunately, the majority of boiler problems require the services of a professional Gas Safe engineer, and any attempts at DIY repairs can be incredibly unsafe and ill-advised. That said, before you pick up the phone and call an emergency engineer, it is worth just having a quick check for some common boiler issues that can easily be resolved by pretty much anyone.
There is no guarantee that your boiler issues will be caused by one of the problems mentioned in the article below, but many are, and taking the time to check for them could save you’re a lot of stress and money in the long-term.
If your boiler won’t fire up, or you are getting no hot water from boiler, here are 5 of the potential causes, and a guide on how to fix them.
Problem 1: Boiler lock
Many people don’t even realise that their boiler has a locking feature, but the majority do, acting as a failsafe measure to protect the unit and the property in the event of a sudden breakdown. Should there be a power cut, frozen pipe detected, or high pressure within the system, your boiler may lock, refusing to fire up in order to protect the internal components from damage. If this occurs, a simple reset can often have the boiler back up and running in no time.
If your boiler is locked, there might be a small red light on the boiler indicating this, or an error code that will refer to the issue in the manufacturer’s manual. In older systems, the boiler may simply lock without warning and only by resetting it will you know if this was the case. Most boilers are fitted with a reset button on the front control panel, if you can’t locate it look in the manual, or can be reset simply by turning the system off and on again.
If your boiler consistently locks itself with no obvious cause no matter how many times you reset it, there is clearly something wrong, and your only option is to call in a professional.
Problem 2: Thermostat problems
Getting your thermostat settings correct is critical to keeping your home at the perfect temperature during the winter. If you find that you are no longer getting sufficient heat from your radiators, check to see if someone has changed the thermostat settings or the thermostat is displaying an error message.
Another reason that your boiler might not fire up despite the home feeling rather chilly is due to where it is located. If the room in which the thermostat is found is warmer than the rest of the property, it will reach your desired temperature sooner and de-activate the boiler. If this is the case you might need to turn it up a few degrees or arrange to have it relocated.
Problem 3: Pressure issues
Both high and low pressure can cause problems that prevent your boiler from activating. If the pressure gauge on your boiler indicates low pressure, this can be fixed by increasing the pressure manually using the valve on the boiler to re-pressurise the system. If it indicates high pressure, you might need to bleed your radiators.
If you are consistently experiencing pressure related issues with your boiler, particularly regular pressure drops, there could be a leak in the heating system and the services of a professional Gas Safe engineer will be required.
Problem 4: A frozen condensate pipe
Condensate pipes help to drain waste water away from your boiler and unlike other pipes in your home heating system are often located on the exterior of the property. This makes them much more susceptible to freezing during the winter and if your boiler detects this it will cease operations as a safely measure.
If your boiler problems coincide with a particularly cold spell of weather, this may well be the cause and you could try applying a warm compress to the pipe outside to try and defrost it. Consider installing a pipe sleeve or similar insulation on the exterior of the pipe to prevent similar problems from occurring again in the future.
Problems 5: Boiler light has gone out
The pilot light on your boiler can deactivate for any number of different reasons but as long as there are no serious underlying issues you can normally reset it by following the instructions in the manual. If this doesn’t work, check the fuse box to see if the system has tripped.
If the light going out coincides with any other warning signs such as a smell of gas or the flame inside the boiler has gone from blue to yellow, turn the system off and call the Gas Emergency line.
