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No one wants to have a problem with their boiler but unfortunately, issues can crop up from time to time. Thankfully, most of the issues that occur with modern boilers can be easily resolved by a Gas-Safe registered heating engineer. Sometimes you may even be able to fix the problem yourself by checking the fault code on your boiler.
You can also prevent problems from arising in the first place by ensuring your boiler is serviced regularly. Some faults, however, can arise despite your best efforts.
Here, we run through the top 10 most common boiler problems.
ContentsWater or gas leaking from a boiler is a sign that something isn’t right. Let’s take a look at what these leaks might mean.
Water leakage can present in a number of ways. Perhaps the walls around your boiler, or the floor underneath it, has become saturated with water or maybe you’ve found staining, mould or damp near your boiler. You might also suspect a leak if your boiler keeps losing pressure despite you topping it up. Whatever the case, the problem should be investigated.
There are a number of reasons why your boiler may be leaking water. Here are some:
If you suspect a leak, you should consult a qualified boiler engineer to identify and resolve the problem as soon as possible.
If you think gas is leaking from your boiler, you should open all doors and windows, turn off the gas at the mains tap if it’s safe to do so and leave the property immediately. You should call the Gas Emergency service free of charge on 0800 111 999.
The first sign of a gas leak is usually a pungent smell, which people describe as being like rotten eggs or rotten cabbage.
A gas leak is usually down to a poor connection or fitting that hasn’t been installed or maintained properly or other boiler parts that have suffered wear and tear.
To help prevent gas leaks, you should get your boiler or gas appliance installed and serviced regularly by a Gas-Safe registered engineer. You should also avoid blocking or covering any ventilation grilles, bricks or flues.
There are several things that can happen if your boiler pressure is too low. You may find that:
Low pressure is usually caused by a water leak in the system. Alternatively, you may come up against this issue after you bleed a radiator. This is because when you do this, you release air, which lowers the pressure in your system.
To find out what action to take if you have this problem, including how to repressurise your system, read our article ‘What to do if your boiler pressure is too low’.As a general rule, if your boiler’s pressure gauge is reading over 1.5 bar when the heating is off or over 2 bar when the heating is on, your boiler pressure is probably too high. However, you should consult your boiler manual to find out the recommended levels for your specific model. Unfortunately, you may only realise there’s a problem with the pressure when your boiler breaks down.
Your boiler’s pressure may be too high for a number of reasons. Here are some:
If you’ve ever experienced having no hot water or no heating, you’ll know how inconvenient and frustrating it can be, especially during the winter months.
If you have no heating and no hot water, it may be that:
If the cause isn’t obvious, you may need to call on a trained heating engineer for help identifying and fixing the problem.
If your heating has failed to come on when you expect it to, it’s worth checking the thermostat settings first of all to make sure they’re correct. If they are, you should check your boiler pressure next. Sometimes your heating may stop working due to a drop in boiler pressure. If this is the case, you may be able to repressurise as per the link referenced above.
You may also have a fault that requires specialist attention, such as a problem with a diverter valve. It could also be a problem with the timer or thermostat.
Your boiler may make a variety of different noises if something isn’t working as it should. This is known as kettling. The type of noise it’s making, from gurgling and whooshing, to clanging and banging, can help you to pinpoint the issue.
The good news is that you may be able to fix this problem without a callout from an engineer. Depending on the exact issue, taking simple steps, such as bleeding the radiators and reducing the pressure, may be enough to resolve the issue.
You may also find that your fan is responsible for the noise. If your fan is making constant noise, at intervals or when the boiler is switched off, it may be a sign that this part of your boiler needs to be replaced. This is especially likely if your fan is old or if it is positioned high up in the boiler as the heat can cause the bearings to dry up. Generally speaking, a faulty or loud fan can’t be fixed and will have to be replaced.
When your boiler won’t fire up at all, it’s obvious that something is wrong. There are a range of issues that can cause this problem, including:
With high-tech models, it’s also possible that your boiler won’t ignite simply because your home is already at the correct temperature. There are some practical steps you can take to fix a boiler that won’t ignite. However, it’s likely that you’ll need an engineer to investigate if the cause of the problem isn’t obvious.
It can be very frustrating if your boiler keeps switching itself off for no apparent reason. If this is happening to you, there can be a number of causes, including:
If you’ve managed to fix the issue, you will need to reset your boiler afterwards. If you’re in any doubt about what’s causing your boiler to switch off, however, you should contact a heating engineer for help.
If your boiler has stopped working during a spell of cold weather, it may be due to a frozen condensate pipe. A condensate pipe is a pipe that carries waste water from the heating system into the home’s drainage system. If this pipe is frozen, you may find that your boiler is making a gurgling noise too. Your boiler will stop working as a safety feature. Thankfully, you can usually fix a frozen condensate pipe without professional assistance.
If you have an older boiler, you’ll probably have a pilot light. This is a small flame that ignites the gas in your boiler, enabling you to have heating and hot water in your home. You can usually see the light through a window in the boiler casing. If your pilot light keeps going out, you may have one of the following issues:
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