The Signs Of A Broken Boiler

Tips and Tricks That Will Help You Diagnose A Broken Boiler

Your hot water and central heating rely entirely on your boiler, which makes this system a crucial component in running your home and keeping your family warm, happy and healthy. If left to worsen a faulty boiler can cause irreparable damage. We have outlined a few common causes for boiler malfunction and how to deal with these situations safely while you wait for your plumber to arrive.

Indicators that your boiler may be experiencing some underlying problems:

1. The top of your radiator remaining cold while the bottom is hot – this is usually caused by a trapped air pocket within the central heating system.
2. If your boiler pressure is regularly dropping or rising, which could lead to hazardous and catastrophic failures.
3. Strange noises coming from your boiler indicate structural problems such as pump failure, or a faulty thermostat or central heating pump.
4. If your boiler is over 10 years old it is at greater risk of deterioration and failure.

If your boiler shuts down:

Firstly, check your boiler and controls for any lights or displays that may be flashing red or not switched on at all. If your boiler is unresponsive go ahead and check all other power supplies within your home to make sure the issue isn’t with your power supply. Look out for fuses or trip switches that might have failed, if they have reset as instructed.  If you cannot see where the fault might have externally originated from be sure to call your qualified gas safe registered engineer before doing anything else.

Contact our expert team by calling 01473 320 350. 

If you experience these problems, there’s no need to worry because all you need to do is call us on 01473 320 350 and the problem will be fixed long before the first cold front moves in.

Checking gas or oil supply:

If you think you can smell gas in your home it’s crucial that you call your gas emergency service provider, National Grid on 0800 111 999.

If the gas emergency control valve (located adjacent to your gas meter) is on but no gas is present, you’ll need to contact your Gas Emergency Service Provider right away! If you live in a Flat/Apartment you may have an additional emergency control valve, this will be found where the gas supply enters the property – check if it’s in the on position.

If the supply has been disconnected for a safety reason, follow the guidance issued on the warning notice left by the Gas Safe Register engineer.

If you have an oil boiler, read the sight level gauge or heating oil tank gauge located adjacent to the oil tank, or check the remote oil level sensor plugged into the property’s electric supply and linked wirelessly (sonically) to the tank, and check that there’s enough oil in the tank.

Has your pilot light gone out?

Your pilot light can be extinguished by a single draft. This is nothing to worry about; all you have to do is locate the pilot light assembly, which typically has an on/off setting and pilot settings. Once you have successfully located this panel, switch the valve off and wait for about three seconds before switching to the pilot setting. However, a faulty pilot light might indicate that there are more comprehensive problems with your boiler and that it’s time for a replacement.

Central heating pressure:

When your heating system is cool, the pressure should be between 1 and 1.5 bar on the pressure gauge. If you notice repeated or prolonged drops in your boiler pressure it is an indication there is a problem.

Thermostat:

If your thermostat is old it may have lost accuracy over time. This can result in misread temperature settings and heat turning itself on and off. If this occurs your thermostat will either need to be recalibrated or replaced with a new one.

By arranging a gas boiler service and boiler safety check during the summer months, you can ensure the perfect indoor temperature throughout your home all year round. Our qualified gas safe engineers are able to quickly diagnose and fix the potential faults in your boiler before the situation worsens or becomes dangerous for you and your family. Trust us when we say it is never too early to ensure you have a functioning and safe boiler heating your home come winter.

We offer FREE quotations and extended guarantees with one FREE annual servicing for all boilers installed before September. Now that’s an offer you can’t resist! Each boiler installation comes with an extended guarantee absolutely free of charge, as we are Approved Gold installers for Worcester Bosch. However, gas engineers become extremely busy over the winter months, and you may therefore struggle to get a booking in good time. We encourage all our customers to arrange a boiler service or boiler installation before the busy winter period by contacting our office on 01473 320 350.