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Boiler Broken? Here’s What To Do Next

A broken boiler in the middle of winter is the last thing you want – no heat, no hot water, and plenty of frustration. But before you panic, the first step is to call a professional. That doesn’t always mean you’ll need an engineer to come out; in many cases, the issue can be diagnosed and even fixed over the phone.

When you call Happy Dog Plumbing, you’ll speak directly to a qualified plumber or heating engineer who will troubleshoot the problem with you right away. Their priority is ensuring your safety, minimising any hazards, and getting your heating back up and running as soon as possible.

For instance, if the symptoms suggest a potential gas leak, our engineer will guide you through shutting off your gas supply immediately. Once you’re safe, they’ll ask a few key questions to determine the cause of the breakdown. It could be a simple fix you can handle yourself, or it might require a professional visit. If that’s the case, we’ll arrange for an engineer to come to you as quickly as possible.

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Keep reading to learn about some common boiler problems that you might be able to fix yourself, without waiting for an engineer.

Low Pressure

Signs:

  • No heating or hot water
  • Water turning hot and cold unpredictably
  • Some or all radiators stay lukewarm, cold, or have cold spots
  • Boiler displaying a low-pressure fault code or the pressure gauge is reading below 1 bar
  • Gurgling or banging noises from the system

Possible solution:

Tweaking the filling loop valves on your boiler until the pressure gauge reads between 1 and 5. Check out our handy guide to fixing boiler pressure issues here.

You may need to reset your boiler once you’ve re-pressurised the system, so check your manufacturer’s guide for how to do this. If your boiler continues to lose pressure regularly, it normally indicates a bigger problem, such as a leak in one of the system’s pipes. An engineer will need to resolve this issue for you.

Frozen Condensate Pipe

Signs:

  • Boiler shutting down or not working
  • Gurgling or bubbling noises
  • Boiler displaying an error code related to a frozen condensate pipe
  • No heat or hot water
  • Visible ice on the pipe or blocking the pipe

Possible solution:

Believe it or not, a frozen condensate pipe is the culprit of the majority of boiler breakdowns during freezing weather. You can try thawing it yourself by pouring hot (not boiling) water over the pipe several times until defrosted. You could also try wrapping a warm towel or hot water bottle around the pipe to defrost gradually. Our detailed guide on how to thaw a frozen condensate pipe safely will take you through everything step by step.

Faulty Boiler Or Thermostat Settings

Signs:

  • The boiler isn’t turning on when expected causing no heat or hot water
  • Heating turns on and off at the wrong times
  • Room temperature doesn’t match the thermostat setting
  • Boiler is unresponsive to thermostat changes
  • Thermostat display is blank or not responding
  • Radiators staying too hot or too cold (indicates the thermostat may not be communicating properly with the boiler

Possible solution:

If you’ve had a power cut, or someone in your household has knocked the settings panel by accident, your timer settings may have changed. Simply check the settings are what they should be and adjust if necessary – use your boiler manual if you need help to do this. Check that the central heating dial on the boiler control panel is turned up too – sounds obvious, but you’ll be surprised how many times this is to blame!

Next up, check the thermostat settings. If the temperature is too low your boiler may not fire up. Increase the temperature to see if it makes a difference. If the thermostat’s display panel is blank, it may just be simple case of replacing the batteries (for wireless models) or there is a technical fault.

The Pilot Light Has Extinguished

Signs:

  • No heating or hot water – if your boiler won’t fire up, it won’t produce heat!
  • Hear clicking noises or see flashing lights on the display panel as the boiler repeatedly attempts to relight
  • Visible lack of flame when you look through the boiler’s small inspection window
  • Boiler displaying a fault code indicating that the flame has gone out
  • Strange smells (like gas) – this is rare, but if you do smell gas, turn off the supply and call a professional immediately

Solution:

There are lots of reasons a boiler’s pilot light could go out, but luckily, it is normally easy to reignite by following the instructions in your boiler’s manual. However, if you smell gas or notice other signs, such as a change in the colour of the flame or black, sooty marks on or around the boiler, don’t try to reignite it. Instead, turn off the boiler immediately and call the emergency gas line on 0800 111 999.

If your pilot light blows out regularly, be sure to have a Gas Safe Engineer get to the root of the problem.

Boiler Has Shutdown And Requires A Reset

Signs:

  • The boiler isn’t firing up (so not heating or providing hot water)
  • Boiler displaying a fault code indicating shutdown
  • Flashing warning lights on the boiler to signal a fault
  • Strange noises before shutdown (banging, gurgling, or whistling type noises)
  • Clicking noises where the boiler is trying to ignite but failing
  • Thermostat and settings appear normal, but the boiler isn’t working

Solution:

Just like us humans, sometimes a physical reset is all that is needed! The boiler reset button is usually somewhere on the front control panel. It’s always best to check your boiler manual and follow the instructions on how to reset as the process can vary depending on the make and model of your boiler. If you repeatedly find yourself resetting it, call in the professionals as it could be the sign of a bigger, underlying problem.

Remember, it’s only safe to carry out minor boiler repairs such as the ones outlined in this article, by yourself. If you are not confident in performing any of the above, leave the job to a professional, like the team at Happy Dog Plumbing. We have expertise across major gas boiler manufacturers to diagnose and repair boilers swiftly. We also recommend homeowners to have an annual boiler service conducted by a Gas Safe, registered engineer. This will help prevent breakdowns or catch an issue early on and nip it in the bud before it escalates to a larger, costlier issue.

Oliver Osmore has been at the helm of Happy Dog Plumbing since it became part of the Maintracts Services family, bringing with him decades of experience in plumbing, heating, and electrical services. As Managing Director of both companies, Oliver is dedicated to ensuring Happy Dog Plumbing continues its proud tradition of delivering exceptional service and innovative solutions to customers.

Oliver’s approachable nature and problem-solving expertise allow him to work closely with customers, offering tailored solutions to even the most complex challenges. He is passionate about upholding the high standards that Happy Dog Plumbing has become known for, ensuring every job is handled with professionalism and care.

Since its founding, Happy Dog Plumbing has been a trusted name in installation, maintenance, and repair services. Under Oliver’s leadership, the company thrives as part of a larger, customer-focused team, staying true to its roots while benefiting from the expanded resources of Maintracts Services. 

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