With winter season not so far away, having a working boiler is essential. Our gas engineers have dealt with hundreds of emergency boiler repair in the winter seasons and understanding the signs to check when your boiler stops working is important. This will help you in troubleshooting the basic issues that can be fixed so you can have your boiler working.
In this article, we explain the fives things to check when your boiler stops working and share some guidance on how to maintain a good condition boiler in long run.
1. Check the boiler has power
While gas boilers sound like they only need gas to operate, they still need electricity to power the electrical components and regulate the thermostat. If you notice that the boiler has suddenly stopped working, this is the first thing to look into.
Review these steps:
- Check that the boiler’s power switch is turned on.
- Check the consumer unit to see whether the switch for the boiler has tripped or not.
- Check that the heating timer has not been reset.
If the consumer unit switch has tripped, this needs to be investigated. There are many reasons why this happens.
2. Check the boiler pressure
Another common reasons boilers stop working is low water pressure. Gas boiler require steady water pressure, if the water pressure fluctuates it impacts the boiler performance. Most boilers require a pressure of 1 to 1.5 bar to operate normally, although this can vary depending on the boiler model.
Review these points:
- Check whether the boiler is displaying an error code. For example: Vaillant boiler display the F22 when the pressure is low.
- Does the boiler stop working only early in the morning? If you live in a flat, water consumption is usually higher in the morning, which may result in low water pressure and affect the boiler.
- There may be a problem with the expansion vessel. This is something a gas engineer needs to identify hence we recommend you to get in touch with Safe Plumbers so our qualified gas safe engineers can visit your property.
If the boiler displays an error, please mention the error code to us over the phone.
3. Check the thermostat and heating controls.
There have been times we have visited a property for a boiler repair and found that the thermostat temperate was set too low or the thermostat had been turned off.
For example: We received a call for a boiler repair in Notting Hill from a customer who told us that their boiler had suddenly stopped working. When we visited the property, it turned out that they had a smart thermostat and someone else had changed its settings to turn off the heating.
If you have a smart thermostat, we highly recommend checking its settings.
Review these steps:
- Check that the thermostat is switched on.
- Check that the correct heating programme has been selected.
- Check that the thermostat is not set to holiday mode (holiday mode means thermostat is turned off).
- Check thermostat is communicating with the boiler and the thermostat receiver.
4. Error codes on Boilers
Error codes are one of the most important things to check when a boiler stops working. Majority of the modern boilers display an error code when they malfunction. The code appears on the boiler’s LCD screen and usually consists of a few characters. For example: Vaillant boilers include F22, F28 etc.
If you see an error code, write it down and let us know over the phone. In some some cases, we may be able to guide you over the phone on how to resolve the issue.
If an error code appears and then disappears, this could indicate a serious problem, as a gas boiler should operate normally without displaying any error codes.
5. Check the gas and water supplies.
There have been several occasions when the water supply to a building has been turned off and customers have called us to repair their boilers.
This is why we recommend carrying out the following checks:
- Check whether the gas supply is working by turning on the gas hob.
- Check whether someone has turned off the gas supply to the flat.
- Check your gas supplier to check whether is a disruption to the supply.
- Open a cold-water tap to confirm that the water is entering the property.
- Check whether the isolation valve on the mains water supply to the boiler is in the open position.
Why can Safe Plumbers repair your boiler across West London?
As a trusted Gas Safe engineer and boiler repair company that has operated for several years across Kensington, Notting Hill and Battersea, we are confident in repairing all boiler makes and models.
We have worked with popular boiler brands, including Vaillant, Worcester Bosch, Baxi and many others. If your existing boiler cannot be repaired or is no longer cost-effective to maintain, we can also provide a new boiler installation.
Our engineers are Gas Safe registered, giving you peace of mind when any gas-related work is being carried out in your property. You can also read our customer reviews or contact Safe Plumbers to arrange a boiler repair across West London.
To learn more about our boiler repair services across West London, please visit the pages below:
- Kensington Boiler Repair by experts
- Boiler Repair in Notting Hill by Safe Plumbers
- Battersea Boiler Repairs
Frequently asked questions
Why has my boiler stopped working without displaying an error code?
Modern boilers display an error code for most faults. If no error code is displayed, check whether the power supply is switched on. If the boiler is still not working, get in touch with us .
How do I know if my boiler pressure is low?
Check the boiler pressure gauge. Most boilers should have a pressure between 1 and 1.5 bar. Refer to the boiler manual, as the recommended pressure may vary depending on the boiler model.
Is a boiler not working an emergency?
During winter period, a boiler breakdown can be classified as an emergency repair. Specially during the December and January when the weather can become very cold. However, we generally define an emergency repair as a repair that needs to be attended to within a few hours.
If you smell gas, immediately turn off the gas supply, leave the property and call the National Gas Emergency line.