Common Boiler Problems & How To Fix Them

The 5 most common boiler problems

There are so many things that could go wrong with a boiler, particularly if it isn’t well maintained or is an old system. There are, however, 5 main issues that our heating engineers typically hear about and deal with on a regular basis. We’ll cover these in this guide and provide advice as to whether you need to call us, or dabble in fixing it yourself!

Our top 5 most common boiler problems are:

1. Boiler is leaking
2. Boiler pressure is too high or too low
3. Boiler is noisy
4. Pilot light has gone off
5. No heating or hot water

Top 5 boiler issues and how to fix them

Boiler is leaking

Boiler leaks are often superficial and caused by a small hole or crack in the pipework. Although this is still an inconvenience and a problem that’ll need fixing, it isn’t usually a significant worry for people.

Whether the leak is small or large, you still need to pay attention to it. A leak could be far more serious and could indicate:

• Corrosion to internal components
• A significant break in pipework
• Broken seals
• Faulty installation
• Pressure issues

These problems can lead to a full boiler breakdown and you’ll need a complete boiler repair or possibly a boiler replacement, so it’s best to get a qualified heating engineer to take a look as soon as possible.

Pressure issues are something that can potentially be fixed at home – we’ll discuss how to deal with boiler pressure next.

Boiler pressure is too high or too low

Boiler pressure trouble is extremely common and often only requires simple tweaking, but it’s always best to consult a professional if you’re unsure of what to do. Safety always takes priority!

We’ve actually written a complete guide to boiler pressure that goes into depth about how to diagnose and fix both low and high boiler pressure, so go check it out for more information.

In a nutshell, you’ll need to check your boiler pressure on either:

• A dial
• A hydraulic pressure gauge
• A digital display

Ideally, it should be showing at 1.5 bars. If it’s too high, you may need to bleed your radiators. If it’s too low, you may have to open your filling loop and top up your boiler with cold water to increase pressure.

If it’s really high and water is leaking outside, then you will more than likely need help from one of our heating engineers as this can sometimes be caused by a part that has failed on the boiler and it’ll require our help to fix it.

If you aren’t confident in fixing pressure issues, get a professional in to help.

Boiler is noisy

Boilers make a lot of noise, but it’s often easy to tell when a noise isn’t quite right. Most noisy faults are described as gurgling, vibrating, whistling or banging. If you’re experiencing this, you’ll likely need a visit from an engineer.

A buildup of limescale, usually on the heat exchanger, creates a whistling sound known as ‘kettling’. This can be fixed by an engineer cleaning out the system and removing limescale.

Other noises could be caused by air in the system (which may be fixed by bleeding the radiators), frozen pipes or a faulty pump. Either way, a heating engineer will be able to diagnose and fix the problem.

Pilot light has gone off

This issue is common amongst those who have an older boiler and heating system installed. Non-electronic ignitions can be blown out by a draft getting into the system or by faulty internal components.

Even if the problem is simple to fix, the affected area is still heavily linked to gas and will therefore require a Gas Safe Engineer to diagnose and repair the issue in a safe and professional manner.

No heating or no hot water

Last but certainly not least, 1000’s of people every year deal with having no heating or hot water at some point. It happens, and it can often rectify itself without intervention. Even so, having no hot water or heating, particularly in winter, can be troubling.

The best thing you can do is act quickly. Being without heating or hot water can cause real issues in the home, so it’s best to call a heating engineer to diagnose and fix the problem as soon as possible.

There are so many reasons why you would experience no heating or hot water. It could be:

• A thermostat issue
• Incorrect radiator settings
• Faulty boiler settings
• Faulty diverter valve
• Broken internal component

There are so many other reasons that could be causing you issues – booking a boiler repair is always your best option.

Can I fix my boiler myself?

Now, you may be wondering, can I fix these issues myself? The chances are, you’ll need a qualified heating engineer to help diagnose and fix the issue. Working with gas and pipework can be extremely dangerous and isn’t worth the risk of causing a more serious, costly problem.

Our team of professional heating engineers are available to diagnose boiler problems and repair issues in a timely manner. In the event that your boiler can’t be fixed, we can work with you to find the best solution – this may be you taking advantage of our boiler installation payment plan and future boiler servicing plans.

What to check before calling a boiler engineer

As stated above, it probably isn’t wise to mess with your boiler too much when you encounter a problem. There are, however, a few minor checks you could make to ensure that your boiler actually has a problem that you are unable to fix.

Here are some small checks you can do before getting in touch with our professionals:

• Check the power supply and assess whether a fuse has tripped and can be reset. We have experienced times where the boiler has been switched off by accident!
• Check your thermostat and heating controls to see if they are working and if any settings have been accidentally changed. Have the batteries been changed in your heating control recently?
• Reset your unit – this is sometimes a quick and simple fix, so always worth a try first. Sometimes the control can lose its radio frequency connection. Always refer to the manufacturer’s instructions for common fault finding.

If you are still experiencing issues, give us a call and we’ll be happy to help.

How Lacey Plumbing & Heating can help

Our team is well equipped to diagnose a wide range of boiler problems and make the necessary repairs to get your heating system back up and running as soon as possible.

No matter how significant or minor your boiler problem may seem, we can help provide you with peace of mind knowing that your boiler can either be fixed, or that we can offer cost-effective, simple boiler replacement plans to get you where you need to be.

Our office team are happy to talk through the issues that you have in order to assess whether or not you need an engineer visit. Please give us a call with your issue and we’ll try our best to help.