Help! My boiler is off!

If your boiler is not working, you might not necessarily have to get in touch with a gas engineer, as the appliance may still be functioning perfectly and may not need any repairs.

We know that when a central heating system stops working, getting it back on again can be a stressful experience. This is why we offer 24-hour emergency boiler repairs, every day of the year, and why we aim to respond to boiler breakdowns in under four hours.

But if you can repair it yourself, you won’t even have to wait a few short hours for our engineers to arrive – you could get your boiler on again in just a few minutes.

Check the power supply

The first thing you should do is check that the power supply to your boiler is still on and that the electricity supply is connected. Are there any electric dials or displays on the boiler, and if so, are these lit up?

If they are not, but the boiler is plugged in properly, take a look at your fusebox to see if a circuit has tripped. Do you need to replace a fuse?

Manual boiler reset

Some boilers have a reset switch on their cover; this may be a red button that you press or a dial that needs to be turned down to zero and turned back up again. Check your boiler manufacturer’s instructions if you cannot find a reset switch.

Alternatively, perform a “soft reset” by turning it off, waiting 30 seconds, and turning it on again.

Read more about “How to Reset a Boiler”

Loss of gas supply

Check that your domestic gas supply is turned on; you can do this by turning on other gas appliances, such as hobs. Your home will contain a gas shut-off valve that you may have accidentally turned off.

If you pay for gas and electricity through a pre-payment meter, then check to see that you have cash in the meter. You may also need to reset the metre after topping it up; there should be an easily accessible reset button on the meter.

If your gas supply is topped up and turned on but none of your gas appliances are working, check to see if your neighbours are experiencing a similar problem. If the problem is isolated to your home, contact 24|7 Home Rescue or a gas engineer.

Loss of pressure

Boilers can automatically shut down when the pressure falls below safe levels; domestic boiler pressure should typically be around one bar. If your pressure is below this level, then you will need to repressurise your boiler.

Thermostat issues

You might think your boiler is off when it is actually switched on but is not turned up. Don’t just look at your thermostats; check your timer and any programmes set up on the appliance and make sure these are working properly.

Other problems

Some other factors that can make boilers shut down and turn off include:

• Frozen pipes
• Broken circuits
• Extinguished pilot lights
• Broken pumps

Still having trouble?

Don’t attempt to touch any part of your boiler or central heating system if you’re unsure. Did you know? It’s illegal for anyone to use a gas appliance if they think it’s unsafe. It’s always better to be safe than sorry as you could make things worse.

Instead, call us on 0345 3192 247 and we can help. Our technical team will run through some simple troubleshooting to see if your problem can be resolved on the phone or they can book one of our friendly and knowledgeable Gas Safe registered engineers to get you back up and running as soon as possible.

247 Home Rescue accepts no liability for any injuries or damages you sustain following the advice on this website. If in doubt, seek professional assistance.