My boiler is not firing up the central heating!

A gas boiler that isn’t igniting or firing up is useless until it is repaired. Your boiler is essential for providing central heating and hot water to taps and showers. However, diagnosing why a boiler isn’t working can be a daunting task, and you may need the assistance of a Gas Safe engineer to get your appliance back up and running.

Alternatively, if you have a boiler cover with 24|7 Home Rescue, call us on our claim’s hotline, and we’ll have your boiler igniting again soon!

What to do if my boiler is not firing up?

Is your boiler not firing up or igniting the central heating system? Then it is unlikely that you can resolve the problem alone. It is illegal and unsafe for unqualified people to tinker around with gas appliances. But don’t worry, as the problem might not be that big, and just checking on a few things can solve the problem without requiring the assistance of a certified professional.

This helpful article will provide you with possible solutions on how you can get your boiler firing up again.

We hope that our video guide has helped you. in some way; if not, then here are some things to look out for:

1. Do you still have gas?

If your boiler won’t turn on, it could be because your gas supply has been cut off. To check your gas supply, briefly turn on your gas hobs or another gas appliance to check that your domestic gas supply is still working.

If your gas supply is not working, check that the gas shut-off valve is open; you or somebody else could have accidentally turned it off. If the valve is open but you still don’t have gas, you must contact your utility supplier to find out what has gone wrong

2. Is the pilot light tube clogged up?

Is your pilot light out on the boiler? Over time, soot and other debris can form within a pilot injector tube, clogging it up. It could be due to debris. This can leave you with pilot lights that keep blowing out or a pilot light that won’t ignite.

Now, if you know what you’re doing and think you’re ready, you can safely remove the pilot gas tube, take a small object like the inside of a biro, and poke it through the tube to get out any substances that might be in there. Be careful. If you cut or fit the gas injector tube wrong, gas could leak, a fire could start, and you could get sick from carbon monoxide.

3. Check your Thermostats!

Sometimes the problem can be related to your thermostat, which may not be set to the ideal temperature settings. If the thermostat is set too low, the heating will not come on until the room temperature is lower than the temperature you set. Turn the thermostat to its highest setting and see if this resolves the problem.

Read more: How Does A Thermostat Work?

4. Check your Radiators!

Radiators getting cold can also lead to your boiler not firing up; if one of your radiator’s top parts is cold and the bottom part is warm, then you will have to bleed your radiators. And still, if your problem is not solved, read “My radiator is cold guide” for detailed information.

5. Is the water pressure at one bar?

Correct water pressure is crucial and might not fire up your boiler if not set correctly. Domestic boilers should have a water pressure of one bar; this should be marked on the pressure dial. A boiler’s water pressure should be constant; if it does not have enough pressure, it will be unable to operate. Check our advice about boilers losing pressure if you think this is the problem.

6. Are your pipes frozen?

A boiler will stop working due to a frozen condensate pipe. Read how to defrost frozen pipes to safely thaw the condensate pipe and get the boiler working again.

7. Check the timer!

Is the timer set properly? Your central heating will only come on when you have programmed it to come on through your boiler. Many people think their boilers aren’t firing up on the days when the clocks go back or forward, but this can simply be because the timer has not automatically adjusted for daylight savings.

Your timer can also reset when the boiler loses power, for instance, if a power cut occurs or your fuse box trips.

8. Please turn it off and on again

Like many mechanical faults and appliance breakdowns, a boiler sometimes needs a “soft reset.” Turn the power supply to the boiler off, wait for 60 seconds, and then turn it back on again. For a more detailed guide, please read our article on resetting your boiler..

Other potential faults

The diaphragm could be damaged, or the diverter valve may have degraded or become stuck. The electrical wiring within the boiler may have come loose, the programming within the boiler may have malfunctioned, the cylinder thermostat may need replacing, the fan may have stopped working, the pump may have broken… The list of potential problems is almost endless.

It can be an expensive job if your boiler has a breakdown. In fact, one out of every ten homeowners receive bills more than £1,000. If you feel that you need an engineer to attend, we have a range of care plans that can look after your needs, including one-off repairs, boiler breakdown cover, and home emergency cover policy. Please contact us to find out more.

Are you still having trouble?

If you’re unsure, don’t attempt to touch any part of your boiler or central heating system. 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 worsen things.

Instead, call us at 0345 3192 247, and we can help. Our technical team will run through some simple troubleshooting to see if your problem can be resolved over the phone, or we 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.