If your boiler is not firing up the central heating, then it is unlikely that you will be able to resolve the problem yourself. It is very dangerous for unqualified people to tinker around with gas appliances and is actually illegal. Our video can help you to solve the problem.
However, there is a chance that the reason your central heating is not working is something relatively simple that you can fix yourself. You may be able to get your central heating firing up again with the following tips. For more information on your central heating system, be sure to read this article by The Energy Saving Trust.
Check your thermostats
Could the problem be something as simple as a turned-off thermostat? If the thermostat is set too low, the heating will not come on until the room temperature is lower than the temperature you have set the thermostat to. Turn the thermostat up to its highest setting and see if this resolves the problem.
Check your radiators
Are all the radiators in the house stone-cold? If one of your radiators is still warm, or if the bottom of the radiators are warm, read ‘My radiator is cold – help!‘ You may also have to bleed your radiators.
Heating not working? Whilst it’s illegal to tinker with the boiler, some of these checks can help you tell why your boiler is not firing up
Is the water pressure at one bar?
Domestic boilers should have a water pressure of one bar – this should be clearly marked on the pressure dial. A boiler’s water pressure should be constant; if the boiler does not have enough pressure, it will be unable to operate at all. Check our advice about boilers losing pressure if you think this is the problem.
Are your pipes frozen?
A boiler will stop working altogether if the condensate pipe at the back of the appliance is frozen. Read how to defrost frozen pipes in order to safely thaw the condensate pipe and get the boiler working again.
Check the timer
Is the timer set properly? Your central heating will only come on at the times 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 forwards, 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 there is a power cut or your fuse box trips.
Turn it off and on again
Like a lot of mechanical faults and appliance breakdowns, sometimes all a boiler needs is a ‘soft reset’. Turn the power supply to the boiler off, wait for 60 seconds, and then turn it back on again. If only all boiler repairs were so simple!
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, 1 in 10 homeowners are met with bills over £1000. 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 breakdowns and home emergency cover plans. Please contact us to find out more.
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.
