Why Does My Boiler Keep Turning Off?

The boiler plays a pivotal role in keeping your home warm and cosy in winter. And a broken-down boiler will leave you freezing in the cold. The most common problem many people face is that their boiler keeps turning off itself. Is this a question you’ve been asking yourself? The following tips might help you find out what is wrong with the appliance and the reasons that cause your boiler to switch off.

But we wouldn’t advise you to try to repair it unless you have the required competencies and qualifications. It is illegal for unregistered people to work on gas appliances, flues, and fittings, even if they own the defective property. We recommend you contact a Gas Safe Engineer.

Reasons That Cause Your Boiler To Turn Itself Off:

1- Low Water Pressure

One of the reasons behind your boiler turning off itself might be the low boiler pressure. It is caused due to leaks in your boiler. Check the pressure gauge. If it’s below 1 then it needs to be repressurized. You will need to contact a gas-safe engineer and get your boiler serviced immediately.

2- Thermostat Problems

If your thermostat has broken, your boiler will not be able to recognize the temperature of the water, and the boiler will get switched off to prevent the appliance from overheating or overflowing causing the pipe to leak because it assumes it has already reached the required temperature. You will need to replace your thermostat – you could save money by purchasing a newer thermostat, as this may reduce your energy bills in the long term.

Your heat exchanger may have also broken. You will need to get this replaced, as it may be dangerous especially if the boiler keeps turning on and off.

3- Frozen Condensate Pipes

Another major reason for your boiler getting switched off can be a frozen condensate pipe. Condensate pipes are basically waste pipes that drain excess acidic water from your boiler. These pipes can get frozen in winter due to cold temperatures causing blockage resulting in acidic water flowing back into your boiler. In this situation, it turns itself off and displays a fault code to prevent damage.

4- Short Cycling

Short cycling in boilers causes them to turn on and off. The reason might be that your boiler is either oversized or too powerful, which means that the heat output it provides is more than your household’s needs. Short cycling can damage your boiler heavily and cause you a lot of money.

If you need more assistance to determine the ideal size of boiler for your home, then read our article on “what size of boiler you need” to get an in-depth idea.

5- Lack of water flow

If the boiler keeps shutting off, it could be due to closed valves, air caught in the system or a broken pump. The boiler is switching itself off due to in-built safety mechanisms – if it did not shut down, then the boiler could overheat.

If there is air in the system, then bleeding your radiators could resolve the problem. Check to see if your radiators are as warm as they should be – if some of them seem cold, bleed it out. If there is enough air in the system to cause your boiler to switch itself off, it should be obvious when you start bleeding your radiators, as plenty of air will gush out of them.
A closed valve can also prevent water from flowing properly within the boiler. Check the valves on the underside of the boiler – you may have closed one accidentally. However, the broken valve may be inside the boiler, in which case you will be unable to fix it if you are not Gas Safe Registered.
You will be unable to repair a broken boiler pump yourself, and will need to contact an engineer.

Ensure you get all your gas appliances checked annually using a Gas Safe registered engineer. 24|7 Home Rescue work with over 3000 Gas Safe registered engineers and can cover several things from a boiler breakdown to boiler service and even appliance repairs. Contact us today for more information.

Still no luck?

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.

24|7 Home Rescue accepts no liability for any injuries or damages you sustain following the advice on this website. If in doubt, seek professional assistance.