A gas boiler that is not igniting is as good as useless until it is repaired. Boilers need to ignite if your central heating and hot water taps are to work. However, finding out why a boiler is not working can be a challenge, and you will likely need the help of a Gas Safe engineer if you are to get the appliance working again.
Alternatively, if you have boiler cover with 247 Home Rescue, just give us a call on our claims hotline and we will get your boiler igniting again as quickly as possible! Or read on for more information on how to reignite your boiler.
To find out why your boiler won’t ignite, consider the following:
Do you still have gas?
Turn your gas hobs or another gas appliance on briefly to check that your domestic gas supply is still working. If your gas supply is not working, then 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, then you will have to contact your utility supplier to find out what has gone wrong.
Does resetting the boiler work?
Boiler won’t turn on? Many boilers have a manual reset switch – press this to turn the boiler off and on again and recalibrate its mechanisms. If you cannot see this switch on your boiler, then you may be able to reset it by turning its electricity supply off and on again. This can resolve a wide range of boiler breakdowns.
Is the water pressure too low?
Some boilers will stop running altogether and will not ignite if the water pressure is too low. Domestic boilers should typically have a water pressure of one bar – this should be marked on the pressure gauges. If the pressure on your boiler is below this, then read ‘My boiler is losing pressure!’
Is the pilot light tube clogged up?
Over time, soot and other debris can form within a pilot injector tube, clogging it up. Is your pilot light out on the boiler? It could be due to debris. This can lead to pilot lights that keep blowing out, or pilot lights that won’t ignite at all. If you feel equipped to do so and think you can do so safely, remove the pilot gas tube, take a small item such as the inside of a biro, and poke this through the tube to remove any substances within it. Be very careful – rupturing the gas injector tube or fitting it improperly could lead to gas leaks, fire and carbon monoxide poisoning.
If the following suggestions did not help, then you will need to get in touch with an engineer to have your boiler repaired properly. Don’t DIY with gas; repairing gas appliances – even ones you own – can be illegal and very dangerous.
And if you have a protection plan with us – even better! With our 24-hour boiler breakdown service contract, you don’t have to worry if your gas boiler is not igniting – contact us any hour of the day, any day of the year, and we will arrange an emergency boiler repair, getting your hot water and central heating back up without delay.
Still having trouble?
Don’t attempt to touch or repair any part of your gas boiler or gas central heating if you have any doubts. It’s illegal to use your gas appliance if you think it’s unsafe. It’s always better to be safe than sorry as you could end up making things much worse.
Instead, call us on 0345 3192 247 and we can help you. Our friendly and knowledgeable technical teams will run through some simple troubleshooting questions to help you resolve your problem straight away over the phone. If we can’t, then the team will book a highly skilled Gas Safe Registered engineer to come and visit and get you back up and running in no time at all.
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.
