There are more than 20 million boilers in homes across the UK, both oil and gas-fired – and, just like any other piece of machinery, they can go wrong. This is particularly true if the boiler itself is old, or the weather is very cold. Here Speedy Jet Plumbers, who offer affordable and effective boiler repairs in the North London area, outline some of their commonest problems, what you can do to fix them, and what you should do if you can’t.
Pilot Light Going Out
The small gas burner, which is permanently alight on your boiler (and is also known as the pilot light) can sometimes go out. It could be a draught blowing the flame out, or a build-up on the gas nozzle. Alternatively, a broken thermocouple could be stopping the gas supply. (The thermocouple is a safety device in the boiler that detects any temperature change in your pilot light).
You should check all your other appliances (if they are faulty there may be a problem with your gas supply) or try reigniting the pilot light yourself by referring to your instruction manual.
If in any doubt, always contact an expert plumber (like us!).
Air in the System
The boiler’s radiators won’t heat up if there is air trapped in the central heating system. In cases such as these you should ‘bleed’ the radiators with a special device called an Allen key (named after its inventor).
Using the Allen key, turn it to open up the radiators – if there is any trapped air you should hear a slight ‘hiss’ before the water starts coming out. However, if there’s no improvement your system might need a power flush – as there may be some sludge in the system which is affecting your central heating. This should be carried out by a professional heating engineer; at Speedy Jet Plumbers we also offer professional power flushing services.
Frozen Pipes
A lot of more modern boilers are of the condensing variety – these boilers have a pipe which carries condensate (acidic water) to an outside drain. However, this pipe can sometimes freeze over in sub-zero temperatures, blocking the discharge and meaning the boiler can’t fire up. This was particularly the case when the so-called ‘Beast from the East’ winter storm saw temperatures plummeting in early 2018.
You can try to unfreeze the pipe yourself using a heat source (a hair dryer or hot water bottle) if you can identify where the pipe is frozen. However, it’s crucial that you don’t pour boiling water onto it, as you could damage or crack the pipe.
If you aren’t sure where the pipe is frozen, or aren’t confident taking the steps outlined above, contact a professional plumber.
Low Pressure
Your boiler needs to maintain an optimum pressure level to enable it to circulate hot water around the system safely and efficiently. If it doesn’t do this (usually because the pressure drops to too low a level) then the boiler may display an error message or shut itself down.
It may be a faulty joint or seal, caused by wear or corrosion. Low pressure may also be caused by leaks somewhere in the central heating system.
You can try to repressurise your boiler in line with the instruction manual, but your best and safest course of action is to contact an expert such as Speedy Jet Plumbers.
A Noisy Boiler
Although boilers should make some noises (such as when it fires up) there are some noises which, if you hear coming from your boiler, are a cause for concern.
If it’s kettling – that is, making a noise like a kettle boiling – there may be some sludge in the central heating system, or a build-up of limescale. You should get your system flushed out if there is sludge in the system; if it’s the latter, then you should consider fitting a special limescale inhibitor. In both cases these should be carried out by a professional plumber such as Speedy Jet Plumbers.
Thermostat Issues
Sometimes the issue won’t be with the boiler but the associated thermostat in your home or business. In some cases, it may be something simple, such as the batteries which need replacing, or the time being reset. However, the issue may be something more complex than that – which is where professional plumbers come in.
Boiler Repairs in North London from Speedy Jet Plumbers
At Speedy Jet Plumbers we can solve all of these boiler-related problems – and more.
We don’t have any callout charges, and our engineers are available around the clock, seven days a week for cheap boiler repairs in Hampstead, Highgate and other parts of North and Central London.
Where possible we will attempt to repair your boiler on our initial visit – our engineers carry a large stock of spare parts – and all repairs and installations are guaranteed. However, there may be some circumstances in which we would recommend replacing your boiler with a new one.
For more information about our boiler repair services follow this link or call us on 0203 633 2424.
