Hot water and central heating are two things that everyone needs to live. So, the worst thing that could happen is to wake up and find that your radiators are off, your shower is cold, and your boiler won’t turn on. You might be tempted to call a Central Heating Repairs technician immediately, but before you do that, you can try some easy fixes at home that might save you time and money.
We’ve compiled a list of the most frequent causes of a non-starting boiler
- Faulty Gas Valve
The gas valve manages your boiler’s gas supply. Opening the valve allows more fuel to be injected when more heat is required (and vice-versa when water gets up to temperature).
Several problems, however, can arise with the gas valve
- Seizures and Blockages
- Poor wire connections
A boiler servicing London experts is qualified to inspect those above. However, if your boiler is not lighting because of a problem with the gas valve, the issue is probably caused by a maladjustment.
If the gas valve on a boiler is set improperly, the unit will shut down if either too much gas is supplied (which is unsafe) or too little gas is supplied (which is noticeable to the boiler’s PCB).
- A Clogged Burner
When gas is burned in a boiler, it produces carbon like in car combustion engines. The accumulation of this gas in the burner can cause erratic performance over time. Leaving your boiler unattended could stop working entirely, leaving you without central heating or hot water.
If the problem is caused by carbon buildup and not by damage to the burner, then cleaning it will solve it. Changing the burner could be an option if it’s in poor condition. Replacement burners are costly, which is a problem. If your boiler is old and no longer under warranty, consider getting a new one.
- No or Low Gas Pressure
An expert Central Heating Repairs can check gas pressure everywhere that matters along the pipeline:
- Gas meter
- Over the limit
- Your Water Heater
Whether or not there is a problem with the gas supply can be ascertained by conducting pressure tests here.
Incorrect gas pressure, like that caused by a faulty gas valve, will cause a boiler to shut down and show a fault code. Additionally, the meter is likely to blame if your boiler only refuses to ignite when the temperature drops.
A control mechanism is built into gas metros. And they can freeze if the temperature drops low enough. The gas meter and regulator can be shielded from the cold by being removed from the outside wall.
What type of fuel does your boiler run on?
- GAS
- LPG
- Electrode and Ignition Lead Issues
If you hear the boiler clicking, but it won’t light, despite adjusting the thermostat, the problem may lie with the electrode and ignition lead.
Intermittent service is expected due to gas supply problems (i.e. the boiler ignites and then goes straight off). However, the boiler will only light if the ignition lead and electrode are in good working order.
Contact a Central Heating Repairs to schedule a boiler inspection. Using a mustimeter, the inspecting engineer can detect faulty electrodes and ignition leads. It’s more cost-effective to replace either of these components entirely if the problem is located there than to attempt a reconditioning.
- The Fan Doesn’t Turn
The fan will (or should) always be the first thing to turn on whenever there is a high demand for either hot water or heating.
The purpose of the fan in a boiler is not to reduce the boiler’s temperature but to generate a draught. This draught pushes harmful gases in the boiler up and out of the flue. Then, the removed gases are released outside of your property.
Without confirmation that the fan is running, the PCB (the boiler’s electronic brain) will not allow the ignition to occur, leading to boiler lockout.
Due to the potential dangers posed by a boiler ignition, a lockout procedure has been implemented. Not being able to hear the fan when turning on the boiler could be the problem. Reconditioning fans (for example, installing a new motor) is preferable to replacing them entirely because of their high cost.
- The Boiler Pilot Light Doesn’t Stay On or Won’t Ignite
Blocking the jet with the debris is a common cause of a boiler’s extinguished pilot light. The pilot light’s jet is extremely condensed. A speck of dirt is all it takes to prevent the pilot light from lighting again, which means the boiler will not heat up. These jets can be easily removed, cleaned, and reinstalled to solve the issue and are inexpensive to replace.
If your boiler isn’t heating your home or making hot water, you should always talk to a professional boiler servicing London.
