Help! My boiler won't start
15/03/20
There is nothing worse than discovering you have no hot water when you want a shower or bath. There are some things that you can check safely before you need to call out an engineer.
Before you spend money on an engineer call-out, it’s worth checking the basics first…
Check the basics
First, if you have a prepayment meter, check that you’ve got enough credit. Make sure that the boiler is switched on; there should be a message or light which would indicate that the boiler is on. Test another gas appliance to see if the problem lies with your domestic gas supply. If you have no gas at all, then this indicates that the problem lies with your utility supplier, rather than your boiler.
Check your fuse box
If a switch has tripped in your fuse box, then it may impact your boiler. Check the switches are all in the right place to ensure this isn’t the problem with your boiler.
Does the timer need reprogramming?
Your boiler’s timer might have reset if you’ve had a power cut recently. It might be as simple as re-programming it with your time. Take a look at the instruction manual.
Check the pressure gauge.
If it’s showing a reading of one bar or less, low pressure could be the reason why your boiler’s not working. Topping up the pressure yourself is usually straightforward - follow the steps in your boiler’s manual.
Turn your thermostat to 21 degrees
Another way to check your boiler is switched on is by adjusting the thermostat to higher than 21 degrees. Temperatures below this can stop your heating from coming on, so increase the heat to see if your boiler kicks to life again.
Reset your boiler
Finally, try resetting your boiler according to its instructions. If yours was made pre-2004 it’s likely to have a pilot light instead of a reset function, so check that the pilot light is on. If it’s not, you may be able to relight it yourself according to its manual.
IMPORTANT! Your boiler is a gas appliance, so it is essential to be safe when trying to resolve issues. Any work done MUST be done by a gas-safe engineer - it’s against the law for anyone else to do this.
