Why is my Boiler Not Working? Quick Boiler Fixes to Try Before Calling an Engineer

Quick Boiler Fixes to Try Before Calling an Engineer

There’s nothing worse than your boiler not working, especially in the British winter when it’s cold and damp. If you’re here, it’s probably because your boiler is playing up. We know that boiler problems are extremely stressful, but before you panic, we’ve got some common fixes and boiler troubleshooting tips to try before you call an engineer.

Common Reasons Why Your Boiler is Not Working

There are a few reasons why your boiler might not be working, and not all of them indicate a fault with your boiler. Before spending your hard-earned cash on an emergency gas safe engineer callout, let’s find out what could be causing your boiler to stop working.

• Reasons your boiler may not be turning on:
• Power supply issues such as a recent power cut or a blown fuse.
• Frozen or damaged pipes.
• Low boiler pressure.
• Thermostat is already at the specified temperature.
• Timer is not set to come on.

Quick Fixes for When Your Boiler is Not Working

Now that we know what could be causing the issue, let’s go through how to fix your boiler not coming on, and get you back up and running.

How to Fix Boiler Power Supply Issues

If your boiler isn’t connected to the electricity supply or has been interrupted for some reason (such as a recent power cut), this can cause your boiler not to turn on.

Here’s what to do step by step to check if your boiler is connected to your power supply:

• Check the lights and display on your boiler. If there are no lights or the LED display is off, this is a sure sign that your boiler is not connected to the electricity supply.
• Check your boiler is turned on at the wall.
• Check the rest of the house has electricity.
• If your whole house has no electricity, check with your energy supplier or ask a neighbour as there may be a local power outage. If you are on a pre-payment meter, check you have credit.
• If you’ve got power to the rest of your home, check the fuse on your boiler. Fuses are a safety feature designed to blow and cut the power to prevent fires or power overloads. Replacing the fuse should get your boiler running again. Check the new fuse is the correct rating for the boiler.

Sometimes, even if your boiler has power, interruptions to the electricity supply such as a power cut can stop your boiler working properly. If you’ve had a recent power cut, attempt resetting your boiler by pressing and holding the rest button for 10 seconds.

If none of these solutions work, it’s time to call us at APG Domestic Services.

How to Fix Frozen Boiler Pipes

In winter, your boiler condensate pipe can freeze. This is usually a PVC pipe that runs from your boiler to an outside drain to allow water out of your boiler. When this pipe is frozen it can stop your boiler working.

To defrost your water condensate pipe, follow these steps:

1. Turn off your boiler.
2. Use warm water and pour it over the pipe slowly. Do NOT use boiling water as this can cause the pipe to crack.
3. Check the water flows freely from the pipe.
4. Turn your boiler back on.

You can find our detailed guide to defrost a frozen boiler condensate pipe on our blog.

How To Fix Low Boiler Pressure

Low boiler pressure can be a more complicated fix, but not impossible.

To fix low boiler pressure:

1. Find the pressure gauge.
2. Check the pressure gauge is above 1 bar. Most boiler pressure gauges have a red and green dial to tell you when the pressure is too high/low. Make sure the needle is in the green.
3. Repressurise your boiler following the manual instructions specific to your model.

Important note: Do NOT remove any components from your boiler or attempt any internal repairs yourself. Call as gas safe engineer. Attempting DIY boiler repairs if you are not qualified is highly dangerous and could lead to injury and invalidate your boiler warranty.

If you manage to repressurise your boiler successfully but find the pressure still drops, this is a sign there is a more serious fault on your boiler, and you need a professional. Contact us for help from our Lancashire team of gas safe registered engineers.

Thermostat Troubleshooting for When Your Boiler Won’t Turn On

The thermostat tells your boiler when to come on. Sometimes boiler problems come down to something as simple as your thermostat not being set up properly. If your heating isn't coming on but you know your boiler has power and the display is lit up, it’s time to check your thermostat.

Here’s how to troubleshoot thermostat issues:

1. First, check there are no sources of heat under or near the thermostat. Your thermostat works by measuring the temperature of the air around it, so if there’s any source of heat nearby, it will trick your thermostat into thinking your home is warmer than it is. Try moving items such as hair dryers, candles, curling irons/straighteners, oil heaters etc.
2. Try turning your thermostat up higher and see if the heating comes on. It could simply be that your home is already at the temperature set on your thermostat and won’t come on, even if your heating is on a timer.
3. Check your timer is set to the correct time zone and check you’re using am/pm correctly. For example, if you want your heating on for 6 pm when you get home from work, check it’s not been accidentally set to 6 am instead!
4. If you have recurring problems, consider moving your thermostat. If your thermostat is in a place that’s often warm such as above the cooker or opposite a window that gets lots of light, your thermostat will register the temperature as being higher than it truly is, making the rest of your home cold by comparison.

We provide and install smart thermostats that allow you greater control over your heating.

When to Call a Gas Safe Engineer

If none of these quick boiler fixes work to get your heating back on, it’s time to give us a ring at APG Domestic Services.

Our team of Gas Safe registered heating engineers cover the whole North West from Blackpool to Southport, including Preston, Leyland, Lytham, Chorley and Buckshaw Village, Kirkham, Garstang and Fulwood.

If you’re not sure if you fall within our coverage area, call us and we may still be able to help.

We also offer plumbing services, electrical work and renewable energy solutions.