
Common Glow-worm boiler problems
Glow-worm boiler problems | Glow-worm error code |
Low water pressure | 108 or F22 |
Flame detection fault | F16 |
No heating or hot water | 501 |
Frozen condensate pipe | F1, F4, F28 or F29 |
How do you top up the pressure on a glow worm boiler?
How do you top up the pressure on a glow worm boiler? When you are repressurising the system try to make sure that you can either see the pressure gauge or have someone watch it for you. Alternatively make small adjustments and then slowly tweak the pressure until it’s within the recommended banding for your boiler.
Why does my glow-worm boiler keep losing pressure?
One of the leading causes of a loss of pressure comes from a leak within the system, and these can be so tiny that you may not even notice them. So, if your Glow-worm boiler keeps losing pressure, then you may need help to locate and fix the leak.
How long is the warranty on a glow-worm boiler?
Glow-worm boilers come with 2-7 years of warranty as standard but some models are eligible for up to 15 years of warranty through Glow-worm's club energy installers. Find out more with our guide to Glow-worm warranties.
What does F16 mean on a glow-worm boiler?
When the F16 error code appears, there’s an issue preventing this process form happening – either the flame isn’t present or the PCB is failing to detect the flame. Never attempt to fix the F16 error code on a Glow-worm boiler yourself, always hire a Gas Safe registered engineer.

What pressure should a boiler be at when heating is on?
between 1 and 2 barsWhat pressure should my boiler be when the heating is on? A boiler's pressure gauge will usually sit between 1 and 2 bars when it is turned on. The exact recommended pressure level will vary depending on the boiler manufacturer, but generally, anywhere between 1.0 and 2.0 bar is ideal.
Is 1.5 boiler pressure too high?
Your boiler should be running between the 1 bar and the 1.5 bar, which will be in the green section of the boiler pressure gauge. If the bar is hitting over 2.5 bars, then the pressure from the water in the system is too high, and anything below 1 bar is too low.
How do you check the pressure on a glow worm boiler?
0:166:35How To Top Up The Pressure Glow Worm / Vaillant Boilers / Ultracom ...YouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipSo underneath the boiler. You've got two taps on the bath claws when they're in this position. ToMoreSo underneath the boiler. You've got two taps on the bath claws when they're in this position. To open it you turn it quite a return like that. And then the other one you turn slowly.
Is 3 bar too high in boiler?
High boiler pressure isn't dangerous, even if it's showing as three bar on the pressure gauge. In most cases, the boiler will turn itself off if the pressure goes about a certain level and a working PRV should successfully control the pressure, preventing it from getting too high.
Is 2 bar too high for a boiler?
The sweet spot for your boiler pressure is 1.5bar, this is in the middle of the ideal range of between 1-2 bar. Most boiler manufacturers recommend an optimal pressure of 1.3bar, but don't worry if it's not quite exact, as long as it's within the working range you won't have a problem.
Does bleeding a radiator reduce boiler pressure?
Bleeding radiators If you bled your radiators recently, you may have lost some pressure. That's because, when you bleed a radiator, air is released, which lowers the pressure in your boiler system.
Is 1.8 bar too high for boiler?
What Boiler Pressure Is “Too High”? Anything above 1.8 bar isn't ideal. 2.3 bar starts to become more serious and when most boilers hit 3 bar, they're in the red zone on the pressure gauge. So, the unit is likely to lock out and display a fault code.
Why is my Glow Worm boiler losing pressure?
Leaks in the system will cause your boiler to lose pressure. Leaks can be very small and you may not be able to see them. It is easy to solve this loss in pressure by topping up your system - your installer will be able to do this quickly. However, it is essential they also find and fix the leak.
What happens if the pressure in boiler is too low?
If the pressure on your boiler is too low, then your central heating may not work, and if it's too high, then it will be under too much strain and could also be prevented from working.
What happens if boiler pressure is too high?
Most boilers will simply shut down via a safety device called a PRV (Pressure Release Valve), or break down when your boiler pressure is too high, for too long. The worst-case scenario for most boilers suffering from high pressure will be a broken boiler and a soaked carpet.
How do I get the pressure down on my boiler?
How Do I Reduce My Boiler Pressure? Luckily, it's quite easy to lower the pressure in your boiler. All you need to do is bleed the radiators in your home. This will reduce the overall pressure in the central heating system and, in turn, this lowers the boiler pressure.
Does boiler pressure go up when heating on?
Combi boiler pressure increases when the heating is on as your boiler uses fuel (gas, oil etc) to heat the water - this increase in pressure is natural. If your boiler is behaving as it should, the pressure will stabilise again once the system is switched off and cooled down.
How much pressure should a boiler have?
Increase the pressure to between 1 and 1.5 bar. This can be done with the use of a filling loop. The pressure will is shown in the Gauge (highlighted by the number "1" in the picture above). The boiler should read 1 - 1.5 bar of pressure when the central heating is cold.
What does it mean when your boiler is below 1 bar?
If below 1 bar, your boiler has a low water pressure and needs re-pressurising. Locate the filling loop, often found on the underside of your boiler. Open both valves to allow water into your heating system. Keep an eye on the pressure gauge and close the valves when the pressure reaches 1.5 bar.
Does low boiler pressure hurt your boiler?
The good news is that low boiler pressure is nothing to panic about and is not likely to cause any damage to your boiler. On the other hand, it can have a real effect on the efficiency and effectiveness of your heating system, making it hard to keep your house warm and costing you more on your energy bills.
Why does my glowworm boiler keep losing pressure?
When the pressure goes too low, then the boiler is unable to fire and operate. One of the leading causes of a loss of pressure comes from a leak within the system, and these can be so tiny that you may not even notice them. So, if your Glow-worm boiler keeps losing pressure, then you may need help to locate and fix the leak.
How to check water pressure in a water heater?
The turn the tap on the right-hand side to the open position. Now open the tap on the left-hand side, and you should now be able to hear the water entering the system. Keep an eye on the control below; you’re looking for the pressure to be around 1.5 bar. Finally close the left tap, followed by the right tap.
Can you fix a glow worm boiler?
Thankfully though, there are some faults with your Glow-worm boiler which you’ll be able to fix yourself without needing to call out an engineer or face a new boiler cost. A classic easy to fix and common problem is a Glow-worm boiler low-pressure warning. With a little know-how, you’ll be able to sort out the issue and have your boiler back up ...
Can you repressurise a glow-worm boiler?
There are two ways of repressurising your Glow-Worm boiler, depending on the model and whether they have a built-in or external filling loop.
Can a pressure boiler be replaced?
In that situation, a replacement system can sometimes be a more economical choice than spending money on an older less efficient boiler. Find the best combi boiler here.
How much pressure should a glowworm boiler have?
If you don’t feel safe doing this or aren’t overly sure about what today, contact a heating engineer to do it for you. Once the pressure is back up to around 1.5 bar, your Glow-worm boiler should have sufficient pressure to work again.
What does it mean when the pressure gauge on a glowworm boiler is below 1 bar?
If the pressure gauge on your Glow-worm boiler is showing anything below 1 bar then you may have an issue which can lead to your central heating system not functioning as well as it should. Over time, boilers will gradually lose pressure but a sudden drop could mean there’s a fault somewhere in the system, commonly a leak.
How long is the warranty on a glow worm boiler?
Glow-worm boilers come with 2-7 years of warranty as standard but some models are eligible for up to 15 years of warranty through Glow-worm's club energy installers. Find out more with our guide to Glow-worm warranties.
How to get hot water back on?
Start out by checking if the boiler pressure is too low (below 1bar) and that the temperature is set high enough for the heating to come on. In addition to these, if you’re on a prepayment meter then it’s worth making sure that you have enough credit.
What to do if you spot a leak in your boiler?
If you spot a leak around the heating system, turn off the water supply and contact a Gas Safe registered engineer, likewise if there’s been a sudden drop in pressure. For any gradual decreases in boiler pressure, it’s possible to repressurise the system yourself by following the steps in our guide to low boiler pressure. If you don’t feel safe doing this or aren’t overly sure about what today, contact a heating engineer to do it for you.
Why does my boiler make a loud noise?
Any strange noises you're hearing could be caused by a variety of things including air in the system, alternatively the water pressure could be too low or it's kettling. You might be able to determine the type of problem your boiler is having based on the type of noise it is making. Take a look at our guide to central heating noises to help you determine the cause of your noisy boiler.
Why does my boiler keep switching off?
Could be low water pressure, a problem with the thermostat or a lack of water flow due to a closed valve, air in the system or the pump not circulating the water in the system correctly. Yes.
What is glow worm boiler?
Glow-worm is the sister brand of internationally renowned Vaillant group. Both of the brands are highly recommendable by the installers and the users. The fundamental feature of Glow-worm is producing the boilers which are comprehensive and easy-to-control. All the boilers are highly reliable and efficient that has been developed ...
What to do if boiler pressure is too high?
If you have re pressurized your boiler too much you will need to drain the system. But if the pressure is very high by less than 0.5 bars, you need to understand the problem by bleeding radiators. You just need a bleed key, a bucket to catch the water and towel to protect carpets. Now open the bleed valves very slowly.
How to repressurize a boiler?
You just need to follow certain easy steps in order to deal with the method of re-pressurizing. Close all the vents. Before getting start with re pressurizing your boiler, check all the bleed valves on radiators and towel rails to be fully closed. Search for the filling loop.
How does a boiler filling loop work?
In most of the boilers, they have the external filling loop that is used to top up the boiler with water and hence increases the pressure. As soon as you open the filling loop, you will get to see a pressure rise. You can take a look of what is the exact pressure your boiler needs.
What does it mean when your boiler pressure is below one?
If the boiler pressure is below one, this indicates the pressure in your boiler is very low. In this case you need to re pressurize your boiler.
What happens if the boiler filling loop is not closed?
Make sure that the filling loop is completely closed. However if it is not closed it will slowly leak additional water into the boiler. This will increase the pressure and the boiler will lockout.
Why is my central heating system not working?
In case if your central heating system is not working properly, it could be because of the loss of water pressure. You need to check the water pressure indicator on the front of your boiler that, for a normal good working boiler, should read between one or two bars of atmospheric pressure. If the boiler pressure is below one, this indicates ...
