How do you fix a boiler that won't ignite?
If you still can't light your boiler, there could be debris blocking the jet. Boiler pilot light jets are relatively cheap to replace but can also be removed, cleaned and re-installed. Your heating engineer will be able to advise you on the best course of action and replace the jet accordingly.
Why is my boiler not kicking in?
There are a variety of reasons why your boiler may not be working; common examples include the boiler pressure being too low or too high, a power cut, gas supply issues, a faulty pilot light, a frozen condensate pipe, faulty internal components or a more complex issue.
How do I get the pilot light back on my boiler?
Relight the pilot light. Turn the knob to “Pilot,” and let gas to flow to the pilot. Light a lighter or match, then push in the reset button. Hold your flame to the pilot light's opening. Keep the reset switch depressed until the pilot light is burning steadily.
What do you do when your boiler flame goes out?
If they are out, turn their gas control valves off too. Wait for the gas fumes to dissipate; this can take between 5-10 minutes. Once you are sure the gas has gone, remove the cover or open the door to the furnace or appliance. Locate the pilot light – you may need to use a torch for this.
How do you know your boiler is broken?
Signs of a broken boilerUnusual whistling, banging, or tapping noises.Higher than average gas usage indicates the boiler is not performing efficiently.The pilot light or flames are orange/yellow in colour, which should normally be blue.It will show a high system water pressure instead of continuing at a steady pressure.More items...•
How do you diagnose a boiler problem?
No Heat or Poor HeatThermostat – The first thing to check when boiler troubleshooting is the thermostat setting. ... Fuse box or circuit panel – Check the fuse box or circuit panel for a blown fuse or tripped breaker.Standing pilot – If the boiler uses a standing pilot light, check to make sure it's on.More items...•
Is a boiler safe if the pilot light goes out?
A boiler with a faulty pilot light can be very dangerous as the boiler may continue to release gas into your home when the flame is extinguished, putting you at risk of carbon monoxide poisoning.
What do I do if my pilot light won't light?
If your pilot light won't stay alight, it might be the thermocouple. Sometimes dust buildup collects on the thermocouple and blocks the sensor. Try cleaning the thermocouple and then relighting the pilot light. If it continues to go out, the thermocouple might need to be replaced.
How do I know if my boiler pilot light is out?
The most obvious sign of the failure of a pilot light will be a lack of hot water or warm air since the burner assembly can't light and do its job of heating these substances. In many systems, a broken pilot light will prevent the appliance from working at all.
Why is my combi boiler not firing up?
Another possibility is that your gas meter is frozen, which leads to low gas pressure. Last but not least, the gas valve, which would normally open to provide more fuel, might be the culprit of your low gas supply issues. If it's faulty or damaged, the gas cannot enter the chamber, so the boiler won't ignite.
Why isn't my oil boiler firing up?
Common causes for oil boiler lockout include: A leak in the system causing low boiler pressure. A fault in the thermostat, e.g. a problem with the radio frequency (RF) pairing which means that the boiler does not know when to fire up.
Why is my boiler not heating my radiators?
If your boiler works but the radiators are not heating up, then likely cause could be a faulty boiler pump or your central heating controls. If your boiler works but the radiators are cold, check that the thermostat or timer is working correctly.
Why is my boiler fan not turning?
If there is a problem with your fan and it is not turning, or a problem elsewhere in the system that means your boiler thinks the fan isn’t turning, this will trigger a safety feature in your boilers printed circuit board that will stop your boiler igniting. This is designed to ensure that your boiler cannot create more dangerous gases ...
What happens if the pilot light goes out on a boiler?
If the pilot light has been extinguished, the boiler will not ignite until it has been relit.
How do you know if your boiler is carbon?
One of the most common symptoms of carbon build-up is your boiler refusing to ignite or igniting inconsistently.
What is the valve in a boiler?
Your boilers gas val ve is the part that controls the flow of gas into your boiler. If your boiler needs to generate more heat, this valve will open a little more and allow more fuel into the system. When it needs to cool down, the opposite happens.
Why do boilers have a gas filter?
This is designed to ensure that your boiler cannot create more dangerous gases if it is unable to get rid of them safely.
What is it called when a boiler is locked out?
Usually, these will be safeguards put in place to protect your boiler or yourself if there are problems elsewhere in the system. This is called a lockout.
What is a boiler fan?
Your boiler contains a fan which is intended to create a draught inside the device. This draught pushes the harmful gases created by your boiler down the flue and safely outside your property.
What about a commercial boiler that is not working?
Commercial boilers are complex systems that have a wider range of issues that can go wrong. Commercial boilers can have more problems than your consumer boiler system for a standard home.
What to do if your gas boiler doesn't fire up?
If your gas boiler doesn’t fire up, it could to do with the gas appliances. The homeowner regularly fixes gas appliances; however, if you are unsure to the reason your boiler is not working and you are not confident in fixing yourself, you should contact a company to help.
How long does boiler finance last?
You can pay by card securely or opt for boiler finance with no deposit and up to 10 years in duration.
What does pressure mean in boiler?
Pressure basically means the balance of air and water in your boiler, there is more to it, but we are trying to keep things simple.
Is a boiler thermostat a misunderstood device?
Your boiler’s thermostat is a very misunderstood device in many ways.
Does Boiler Central offer finance?
Don’t panic! Here at Boiler Central, we offer various boiler finance options for all new boiler options.
Is a boiler heating water?
2) The boiler is not heating water; the temperature of the water is not as hot as it should be / you are only receiving a little bit of hot water.
Why is my gas boiler not firing?
A blockage in the burner could lead to the boiler not firing up to provide your home with heating and hot water. A Gas Safe registered engineer will be able to clean the burner or replace it, if necessary.
What does it mean when a boiler won't fire up?
Timer. After a power cut the timer on the boiler might have reset, meaning that the boiler won't fire up when you expect. Take a look through the instruction manual that came with your boiler to find out how to set the times you'd like your boiler to automatically ignite.
How to tell if boiler is leaking?
A boiler will gradually lose pressure over time but if there's been a sudden drop it's often a sign that there's a leak in the system or the radiators need bleeding (which we'll come one later). If you find a leak, no matter how small, turn the water supply off and contact a qualified heating engineer.
Why does my boiler lock out?
Low gas pressure. In the case that there is a supply of gas to the boiler, just not enough, the boiler will lockout and display an error code. You should hire a Gas Safe engineer to test the gas pressure and find out why there's an insufficient supply – a couple of potential causes include a frozen gas meter or a faulty gas valve.
Why is the condensate pipe blocked?
The condensate pipe is an essential part of condensing boilers, leading acidic waste water away from the boiler and down a drain outside your property. Being outside makes condensate pipes susceptible to freezing during freezing temperatures, causing a blockage that prevents the water from leaving the boiler. Should this happen, the boiler will recognise that it isn't safe to operate and lockout until the condensate pipe has thawed out.
What to do if boiler isn't firing?
Hire an engineer. When your boiler isn't firing up for central heating or domestic hot water, it's an issue that you'll want to get sorted as quickly as possible. Fortunately, there are some simple checks you can make, which we'll take you through in this article. If your boil er still isn't igniting after making those checks, ...
What is boiler pressure?
Boiler pressure is a reading of the pressure of hot water that’s circulating around the central heating system. Ideally, the boiler in your home should have a boiler pressure of between 1-2 bar, preferably 1.5 bar – you can check the boiler pressure on the pressure gauge.
Why is my boiler not firing?
If you find your boiler is not firing up for the central heating system at a scheduled time, there might be something wrong with the scheduling timer: this is mostly a feature of electronic boiler models that have built-in online connections or time settings.
What does it mean when there is no pilot light on boiler?
No pilot light or thermostat means that your boiler will produce no central heating or warm water.
Why would a boiler stop working?
The general purpose of most new boilers is to heat up and transport water to various different appliances. Almost everybody who owns one got their boiler for hot water, so you can usually assume that it is an issue with the supply or pipes in some way.
How do I know if my boiler is broken?
The easiest way to tell if a boiler has stopped working is to see if there's no hot water. A lack of central heating, radiators that don't provide heat or other obvious signs could hint that something is very wrong with the boiler in terms of its heating system - either the heating itself or the fuel/power that's needed.
Why is my combi boiler not working?
A leaking combi boiler is one of the most well-known causes of a boiler not working. A leak can spring up anywhere in the system and drop the boiler pressure significantly - if it's after the boiler pressure gauge, it might not even get picked up by the readings.
Why does my boiler pressure drop after topping up?
If you find that the pressure on your boiler continues to drop after topping up this may be a sign that there is a leak on your existing system. These type of leaks can be hard to find as it means following your pipework from the boiler throughout your home to every connected point.
Why is it important to reconnect a boiler?
This is always important since your boiler needs them for even its most basic functions. If you don't have any electricity or gas heating water up, then you need to try and reconnect everything.
Why is my boiler not working?
Your boiler may not be the problem. Instead, it could be an issue with your gas provider. One of the first things you should check if your boiler hasn’t come on is whether your home still has a gas supply. You can do this by turning on a gas hob, oven or other gas appliance, such as a fire. If your gas hob or other appliance works fine, then you know that your home is still connected to the mains gas supply and this isn’t the problem. However, it’s always better to rule this out first.
What causes a boiler to not ignite?
When more heat is needed, more gas is allowed in and the opposite occurs when your house has reached its set temperature. If this valve is blocked or damaged, the gas cannot enter the chamber and so your boiler won’t be able to ignite.
What happens when a boiler burns gas?
When your boiler burns gas inefficiently it can produce a greater quantity of particulates which result in debris in the heat exchanger or burner . These are not issues you’ll be able to check yourself - you’ll need to contact a Gas Safe registered engineer to look at your boiler and see if this is the problem.
Why won't my boiler ignite?
Some boilers won’t ignite if the gas or water pressure is too low. Low gas pressure could be a problem with supply in the area and you may need to call out the supplier to check. Alternatively, it may be that the water pressure is too low in a sealed system boiler.
What happens when you programme a boiler?
When you programme modern boilers, you can set the temperature that you want your home to be heated to. Before reaching the conclusion that your boiler isn’t working, it may be that your home has already reached the set temperature.
Can you turn on a gas hob?
You can do this by turning on a gas hob, oven or other gas appliance, such as a fire. If your gas hob or other appliance works fine, then you know that your home is still connected to the mains gas supply and this isn’ t the problem .
Can a leak in a boiler be fixed?
This is a relatively easy fix, however a frequent drop in pressure could suggest that there is a leak in the system. If you’re finding that you have to repressurise your boiler often, this leak will need to be fixed, this work can be carried out by a qualified heating engineer.
Why is my boiler not igniting?
Sometimes the gas pressure coming to your home can cause problems. If there is low gas pressure, then the flow may not be enough for the boiler to ignite.
What happens if the boiler goes off during the day?
If the electricity supply has gone off during the day, it can sometimes cause a boiler lockout situation. Not until the boiler is unlocked will it start to function properly.
What is a pilot light in a boiler?
The boiler pilot light is the flame inside of the boiler that catches with the gas that then enables the water to be heated. If there’s no pilot light then the boiler is not firing to then enable the heating process.
Why does a boiler go into lockdown?
If there has been very cold weather then the wastewater can freeze causing frozen pipes and a blockage. Because the boiler can no longer get rid of the waste then it goes into lockdown.
What is boiler pressure?
The boiler pressure relates to the pressure of the hot water that’s flowing through your heating system.
Why does my gas burner not ignite?
When the burner is working it produces CO2 as waste gas. Over time this then causes the burner to become clogged up and develop mechanical faults. As a result, the burner might sometimes work and other times refuse to ignite.
What happens if your boiler is orange?
While we’re talking about the gas supply, if your boiler is lighting, but there’s an orange or yellow pilot light, then it could be producing carbon monoxide. This is one of the harmful gases that can be fatal.
What does it mean when a boiler pilot light isn't lit?
If the pilot light on your boiler isn’t lit, you may have a problem – but it also might have just gone out by accident.
Why is my boiler not working in the winter?
This could be because of the cold weather messing with your pipes, or it could be another fault related to your heating being on more.
Why is my boiler making noises?
Has your boiler decided to make its presence felt by whistling, gurgling, or even making banging noises?
Why does my boiler keep cutting out?
There are few things more frustrating than a boiler that fires up just fine, but then keeps switching itself off.
What to do if your radiator is leaking?
If the leak is coming from the spindle: the ‘spindle’ is the shaft on your radiator valve. If it’s leaking, try tightening the gland nut with a spanner.
How to get air out of house when not warm enough?
Still not warm enough in the house? Try bleeding the radiators to let any trapped air out of your heating system.
What to do if your heating isn't working?
If your heating isn’t kicking in when it should, remain calm! The first thing to do is check all the same steps outlined above (hot water, power, gas, thermostat, and timer).
What does it mean when the pilot light goes off on a boiler?
If the pilot light has gone off, this means that your boiler will not produce hot water.
What does it mean when your boiler is not producing hot water?
If you take a moment to look at your boiler, you’ll notice a pressure gauge. The pressure should be in the green zone. If the boiler pressure is too high or too low , this can result in your combi boiler not producing hot water.
Why is there no hot water coming from your boiler?
If your boiler is firing up, but there is no hot water, then you have come to the right guide on why this could be.
What is the lollipop lady in a boiler?
Deep within the intricate workings of your boiler lies an essential cog known as the diverter valve. This component is the lollipop lady of the system, and it is responsible for directing the flow of water to reach the relevant appliances.
What to do if your boiler pressure is too high?
If the pressure is too high, the best place to start is bleeding your radiators. This should release pressure. If this doesn’t work, it may be possible that your boiler has a broken part, and you’ll need to consult an engineer.
What happens if a boiler valve fails?
If the valve has failed, a new one will be installed, and you should have hot water again in no time. If the boiler is old, and other problems are likely to cost you money in the foreseeable future, your engineer may advise you to consider replacing your boiler, rather than paying out for ongoing repairs.
How to warm up a frozen boiler pipe?
The key is to try and gradually warm up the affected pipe by placing a cloth over it or running warm water over the duct. This will help to melt the ice and, hopefully, bring your boiler back to life. It is important to note that you’ll need to restart the boiler if the pipe has frozen.
