Gas Boiler Failing to Ignite

Beautiful Girl Is Seting Up a Boiler

Help! My Gas Boiler Won’t Ignite!

There are many reasons why a gas boiler may fail to ignite; but whatever the reason, there’s one thing nobody can deny: A gas boiler not igniting is annoying, frustrating, worrying and, well, cold!

Read on to find out why your gas boiler failing to ignite, and what you can do about it.

Come On Baby Light My Fire

1. Gas Supply: Check that your mains gas supply is working by checking your other gas appliances. For instance, turn on and ignite your gas hob cooker or oven. If they don’t work, then the problem is with your mains gas supply. Check that your gas shut off valve is open, and hasn’t accidentally been closed. If the valve is open but there’s no gas getting to your appliance, then contact your gas supplier for support.

2. Try resetting your boiler by turning it off and back on again.

3. Check boiler water pressure. If the water pressure is too low, you’ll have to repressurise your boiler. You can do this by following your user manual instructions, or by taking these steps:

  • Locate your filling loop. This is usually underneath or near your boiler, and consists of a grey coloured hose with a valve at each end.
  • Enjoy that the boiler is switched off and is cool.
  • Open both the valves and allow water to fill the system.
  • Watch the pressure valve: when the pressure bar is at 1.5 bars your boiler has enough pressure to operate.
  • Close the valves off one by one
  • Switch the boiler back on. It may be necessary to reset the boiler at this point.

4. A clogged up pilot light tube. An accumulation of dirt and debris can clog up the pilot light tube, causing the pilot light to continuously blow out or not light at all. You can remove the pilot gas tube and clean it out by poking a small item such as a pencil into it, helping to shift the debris. But ONLY do this if you’re confident and competent enough to do so: always ensure that the pilot light tube is refitted correctly after cleaning, as a badly fitted tube can be dangerous.

It’s a Flaming Disaster

If none of the above has helped coax your pilot light back to life, then it’s time to bring in the professionals. Always choose a reputable gas engineer who has been RGII registered, which means they are certified to work safely on gas boilers.
All of our engineers here at GSL have all of the right qualifications, as well as a great work ethic, to get your boiler fixed quickly and safely. So if your gas boiler is failing to ignite, why not give us a call today?