What’s Caused my Gas Boiler Breakdown?
The humble gas boiler is often an overlooked cog in the machine of your home, ticking over quietly as we take it for granted – until we are hit with a gas boiler breakdown and the stress sets in!
A gas boiler breakdown can be highly inconvenient and expensive, especially if you’re kept waiting around for repairs to be carried out, all the while having to heat your home with expensive plugin heaters. A gas boiler breakdown is more likely to happen at the beginning of winter, after the boiler has been only moderately used throughout the summer.
There are many problems that can cause a gas boiler breakdown, but thankfully some of the most common causes are simple (and relatively inexpensive) for a registered gas installer to resolve.
Pilot light is out
The pilot light blowing out is a common cause of gas boiler breakdown, and can be caused by a number of things. It could be down to a draught, or a deposit build up which can be resolved by a thorough cleaning. You can relight the pilot light yourself, however if it happens more than once you should get it checked out by a professional – and if you smell gas, take all necessary safety steps and call an engineer immediately.
Loss of pressure
It is quite common for a gas boiler breakdown to be caused by a drop in water pressure. You should be able to top up the water level in the boiler with the appropriate tap (usually located under the sink, but may be elsewhere – check your home manual) which will get your boiler working again. However, water pressure drops for a reason – usually because there is a water leak somewhere within the boiler, or because the pressure valve needs replacing. If you find yourself having to top the boiler up on a fairly regular basis, it’s time to call somebody in.
Loss of power/gas supply
This is something that is often overlooked – is the power and/or gas supply to your boiler working? Check both, and contact your electricity or gas supplier if you find that they aren’t.
Condensate pipe
In the winter, a common cause of gas boiler breakdown is the condensate pipe freezing through. This causes the condensation to back up into the boiler and cause a shutdown. If this is the case, you will probably see a warning light or fault code on the display, and hear gurgling sounds from within the boiler. You can try to thaw the pipe yourself, or you can call in a professional to carry out the job quickly and safely.
If you’re dealing with a gas boiler breakdown, whatever the cause, you will want it to be resolved as soon as possible. Living with no heating or hot water is miserable. If your gas boiler has broken down, call Gas Services today – with a huge amount of parts held in stock, we can get you back up and running before the misery sets in!