Boilers are an essential part of modern life, from heating our homes to providing hot water for showers, laundry and dishwashers, but like any other machine they can fail. A boiler works by firing up a flame which then heats the water to be pumped around the house. However, there are many reasons why this may not happen, and no matter what you do your boiler will simply not fire up.
If you’re having issues with your boiler not firing up properly, then there are some things you can try first before calling out a boiler repair service near you to fix the issues. Here we’ll take a look at a handful of easy checks and steps you can take to get your boiler back in good working order.
Diagnosing The Issue
This article is intended for those of you who maybe have an old boiler which is playing up and simply being unreliable, with the issue of it not firing up problem just the latest in a string of problems with your boiler. You may have a new boiler but can’t get it to fire up and provide you with heating due to the common case of lockout.
All boilers should have a display screen which tells you about the issue via a code, and you can then use this code to diagnose the issue yourself or reach out to a professional local boiler service repair company to take a look.
We don’t always recommend you try to fix the issue yourself, as there could be an issue with the pilot light or fan which needs replacing. Fiddling with parts inside your boiler without the proper qualifications is dangerous and could result in a carbon monoxide leak, so always be sure to contact a Gas Safe boiler technician in these cases.
Here we will take a look at the top three most common issues as to why your boiler is not firing up as it should, and some steps you can take to resolve them.
There Is An Issue With The Gas Supply
If your gas supply to the boiler has been interrupted then your boiler ignition will not be working as it should and will not fire up. The gas company may be doing works in the local area which has caused this insufficient supply to your home, but it’s likely they will have notified you of this in advance.
If it’s winter, then your gas meter could possibly have frozen in the low temperatures which also affects the pressure. Then again, it could simply be the fault of your gas valve, as if it has been damaged in any way the gas cannot come into the system to be ignited.
It may sound obvious but check to see if you have any unpaid gas bills which could have caused your gas supply to be shut off externally. Ensure that you have not inadvertently turned the supply of gas to your home off. If your meter has frozen, then you will have to wait until it thaws out, and then insulate it to prevent it happening again.
If you’ve had a new boiler installed, then the old supply you’ve been using simply may not be sufficient, in which case you need to contact your supplier.
The Thermostat Or Timer May Be The Issue
If you’ve had a power cut and your boiler has defaulted to factory settings, it may not be turning on at the times you have it pre-set to. If the thermostat is not working, then your boiler won’t ignite when it’s told to do so when the temperature falls below a certain range.
Check the time displayed on your boiler, and reset it to the correct time if you need to. If the thermostat is suspected to be at fault, turn it up to the highest setting and see if it causes the boiler to fire up.
The Boiler Doesn’t Have A Power Supply
As simple as it may sound, you could have had a power cut which has reset your boiler and causes it to stay off. You may also have flicked the off switch on the wall when moving things around near the boiler, or the mains electric box could have been tampered with accidentally and flipped your boiler switch off.
Your boiler does need that spark of electricity to ignite the flame, so this should be the first thing you check. Once that is done, find the reset button on your boiler and press it for ten seconds to rest it. The light should turn green if this has been successful, and your boiler should reignite successfully.
There are many reasons which can affect your boiler not firing up, from air in your radiators to frozen pipes and diverter valves not working properly. If you cannot diagnose the issue yourself, then give the team at Rowlen Boiler Services a call and we’ll be happy to attend your property and get your boiler back up and running in no time at all.
