Because the winter months are when our boiler are working their hardest, it’s also the time of year when they are most likely to develop a fault. Knowing the common issues that can affect your boiler and how to spot them means you can pick up on any issues quickly while they’re generally cheaper and easier to fix.
No heat
If your boiler stops producing heat, that’s obviously a pretty fundamental problem, especially in winter! There are a number of reason this might happen, including valve failure, faulty thermostats and trapped air in the system.
If your boiler stops producing heat entirely, chances are you’re going to ring a boiler engineer straight away, however it’s better to identify problems before it gets to this stage. Look out for radiators with significant cold spots, any sudden increase in your gas usage and if you find you keep having to turn the thermostat up to reach a comfortable temperature you more than likely have a problem that needs addressing.
Losing pressure
Ideally the pressure for your boiler should be between 1 and 1.5 bar. If the pressure drops your boiler will stop working and you’ll need to repressurise it to get it going again. If this keeps happening then it’s likely you have a leak somewhere, meaning water is escaping from your system lowering the pressure, or you have a faulty pressure relief.
Although it can be tempting to just keep topping up the pressure rather than calling out an engineer, this is a false economy. If there is a leak, it is likely to get worse over time and could be causing significant damage wherever the water is coming out. It the problem is with your pressure relief valve, this can end up causing serious damage to your boiler if not fixed.
Boiler keeps switching off
There can be any number of reasons for your boiler to keep switching itself off, including issues with the thermostat, a frozen condensate pipe, the pilot light going out or a problem with the fuel feed. You should get this checked out immediately as it is likely to get worse if not dealt with promptly.
Strange noises
If your boiler is making a banging noise or whistling, it is likely due to a problem known as “kettling”. This is usually causes by limescale building up in the heat exchanger, narrowing the gaps within the exchanger. This causes water to be forced through the heat exchanger at a higher pressure than normally, meaning it overheats and produce steam leading to the worrying noises.
This can be relatively easy to fix and an engineer will likely recommend powerflushing your system to remove any debris and limescale or corrosion build up. This has the added advantage of making your central more efficient by improving the flow of water around the system
If you’ve suffered a boiler breakdown in Bristol, DHS are here to help! With over 40 years in the trade, we are one of the most trusted boiler companies in the area with a reputation for top quality work and first rate customer service. To find out more or to ask for a quote, please get in touch!
Call DHS today on 0117 924 7200, email us, or request a call back.
Unit 2 Septimus Buildings 
