Boilers may experience a range of minor issues over the years, but if you suspect yours might be overheating you should take immediate action. An overheating boiler should be treated as an emergency and a Gas Safe engineer should be called in as soon as possible.
How do I know if my boiler is overheating?
If your boiler is switching itself off automatically or is cutting out, the chances are it could be overheating. Alternatively, you may find that your boiler won’t shut off at all, and this is another potential indicator of overheating. The most obvious tell-tale sign is a rupture or explosion, but ideally you won’t wait until this stage to call in the experts. If this does occur and any gas is emitted, you may need to vacate the premises and call the fire brigade.
The dangers of an overheating boiler
While modern boilers are designed to avoid overheating and the majority are able to handle an operating pressure of 20 PSI, an increase in pressure may cause your boiler to fail and, in worst-case scenarios, explode. If your pressure relief valve and any other control fails at the same time, you may be at risk of your boiler failing. Even if your boiler doesn’t explode, melted components could produce toxic vapour or smoke that could be fatal if inhaled.
Causes of overheating
Your boiler is more likely to overheat if it has been repaired by an unqualified or inexperienced engineer. There is evidence to suggest that overheating is linked to wiring errors, the removal or plugging up of pressure relief valves to resolve leakage problems and the manual opening of gas valves, which causes a continual flow of gas into the boiler. Alternatively, your boiler may be blocked by a build-up of limescale, rust and debris, which reduces the flow of water, leading to an increase in pressure.
What to do if you suspect overheating
If you have any suspicion that your boiler might be overheating, you should immediately shut off the water supply. If you don’t, cold water introduced to the system will immediately turn into steam as it makes contact with the hot internal components. This will lead to a dramatic rise in pressure and could cause your boiler to rupture or explode.
Avoid any attempts to repair or cool the boiler yourself, as you could make the problem worse and cause extensive damage to the boiler and yourself. The best course of action is to turn off your gas and water supply. Contact a qualified boiler engineer immediately, responding to any advice you are given while you wait for the engineer to attend. Don’t turn off your electricity unless instructed to do so as this may prevent the boiler from cooling itself in the meantime.
Call us at DHS
Our qualified team at DHS is on hand to help with any boiler issues you may have and we will ensure that our engineers are with you as soon as possible should you suspect that your boiler is overheating. We will make sure that any repair work or boiler servicing in Bristol and the South West is carried out safely and efficiently.
If you have any concerns, give us a call and we will make sure your boiler is back on track or replaced with minimal inconvenience and expense.
Call DHS today on 0117 924 7200, email us, or request a call back.
Unit 2 Septimus Buildings 
