When a boiler breaks down, getting it repaired or replaced is the sort of unexpected expense most of us would prefer not to have to deal with. Fortunately most boiler faults can be fixed relatively cheaply if they are picked up on early enough, with a simple service often being all that is needed. The following are some of the most common signs of a fault that you should look out for. If you spot any of them, call an engineer out to take a look as soon as possible.
Pressure
Somewhere on your boiler, usually clearly visible on the front, there will be a pressure gauge. This shows you the water pressure in your system, which should be between 1 and 1.5 bar. If the reading is much higher or lower than this, it suggests something is going wrong somewhere. If the pressure is too high, it may mean that there is a lot of trapped air or a serious blockage in your system. If the pressure is too low, it suggests water is leaking out somewhere, which could be causing all sorts of other problems. Either way, this needs to be addressed as soon as possible!
Clunking noises
If your boiler is making a banging noise, clunking or popping noises this is definitely a cause for concern. The most common reason is a build-up of limescale or rust on key components such as the heat exchanger. This constricts the flow of water in parts of your boiler, increasing the pressure and causing the water in the surrounding area to boil, turn into steam and expand. This is commonly known as kittling and the boiling water and the pressure from the steam on the surrounding components is what causes the noise.
Clunking or banging noises can also be caused by an incorrectly installed boiler or a faulty thermostat, both of which can result in the boiler overheating and causing the same issue as with kettling. If left unattended any of these issues will ultimately result in your boiler’s safety controls causing it to switch off and can cause permanent damage to the boiler’s components.
Soot marks
If you are seeing black soot marks around your boiler this suggests that it is not burning fuel properly. This is most often caused by an insufficient amount of air getting to the flame, which usually means there is a blockage. If left, this can ultimately cause your boiler to stop working completely. It also means you will be wasting money as soot is caused by incomplete combustion of your boiler’s fuel, meaning you have to burn more fuel to produce the same amount of energy.
DHS has been carrying out boiler installations, boiler servicing and boiler repairs in Bristol and the surrounding area for over 40 years. We have the knowledge and experience to quickly and accurately diagnose problems with your boiler and offer cost-effective solutions. So, if you need a firm of heating engineers you can trust, we would love to hear from you.
Unit 2 Septimus Buildings 
