Coming home after a stressful day at work only to find your boiler heater malfunctioning isn’t what anyone hopes for. Imagine longing for a hot shower but eventually made to settle for cold water from the taps – it’s really distressing. Even the most happy-go-lucky people may struggle to stay positive in such situations.
You have every right to get worked up because the scenario is not ideal. However, in times like this, it is difficult to start thinking of possible solutions to the problem, as all you will be dreaming of is that soothing feeling of having hot water trickle down your body.
When you observe that your boiler is not heating water, note the factors why this could be happening. It would be preferable to avoid panicking, as it is unlikely to solve the problem at hand. Instead, stay calm and try to figure things out carefully.
It is hard to imagine that even with the tremendous advancement in technology in recent years, there is still a possibility that things can still go wrong with our boilers. Before you begin to freak out about your boiler heater not working, have it in mind that the problem might not be too serious.
Indeed, there are professionals to contact to address issues concerning boiler heaters, but we might just be able to make the fix ourselves. We may even enjoy the troubleshooting process. That said, let us run through possible DIY solutions to attempt restoring hot water in our taps.
Examine your Utilities
Do not be too fast to jump to conclusions when you notice that your boiler may not be heating water. There might still be a chance that the problem is not even with your electric device. That boiler might still be in perfect condition and very functional.
First and foremost, check your utilities to verify if you’re out of gas or electricity supply. There are water boilers that have monitors; so, if your screen is completely blank, it could be that your power has been cut off.
There is a simple repair for this – once power is back on, your boiler should be up and running again, with hot water running from the taps. So now, you can step into your bathroom to finally run that hot shower to cool your body.
Toggle the power switch on and off
As with many other electronics, your boiler heater may start working again just by turning the power switch on and off. Most boilers feature a reset button on their surface, and you can easily initiate a reset using the information from the operating manual.
After reading the manufacturer’s instructions, it should guide you on resetting your boiler properly and possibly restoring it to its original functional state. However, in case you cannot find the reset button, note that it may be placed inside the boiler – so, you must contact qualified professionals or companies such as Anderson Air to come to the rescue here if you are confused about the whole thing.
Also, switching off the boiler from the mains for a little while and then turning it back on can do the trick.
Check if the Pilot Light is Out
Aside from turning the switch on and off, it’s also best to know if your boiler’s pilot light is out. When this happens, the boiler heater isn’t igniting the gas, and the water isn’t heating up. There can be many reasons why the pilot light is out. For instance, a draft in the area where the equipment is situated can be one of the reasons why the pilot light may have gone out. To address it, consider blocking the draft by covering it.
Once the draft is covered, relight the pilot light. If you have no idea where to start, refer to your boiler heater’s instruction manual to get the relighting done correctly. If the pilot light still goes out after relighting it, there might be another problem that warrants the attention of professionals. For instance, companies like Action Services Boiler Repair in London or wherever you may be located may help you determine the problem and fix it immediately.
Crosscheck the Water Pressure
Perhaps, low pressure is the reason you have your boiler not heating suitably. For a boiler to work at an optimal level, the water pressure should be around 1 and 1.5 bar ideally. You can find this value on the manometer, placed at the connection point between the boiler and water supply pipes.
If you observe that the water pressure is below the standard value, carefully adjust the settings through the filling loop. Though some people may be tempted to re-pressurize the boiler, avoid this if you are not comfortable doing it yourself. Also, do not attempt this operation if the manual doesn’t recommend it expressly. Seek for professional assistance if necessary.
Inspect the Settings of your Thermostat
Another thing to look out for is your thermostat settings. The thermostat regulates the temperature of your boiler heater. Hence, if it has been tinkered with in any way, it can disrupt the working process of the electric device and leave you scampering around the house nervously.
If you observe your boiler not heating water, you should set your thermostat above 21ºC, as with anything lower than this point, your boiler may not work at all. Just using a simple dial, newly manufactured boilers can easily have their temperature changed.
So, should your boiler be faulty, you can turn up the temperature to a very high value for a while and then reduce it to the appropriate point later on. As basic as this seems, it might help to get your boiler heater working effectively again.
Check if there are Frozen Pipes
If there are frozen pipes, indeed, you will have your boiler heater not working. When the weather is very cold and has been for a long time, the condensate pipe is likely to freeze. The said, pipe transfers condensation from the boiler to the drain outside the house.
To fix this issue, pour hot water over the frozen pipe, but make sure it isn’t boiling water. If this doesn’t cause any positive change, try to unfreeze the pipe again. This should be enough to restore your boiler to its best condition.
Know if there is Sediment Buildup
If your boiler heater has sediments in the bottom, there’s a high chance the equipment won’t be heating. The settled minerals in the water may cover the heating element and prevent it from heating the water.
If there’s sediment buildup, drain the boiler heater and fill it with fresh water to remove the sediment and get your boiler to function properly again. If the draining process doesn’t work, use a cleaning solution to break the residues down and flush them out. If the boiler heater won’t still work after trying these methods, it’s best to call a reliable technician or consider investing in a new boiler as soon as possible.
Final Words
These are some tested and proven DIY tips to solve the problems of your boiler not heating water. However, if you find that the water is still not running through the taps after trying out these troubleshooting tests, it’s time to pull out the ultimate fixer card.
To fix your faulty boiler heater, contact trained professionals to examine your device to identify the problem. Anderson Air, one of the most reliable companies for this service, will help repair your boilers using the highest quality tools to replace and service your heating system.
What are you waiting for? Their trained personnel are always on hand to answer every one of your needs. So kindly pick up your phones to contact them immediately to restore your boiler to top condition, and start enjoying hot water baths again.
