No heating, no hot water, or a fault code you do not recognise? Call me. I repair and service gas boilers across Lewes and the surrounding villages. If a repair is not worth doing, I will say so before you spend money on it.
If you smell gas, open doors and windows, do not use light switches or anything that could make a spark, turn the gas off at the meter if you can safely reach it, go outside and call the National Gas Emergency Service on 0800 111 999. Do the same if your carbon monoxide alarm goes off.
Before you call
A few quick checks solve a surprising number of breakdowns, and the rest help me arrive with the right parts.
- Check the thermostat and timer. Turn the thermostat up a few degrees and make sure the timer is set to on. After a power cut, timers often reset.
- Check the pressure gauge. On most sealed systems it should read about 1 to 1.5 bar when the heating is cold.
- Check the gas and power. Is the hob working? Has a fuse or the boiler’s spur switch tripped? Is a prepayment meter in credit?
- In freezing weather, check the condensate pipe where it runs outside (see below).
- Reset the boiler once. If it locks out again, leave it and write down the fault code, the make and model, and roughly how old it is.
Common fault codes
Most boilers show a code when they lock out. These are some of the most common.
| Make | Code | What it usually means |
|---|---|---|
| Worcester Bosch | EA (227) | No flame detected. Often a frozen or blocked condensate pipe, or an interrupted gas supply. Worn electrodes need an engineer. |
| Worcester Bosch | E9 (224) | Overheat safety cut-out. Check the pressure and reset once. If it comes back, leave it off and call me. |
| Vaillant | F22 | Water pressure too low. Usually cleared by re-pressurising, but the loss needs explaining. |
| Vaillant | F28 / F29 | Failed ignition on start-up (F28) or flame lost and not relit (F29). |
| Ideal | F1 | Low water pressure. |
| Ideal | L2 | Ignition lockout. Reset once, and call an engineer if it returns or you hear rumbling. |
| Ideal | L1 | Low water flow through the boiler. |
| Baxi | E133 | Failed ignition or interrupted gas supply. In winter, check the condensate pipe. |
| Baxi | E119 | Low water pressure. |
Codes vary between models, so check your manual too. Never take the boiler casing off yourself. Only a Gas Safe registered engineer should work inside a gas boiler.
Faults I fix
No heating or hot water
If the basic checks above do not help, typical causes are a failed diverter valve (heating works but no hot water, or the other way round), a seized pump, a faulty fan or ignition electrode, or a failed circuit board.
Pressure that keeps dropping
If you are topping the boiler up every week or two, water is getting out somewhere. Common culprits are a weeping radiator valve, a pressure relief valve letting by (look for drips from the copper pipe outside), or an expansion vessel that has lost its air charge. Topping up hides the problem and brings in fresh oxygenated water, which speeds up corrosion.
Frozen condensate pipe
The plastic pipe carrying waste water from the boiler to a drain can freeze in a cold snap, and the boiler locks out, often with a gurgling sound. Pour warm, not boiling, water along the outside section, paying attention to bends and the open end, then reset the boiler. If it happens every winter, the pipe should be rerouted indoors, or replaced with 32mm pipe and insulated.
Kettling and banging
A noise like a kettle boiling usually means limescale or sludge in the heat exchanger. Lewes has hard water, so scale is a common cause here. Cleaning the system, fitting a magnetic filter and, on combis, a scale reducer usually cure it.
Leaks
Water under the boiler can come from a perished seal, the pressure relief valve, a corroded fitting or, on older boilers, a split heat exchanger. Switch the boiler off, put a tray underneath and call me. Leaks near electrics should not wait.
Radiators cold at the top or bottom
Cold at the top means trapped air, and bleeding the radiator fixes it. Cold at the bottom means sludge. If some rooms heat well and others do not, the system probably needs balancing. My plumbing and heating page covers both.
Repair or replace?
A repair usually makes sense when the boiler is under about 10 years old and has been reliable. Replacement is worth considering when:
- it is past 12 to 15 years old and the breakdowns are getting closer together
- it needs a major part such as a heat exchanger, which can cost a large share of a new boiler
- parts have been discontinued
- it is an old non-condensing boiler, which can waste around a quarter of the gas you pay for
My boiler installation guide covers the boilers I recommend and what they cost.
Annual boiler service
A yearly service keeps the boiler safe and efficient and catches small problems before they turn into a winter breakdown. Almost every manufacturer makes it a condition of the guarantee. A proper service includes:
- a flue gas analyser test to check the boiler is burning safely and efficiently
- checking the gas pressure, burner, ignition and flame
- cleaning the condensate trap and checking the condensate pipe
- inspecting the flue and its terminal, seals and ventilation
- testing the safety devices and controls
- checking system pressure and the expansion vessel charge
- a written service record for your guarantee
Autumn is the busiest time for breakdowns, when heating comes on for the first time in months. Booking the service in late summer avoids the rush.
Landlords: the law requires every gas appliance in a rented home to be checked each year by a Gas Safe registered engineer, with a copy of the gas safety record given to tenants. Call me to talk about your properties.
Boiler repair FAQs
What should I do if my boiler stops working?
Check the thermostat and timer, the pressure gauge (about 1 to 1.5 bar cold), and that the gas and electricity are on. Reset once. If it locks out again, note the fault code, make and model, and call me.
How do I re-pressurise my boiler?
Most combis have a filling loop: one or two taps underneath the boiler, sometimes on a removable silver hose. With the heating off, open the taps slowly until the gauge reads about 1.2 to 1.5 bar, then close them fully. If you are not sure which taps they are, check the manual or call me rather than guess.
Why does my boiler pressure keep dropping?
Water is escaping somewhere: a small leak on a radiator valve or pipe, a pressure relief valve letting by, or an expansion vessel that has lost its charge. The cause needs finding, because constant topping up speeds up corrosion inside the system.
How do I thaw a frozen condensate pipe?
Pour warm water, not boiling, along the outside section of the white plastic pipe, especially at bends and the open end, then reset the boiler. If it freezes every winter, it should be rerouted or upgraded to insulated 32mm pipe.
How often should my boiler be serviced?
Every year. It is a condition of most manufacturers’ guarantees, and it is a legal requirement for gas appliances in rented homes.
Is it worth repairing a 15-year-old boiler?
Sometimes. A cheap part on a reliable boiler is worth fitting. If it needs a heat exchanger or circuit board, or has broken down several times in a year, a new boiler is usually better value.
Can I bleed my own radiators?
Yes. With the heating off and the radiators cool, open the bleed valve with a radiator key until water appears, then close it and check the boiler pressure. If the same radiator keeps filling with air, something in the system needs looking at.
Boiler broken down in Lewes?
Call 07852 979735. It is the quickest way to reach me. For a service or a repair that can wait, the form below works too.