Boiler Problems – Boiler Noise, Leaking, Knocking, Grinding, Clicking, Low Pressure

Although a well-fitted, modern and reliably-sourced boiler from a reputable company or supplier is less likely to cause issues than an older, cheaper boiler, all boilers generally suffer from a variety of similar ailments when they do develop problems.

Lack of an annual boiler service, as well as severe conditions or stress the boiler is put under will increase the likelihood of your boiler developing common boiler problems other than the usual wear and tear over time resulting in loss of hot water and/or heating.

Common Boiler Issues

There are a few common boiler problems that boilers may experience – some can be fixed by yourself at home without the need of an engineer or any special tools, while others may need parts or adjustment that can only be made by a qualified engineer.

Most issues a boiler may have are difficult to possible to diagnose with a glance, with problems such as poor heat maintenance, noise and unreliability being the only signals that there could be something wrong. A good way of checking if your boiler has any issues that are currently small is by taking a look at the water pressure on the boiler.

Loss of Pressure – Your boiler will work at its optimum level only if the water pressure is made constant. Most modern combination boilers will be pressurised with the water entering its system from the mains cold though a device called the ‘filling loop’. Any loss of pressure in a modern combination boiler therefore can be fixed by adding water through the filling loop to the system.

Water Leaks – Water leaks can be very small at first, and cause a loss of pressure in your boiler. Checking the pressure on your boilers pressure gauge is a good idea to keep abreast of any possible water leaks in the system – as small leaks often evaporate quickly and are therefore hard to find, but can develop into larger leaks. The correct pressure of your boiler should be between the 1 and 1.5 level, it should never drop below 0.5 or be found rising about 2.5. Topping up the filling loop, which should be close to the boiler itself will re-pressurise the system again if it drops too low.

Blockages – These can be detected by a loss of heat or water through parts of the system, or by an abnormal pressure reading on the boiler itself. Fixing these should not be attempted by someone without a Gas Safe Registration or with respect to condensing boilers without the necessary experience.

Repairing Common Boiler Problems

If your boiler develops a fault that you feel you cannot repair or want to be safe and have someone take a look at it, then the first thing you should do it contact a qualified heating engineer. Once you have established the exact problem with your boiler, it may be wise to shop around reputable engineers for a quote and parts to repair it.

When choosing an engineer, as well as it being vital that they are Gas Safe Registered, be sure they have plenty of experience in repairing your type of boiler (look up the make and model number of your boiler and ask engineers if they have worked on the common boiler problem your boiler is experiencing before) as well as doing some research either among friends or on-line on the reputation of the engineers in your area.