What to do in the event of a gas boiler breakdown

Finding your gas boiler has stopped working can be a frightening time for even the most technically-minded of us all – the problem could be as simple as a seized part, right up to something more dangerous, so it is wise to act as soon as you find your gas boiler has stopped working.

Do not attempt to do any work on your gas boiler to fix the problem yourself, but, if possible, turn off the supply of gas to the boiler itself. This short guide should teach you what to do in the event of a gas boiler breakdown, as well as the risks involved in leaving a gas boiler broken.

Contacting Insurance

If you have taken out insurance on your gas boiler, your insurance company should have a 24 hour emergency number to contact in case of a gas boiler breakdown, with qualified and reassuring customer service agents that will then guide you through what to do next, depending on their procedure.

Some insurance companies will take the whole problem out of your hands and contact an engineer to fix the gas boiler from their trusted sister companies, others will require that you contact a n engineer yourself and provide the quote to repair to the insurance company.

Contacting an independent boiler engineer

If you have not insured your gas boiler, or your insurance requests that you contact an engineer to fix your gas boiler breakdown yourself, there are several important factors to look out for. Although most engineers available to fix your gas boiler are to be relied upon, there is a few issues you must ensure you check before committing to an engineer, these are:

Qualifications – All engineers must be Gas safe registered to work on a gas boiler, always make sure to check.

Experience – If you can, get a recommendation from a friend about an engineer, or go through an established company that specialises in sending out experienced boiler engineers such as British Gas.
Check Reviews – If possible, do a little research on your local engineers using the internet either at home or at your local library. This could save you a lot of heartache over unreliable or just plain dodgy engineers.
Quotes – Always get a quote, and make sure you ring several trusted, qualified engineers to make sure you can get the best deal you can. Even if you are insured, some insurance companies will put a limit on the amount you can claim on your policy, or raise your premium, so it is wise not to go for the more expensive just because you are insured.