No Hot Water From Boiler?

There are many things that can go wrong with a boiler that can result in the unit no longer providing the property with hot water.

Let us take a look at some of the most common reasons you might be experiencing an issue with your boiler.

Frozen Pipes

If you're not getting hot water from your boiler in winter, it may be because your pipes are clogged up with ice.

There's a section of piping that runs from the back of your boiler to an outside wall of your house, called the condensate pipe, which can sometimes freeze in cold conditions, which the UK is extremely familiar with!

When your condensate piping freezes, your boiler will automatically shut off for safety reasons, leaving you without heating or hot water until you defrost the frozen piping.

Slowly melt the ice on the pipe by either wrapping it in cloth or pouring warm water over it.

Once the ice has gone, simply reboot your boiler to restore your hot water supply.

The Pilot Light

All boilers burn fuel such as gas or oil, and this requires a working pilot light to do so.

Sometimes, your pilot light may go out, or might just fail to light when you get your heating system started up. This leads to a complete system failure, with no hot water from your boiler being provided at all.

If this happens, you can find help and a guide to relighting your pilot light in the back of the manual for your boiler.

In most cases, you'll be able to fix this fault yourself and won't need to call a registered engineer out at a cost to get things working again.

Pressure Problems

Pressure problems can be a fiddly fault to deal with. In the best case scenario, your boiler might have too low water pressure to move hot water around your home efficiently.

All you need to do in this situation is a one time top up with more water.

Alternatively, if your boiler pressure is too high , this can be more of a serious issue.

You may be able to fix it with some radiator bleeding, but if that doesn't help you'll want to call in engineers to take a proper look around the tank and find out what new parts you need.

The Diverter Valve

An important component of combi boilers is the diverter valve.

This directs the flow of water between your central heating and hot water supply, and if it fails, then one of those systems is going to lose out.

The problem is that you can't do much about this problem on your own, so you're going to need to get a qualified, gas-safe engineer in to fix it as soon as possible.

You may require a new displacer valve, which isn't cheap, but it will still probably cost less than an entirely new boiler.

Thermostats and Timers

If you have got a relatively new boiler with a thermostat and a timer to control when you have hot water during the day, then a fault in this component could cause your boiler to shut down completely, depriving you of hot water and heating.

This sort of system boiler is easy to fix, and often develops problems in the event of a power cut.

Energy Source Problems

A very common explanation for a lack of water heating is a problem with either the power or gas supply to your boiler.

Check your fuse box to make sure it is not just a tripped fuse, and then check other nearby gas appliances and electrical appliances near your boiler tank.

It is also worth checking that your boiler is actually switched on, and that the timer and that your thermostat isn't set to the wrong settings!

If any of your other appliances seem to be lacking power, then the best thing to do is to call in a gas safe engineer to help you deal with things.

Leaks in your Water Supply

A leak in your boiler or pipe will lead to a pressure drop, your pressure gauge crashing down to a low number, and no hot water coming out of the hot tap, as discussed above.

In general, you can fix low pressure by topping up your boiler manually, but if it's caused by a leak, then you'll need to find a gas safe engineer to make sure everything is properly fixed up with no further leaks.

You can't easily fix a leaky pipe on your own, so check to make sure this is the problem and then hire a professional to help fix your heating.

Conclusion

Before you call an engineer, you should always make sure that they are registered in England and authorised and regulated by the financial conduct authority for your safety and security!

If you have a more modern boiler, it might display a specific error code for each different problem that may cause a lack of hot water in your home. It's worth having a check on that for an easier diagnosis!

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