Boiler Breakdown in Winter: Emergency Repair Guide

Safe checks before you call

1. Check the thermostat and timer. Make sure they are set to heating and a temperature above the room temperature.
2. Check the boiler pressure. Most boilers should sit between 1 and 2 bar when cold. If it has dropped to zero, there may be a leak.
3. Check the power and gas. Look at the fused spur and make sure other gas appliances, such as the hob, still work.
4. Look for a fault code on the display and write it down. It helps the engineer arrive with the right part.
5. Check the condensate pipe. In freezing weather it can ice up and shut the boiler down.

Stop and call a professional if

• You smell gas. Do not touch switches, open windows, turn the gas off at the meter, leave and call 0800 111 999.
• The flame is yellow or orange rather than blue.
• There is black staining around the boiler.
• Your carbon monoxide alarm sounds.
• Water is leaking from the boiler.

Never remove the boiler casing yourself. Only Gas Safe registered engineers should work on gas appliances.

Common causes of breakdown

Most winter call-outs come down to a failed pump, a faulty valve, a thermostat or thermocouple fault, a frozen condensate pipe or low pressure. These are repairs, not reasons to replace the boiler.

Should I repair or replace?

We look at an old boiler before anybody says a word about replacing it. A repair that keeps a working system going costs less than a new installation. The honest limits are that parts for some older models are genuinely hard to get, and if a real safety fault is found the boiler is turned off and stays off.

What does it cost?

Emergency heating and gas work is charged at up to £180 an hour weekdays and £240 an hour evenings and weekends, before VAT and materials. Boiler services and gas safety certificates are priced lower. See the prices page, or the cost guide for how call-outs add up.