A guide on what to expect when your boiler needs repairing, including the costs for labour and materials.
This article will detail how to repair certain parts of a boiler system. Boiler systems are complex designs, and most parts should only be investigated and repaired by a qualified professional CORGI-registered engineer. There are some areas that can be investigated before such an engineer is called, but any invasive work must be carried out by an accredited professional.
Below is a table of different types of repairs and their average costs (this includes the materials and the labour):
| Repair Type | Avg. Repair Cost |
|---|---|
| Minor repairs | £50-£150 |
| Medium repairs | £150-£300 |
| Major repairs | £300-£450 |
Costs can vary depending on what type of trader you use (sole trader, small business or national company) - plumbers on average charge around £60 per hour for labour.
Boilers are complex systems that mix gas and electrical elements to heat water for a house or office. Boilers generally come in three basic types:
The central part of all of these systems is the actual boiler, which is a closed system that only requires periodic maintenance. If the boiler fails, you can be left without hot water in the home, so fixing them becomes important.
Fixing a boiler will entail removal of panels, inspection and test of different elements using a range of specialist equipment including gas detectors and multimeters to establish parts that are failing. The technical aspect of the equipment usually means that they must be carried out by trained and competent personnel.
Fixing a boiler doesn’t usually allow for other tasks to be completed, though it may be an opportunity to carry out routine service on the boiler and check the condition of water tanks and connecting pipes. Checking the condition of your boiler is also an excellent time to clean it throughout.
Unless you are a qualified CORGI fitter, there is little that you can do yourself. There are some areas that can be tackled by the homeowner, including:
There’s usually a water pressure indicator on the front of your boiler, and might be behind a removable panel. If the indicator is below one bar, your boiler pressure is too low. You need to locate the boiler’s filling loop that’s generally at the bottom of the unit. Ensure the boiler is turned off and the ends of the hose are attached to the valves, then open the valves, and you should be able to hear water filling up the system. Observe the pressure indicator until it moves to 1.5, then close the valves and turn the boiler back on. If the pressure is too high, you should contact a boiler expert.
Refer to the boiler’s manual to locate the reset button. Once found, push it for ten seconds. After a few minutes, the boiler should cycle and begin working again. Try it a second time if the primary reset doesn’t work. If it still fails to restart, you will need to call a boiler expert.
Some apparent boiler problems may not be to do with the boiler at all. If you have boiler issues, try the next two remedies too.
If the heating has been on, check the radiators to find out which ones aren’t warm and not working. Once they’ve been recognised, turn off the central heating. Once it’s cool, use a radiator key and connect it to the valve in the suitable place at the top. With a cloth in place over the key and valve, gradually turn the key anti-clockwise. If you can hear a hissing noise, it means that there’s gas escaping. When all of the gas has escaped, the valve needs to be closed once more. Mop up any escaped water and try the boiler again.
Take off the thermostat covering from the wall mount and turn it over to discover the battery removal slots. Remove the old batteries and change them with new ones - most thermostats will require either two double-A or two triple-A batteries. Fit the thermostat covering back onto the wall mount. Once this is done, it may take a few days for low battery warning sign to disappear from the monitor.
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Here is a list of commonly asked questions regarding boiler repairs.
If you live in a home that has a boiler flue which can’t be reviewed because it’s concealed behind a wall or ceiling, you must install an inspection hatch to give access to it. As part of vital safety tests, gas engineers have to be able to observe the flue whose job it is to take harmful fumes out from the boiler.
A flue in bad condition, combined with a boiler that isn’t working correctly, could become a hazard from carbon monoxide poisoning, which can cause death or serious harm.
Firstly, you’ll need to find the blockage. This is probably to be where the pipe is most unprotected outside the building and probably at an area where the condensate can collect and freeze.
You can use a hot water bottle, microwaveable heating pack, or a cloth soaked in hot water to thaw the pipe and release the blockage. Restart the boiler and watch to ensure that wastewater is now flowing out of the condensate pipe.
Getting your boiler inspected when there doesn’t appear to be any problems may seem to be an unnecessary expense, but examining your boiler annually should help to prolong its lifetime. Having a yearly service should help you prevent unexpected issues with your boiler, and keep it running efficiently.
If your boiler makes banging noises, it is usually a condition called “kettling”, which is caused by a build-up of limescale inside the boiler. Having your system power flushed should remove this debris and stop your boiler, making these noises.
The main reasons for this are low water pressure or air in the system. If this is the case, you should attempt to rebalance the pressure by bleeding the radiators, as detailed above.
