Emergency boiler repair when your heating fails

Gas smell or carbon monoxide alarm?

If you smell gas or your carbon monoxide alarm sounds, stop using the boiler, open windows, get everyone outside and call the National Gas Emergency Service on 0800 111 999. Don't try any of the checks below until it has been made safe.

Five safe checks before you call

A good share of 'breakdowns' turn out to be something simple. These checks are safe for any homeowner and don't involve opening the boiler. Always follow your boiler's user manual where it says something different.

• Power: is the display lit? Check the switched fused spur next to the boiler and the trip switches in your consumer unit.
• Controls: has the timer reset after a power cut, or the thermostat been turned down? Turn the thermostat up a few degrees and set the programmer to 'on'.
• Pressure: look at the gauge on the front. If it has dropped well below the level in your manual (many sit around 1–1.5 bar when cold), see our boiler losing pressure guide.
• Gas supply: if you have a prepayment meter, check it has credit. Check that the gas hob, if you have one, still lights.
• Frozen condensate pipe: in a cold snap, condensing boilers often stop because the plastic pipe running outside has frozen. If your manual allows it, pour warm — never boiling — water along the pipe, then reset the boiler once.

What never to do

It's tempting to keep trying when the house is getting cold, but some things make a breakdown worse or put you at risk.

• Don't remove the boiler casing. Only a Gas Safe registered engineer should work inside a gas appliance.
• Don't keep pressing reset. If the boiler locks out more than once or twice, it is protecting itself from a fault; repeated resets can cause damage.
• Don't use boiling water on a frozen pipe, as it can crack the plastic.
• Don't cover the flue or block the boiler's ventilation to 'keep the heat in'.

Keeping the house warm while you wait

If the boiler is out of action, close the doors to the rooms you're not using and heat one room well rather than the whole house. Portable electric heaters are fine if they're in good condition, kept clear of curtains and furniture, and never left running overnight unattended. Don't use outdoor gas or paraffin heaters indoors.

If you have a hot-water cylinder with an electric immersion heater, switch it on to get hot water while the boiler is down. Many homes with a combi don't have this option, so a kettle and a flask go a long way.

What to tell Chris when you ring

When you call 07429 632804, give your address, the make and model of the boiler (it's usually on a label under the front panel), any fault code on the display, the pressure reading and which of the checks above you've already tried. A photo of the display sent on WhatsApp is ideal. Chris is a Gas Safe registered engineer and will tell you honestly whether and when he can attend — we don't promise a response time we can't keep.

How this differs from a planned repair

This page is for the day the heating stops altogether. If your boiler is still working but playing up — losing a little pressure, locking out now and then, making new noises — book a visit under our boiler repairs service, where we can take time over fault-finding at a convenient slot. If your problem is a leak rather than the boiler, see our emergency plumber page.

When a breakdown points to replacement

Sometimes the honest answer after a breakdown is that the boiler is near the end of its life. Warning signs include repeated breakdowns over a winter or two, parts that are hard to get for an older model, and an old non-condensing boiler burning far more gas than a modern one would.

We'll always explain whether a repair is sensible. If replacement makes more sense, our guide to how long a boiler lasts will help you weigh it up, and our boiler installation page explains how a replacement is planned. Quotes are free and there's no obligation.

Areas we cover

From Briton Ferry we cover Neath, Port Talbot, Swansea and the wider area within roughly 30 miles of SA11 2JG. For anything that isn't urgent, send us the details through the contact page.