Your boiler is integral to the functioning of your home, especially during the winter where without a fully functioning boiler, you can look forward to freezing cold nights and freezing cold showers; definitely not ideal in January, February time where temperatures typically go below freezing point.
Unfortunately for us though, that's when most boilers go wrong and break down.
Fortunately, however, a lot of these problems are common and can be easily fixed, sometimes without calling a gas engineer out to your home.
Here are 4 common boiler problems that typically occur during the winter and what to do if you notice them...
A frozen condensate pipe
A frozen condensate pipe is, without doubt, the most common problem that affects boilers during the winter.
Your condensate pipe, the pipe through which a condensing boiler discharges waste water from the condensing process into the sewer, will typically freeze if the temperature drops below 0 and as a result will cause a blockage of waste water, causing your boiler to no longer work.
Fortunately, this is extremely common and should be your first thing to look out for if your boiler breaks down during the winter.
If you suspect you have a frozen condensate pipe, search online for helpful videos to help you clear the freeze - there are thousands!
If you're unsure what you're doing, feel free to get in touch with us and we'll talk you through it.
Noises coming from your boiler
It's not too uncommon for boilers to make strange noises, especially in the winter.
The noises you hear can range from banging noises to whistling/kettling noises, and even gurgling noises. The noises can be a result of a multitude of problems, but either way, whatever the noise is, it's usually not good news and isn't a fix that you can make on your own.
If you hear your boiler making strange noises, get in touch with us and we can diagnose the issue.
Cold radiators
If your radiators are cold at the top, or cold at the bottom, or cold all over, there's a good chance that there's sludge stuck in the radiators that are preventing the flow of hot water... most of the time you can fix this by bleeding your radiators.
If bleeding them doesn't solve the issue, we'd recommend a deeper clean with a powerflush so you can clean out your entire central heating system.
Your pilot light on your boiler is out
If the pilot light on your boiler is out, which is extremely common during the winter, it can represent a significant problem with your boiler.
We'd recommend calling us ASAP if your boiler's pilot light is out.
Need help fixing your boiler in Wellingborough?
If you have a faulty boiler that you need help fixing, give us a call at Fletchers Heating & Plumbing Ltd.
You can call us on 07919 156562 or send us a message via our contact form, where we'll get back in touch as soon as possible.