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Reasons your Boiler is Not Working for Central
Heating or Hot Water

Table of Contents

boiler
boiler

A boiler not firing up on a chilly monday morning can be a nightmare and a headache, meaning something is not quite right with the boiler. But before you call a professional, some things and simple checks might save your day. However, if there is an issue with the pilot light or boiler burner, it is better to leave things to an expert. As we all know, serious boiler problems can lead to fatal situations. Therefore, it is best to avoid dealing with such issues and call a gas safe registered engineer to fix them. Therefore, if you are someone who:

  • Cannot access heating or hot water due to boiler blackout.
  • Recently moved into a new house without pre-purchase plumbing and gas check.
  • Has an outdated and unreliable boiler.

Here are common boiler reasons why your boiler does not ignite, the meaning of error codes displaying on your boiler and how to fix these issues.

Your Boiler Has No Power

Every boiler needs a small amount of electricity to fire up. Considering that, here are some causes why your boiler has no power:

  • There is no power due to heavy snowfall, thunderstorms, strong gusts of winds or other weather conditions.
  • You have modified your thermostat settings manually.
  • You unintentionally turned off your boiler.
  • Or the circuit has tripped as it was overloaded.

Error Codes

Boiler Brand

Standard Boiler Fuse Lockout Codes

Worcester

FD 231, C1 264, Thermal Fuse Lockout

Baxi

E317, OFF OFF OFF, E13

Glow-worm

Green LED off, F17, F76, F83

Ideal

–

Vokera

–

Solution

  • Press and hold the reset button for 10 seconds.
  • Wait a few minutes until the boiler ignites, and if the indicator light is green and the error code is no longer visible on display.
  • Flick the fuse box or check the isolation button

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boiler system
boiler system

Inadequate and Interrupted Gas Supply

Undoubtedly, insufficient gas supply can prevent boiler ignition. There are a few reasons your home’s gas supply pressure might be low. 

Low gas pressure is a result of your gas metre being frozen. Your common gas supply issues can also be because of the gas valve, which would naturally open to provide more gasoline.

Moreover, if it is broken or malfunctioning, the gas cannot enter the chamber, preventing the boiler from firing up.

Error Codes:

Boiler Brand

Common Boiler Faults Concerning the Gas Supply 

Worcester

EA

Baxi

E133

Ideal

Is the Gas Pressure available at the Boiler (> 18mBar)

Glow-worm

–

Vokera

–

Solutions

  • Check if you have any unpaid bills
  • Protect your gas metre from freezing by insulating it. Or lag it, as it is the most effective approach.
  • Make sure that the gas supply is on.

Your Boiler Timer Malfunctioned or Non-Responsiveness to Thermostat

Your boiler may reset to its factory default settings if there has recently been a power outage or a time shift, which would make it fire at the incorrect time.

Another reason could be an outdated or old thermostat that misreads the temperature and interferes with ignition.

If your thermostat is too low or placed too close to a heat source, then your boiler won’t ignite

Error Codes:

Boiler Brand

Standard Boiler Thermostat/Timer Error Codes

Worcester

E9 224

Baxi

E110, E20, E.04 – .08, E20, E28, E40, E50,E110,  E130, E163

Ideal

–

Vokera

A02, A77, E020, E077

Glow-worm

–

Solutions:

  • Check if the timer on the boiler is right
  • Reset the time, and adjust it to your required timing when it resets.
  • Adjust the thermostat and see whether the boiler starts operating.
  • If your thermostat is near the oven, radiator, towel rail or any other heat source, try changing the thermostat’s location.
  • Or check if you or someone has accidentally turned off the heater.
boiler
boiler

Air is Trapped in the Radiators

You probably have air trapped in your radiators if you’ve noticed that the upper and bottom portion of the boiler is not heating.

Central heating circulates hot water with the help of pipes and radiators. With time, small air pockets are formed within the boiler, and as air is lighter than water, they emerge on top of the boiler, leading to the boiler not firing and running inefficiently.  

Error Codes:

Boiler Brand

Common Boiler Faults 

Worcester

–

Baxi

110, E1, E2, E4

Ideal

Overheat Lockout, Water Pressure

Vokera

–

Glow-worm

F32, Boiler Locks out in 10 seconds (Air Fault), F02, F3,

Solution

  • Bleed the radiators, which is the easiest way to release the trapped air.
  • You can do it yourself quickly, and it will keep your house warm and cosy.

Frozen Condensate Pipe

The plastic pipe, known as the condensate pipe, is used to drain the acidic waste from your boiler.

Although it is often installed outside, it is sometimes internally connected to the wastewater system. As a result, this makes condensation inside the pipe vulnerable to freezing throughout the winter. Therefore, the boiler will be stopped when the sensors detect a stoppage, preventing the boiler from protecting the system and the property.

One way to detect a frozen condensate pipe is to notice any gurgling sounds from the boiler.

Error Codes:

Boiler Brand

Common Boiler Condensate Pipe Faults

Worcester

EA 229, D5

Baxi

E133, E28

Ideal

Fires up for a Short Time, then turns Off

Vokera

–

Glow-worm

F1, F29, F4, and F28

Solutions

Your condensate pipe can be defrosted with a few DIY techniques. Finding the stoppage is the first step, where the pipe bends or dips are typically where an ice blockage originates.

  • Apply heat or heating packs on the frozen pipes.
  • Additionally, add warm water instead of boiling water because it will damage the plastic pipes.
  • After thawing, reset the boiler.

The following are a few tactics to prevent condensate pipes from freezing:

  • Covering the line using foam pipe insulation;
  • consulting a Gas Safe expert to check whether the pipe’s slope may be adjusted;
  • keeping the heater running through extreme cold nights.

Faulty Diverter Valve

A broken diverter valve is most likely to blame if your boiler operates, but no hot water is available or vice versa. The valve sticks as a result of general wear and tear over time.

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Error Codes:

Boiler Brand

Common Boiler Gas Valve Faults

Worcester

FA, FA 364, FB 365, F0 238, EA 234

Baxi

H.01 – .00, E.02 – .17, E.04 – .17, E09,E15, E134, E09,  E15

Ideal

–

Vokera

–

Glow-worm

F26 / F77, F26 / F77, F14, F.61, F.82

Solution:

  • In such a situation, there is no DIY method available. You must call a professional to replace or clean a stuck diverter valve.
  • Ask them to check the boiler’s components thoroughly.

The Pilot Light is not Firing up Due to Flame Failure

The boiler’s tiny flame, known as the pilot light, ignites the gas, which heats the water constantly. When it fails, there is no heating and no hot water. Usually, the reason is that debris obstructs the jet.

On the other hand, rarely, a broken thermocouple or a draught from a window that wasn’t correctly sealed results in the light turning out.

In newer types of boilers, the error code on display will inform you if there is a problem with the pilot light, rather than in older models, where you might be able to see the light through the framework.

Error Codes:

Boiler Brand

Common Boiler Flame Failure Codes

Worcester

227 V, 228 V, 306 V, 2927 B, EA, F7, EA 227

Baxi

E.04 – .10, E133, E128, E129, 3 Green Flashes

Ideal

L6, LN, F2, FN, L2, L6, Flame is on before gas on , Flame loss

Vokera

A11, A01

Glow-worm

F.27, F.29, F.88

Solutions:

In such a case, it is always recommended to get from a certified expert.

  • Turn off gas appliances, faucets, showers, and gas valves before lighting the pilot light.
  • Give the gas vapours 10 minutes to dissolve. As a safety measure, never forget to keep a window open so that fresh air can enter.
  • Locate the pilot light jet after removing the lid,
  • Hold an extended candle next to the pilot light tubing;
  • Turn the gas valve to the pilot. If the only two settings on your gas valve are on and off, meaning your ignition system is automatic;
  • After the flame has been lit, press and hold the reset switch for approximately 30 seconds.

The Boiler’s Pressure is Too Low or Too High

The boiler pressure is typically 1.5 to 2 bar when the heating is on and 1-1.5 bar when it is off. Keep an eye out for fluctuations in the water pressure metre on the boiler.

Your radiators may need to be bled if the pressure exceeds 2, or the valve may become loose. If the pressure in your boiler drops below 1, you might leak, which could be caused by recent radiator bleeding.

Error Codes:

Boiler Brand

Common Boiler Pressure Sensor Faults 

Worcester

CE 207, H07

Baxi

E117, E78

Ideal

F1

Vokera

A04, AL41, AL40

Glow-worm

F32, F73 / F74, F9, F09, F.22, F.75, F.72

Solutions:

  • When the pressure is too high, bleed the radiators.
  • On the other hand, if it’s too low, try repressurising your boiler.

Faulty Boiler Burner

The boiler produces CO2 when it burns gases, which can clog the burner and make it operate incorrectly or inconsistently. Additionally, the burner ages with time, and you may require replacement.

Error Codes:

Boiler Brand

Common Boiler Pressure Sensor Faults 

Worcester

B7, F7 228, FA 306, 283, 235, 360, 9A 361, 9U 233, B7 257, EA 261, EH 258, EC 256, F0 280

Baxi

E.04 – .12

Ideal

–

Vokera

–

Glow-worm

F.83, Poor Burner Pressure

Solutions:

A boiler expert can replace the burner or remove the carbon buildup. Future headaches and expenses can easily be avoided if you service your boiler at least once a year.

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