What To Do If Your Boiler Breaks Down At Christmas

No one wants a boiler breakdown, but with a house full of guests ready to celebrate the festive season and stay warm, it can be especially frustrating.

With temperatures potentially at their lowest, your boiler will be working harder during winter and if you've not checked your boiler or kept it turned off for summer, small faults that might not have been noticed could turn into bigger issues.

What should I do if my boiler breaks down?

If you've noticed your home getting colder and you have no hot water, don't panic. This may be a problem you can resolve yourself.

First, check that it isn't a more serious problem. If any of the following are happening, turn your boiler off immediately and call a Gas Safe registered engineer:

• The flame is yellow and floppy (it should be blue and crisp)

• Loud banging noises

• Unusually high water pressure

REMEMBER: if you smell gas or suspect a gas leak, turn your boiler off immediately and call the Gas Emergency Service:

• Call 0800 111 999 for England, Wales and Scotland

• Call 0800 002 001 for Northern Ireland

Can I fix it myself?

There are some faults you can fix yourself, including:

• Low pressure

• Frozen condensate pipe

• Pilot light has gone out

If your boiler comes on at unexpected times or your thermostat is showing an error message, try checking the following:

• Your timer settings: these may have changed if you've recently had a power cut or someone's accidentally knocked them. Check these and adjust if necessary, following your boiler's instruction manual if you're unsure.

• Your thermostat settings: if you've set the temperature below 21°C your boiler may not fire up, so try increasing the temperature. If your thermostat screen is blank, you may need to replace the batteries.

If you've tried the above and your boiler still isn't working, you'll need to call in a qualified engineer to investigate and fix the problem for you.

If you already have cover, and you have no heating and/or hot water, check your policy terms as you may be able to make a claim. Most policies will give you access to a 24/7, 365 day a year claim line for emergencies.

Can I take out boiler & central heating cover?

Yes, if your boiler is under 15 years old, has no pre-existing faults and you aren't a landlord, you can buy cover.

If you take out our Enhanced Boiler & Heating plan, we'll cover you against the complete breakdown of the domestic boiler and/or central heating system which results in the loss of heating and/or hot water.

By upgrading to Premium Boiler & Heating, we'll also cover you against non-emergency situations too.

In the event of a complete boiler breakdown, you can call our 24/7, 365 day a year claims line to report this.

You can also add an annual boiler service by a Gas Safe registered engineer to ensure everything is running smoothly.

How often should a boiler be replaced?

According to our partner, Boiler Central, boilers last around 10 years and so if your boiler is around this age, or older, you may want to consider replacing it.

Furthermore, 10+ year old boilers are likely to be G-rated and only have an efficiency rating of around 70%. Modern boilers are 90%+ efficient.

Want to keep your heating running smoothly year-round? Discover our boiler and heating cover, or take out a Complete home emergency plan for total peace of mind. Get a quick, free quote online and find the perfect plan to keep your home cosy! Or explore our full range of plans, including plumbing and drainage, and appliance cover.