Troubleshooting tips for the home

We often find that things go wrong in our home, so British Gas have put together some practical advice on what you can do if things go wrong. 

1.      What do I do if my central heating and hot water stop working?

• Firstly, check to see that there are no other causes - are the other gas appliances and electric sockets working?
• Check your isolation switches are on and that the trip switches in your fuse box are also on.
• If you are a pre-pay customer, you should also check that you are not out of credit.
• Check your thermostat – it may simply be a case of turning it up.
• Check appliance controls on your boiler, is the temperature dial turned up?
• Your boiler pressure should read between 1-2 bar - If the pressure is too low, carefully turn on the valves next to your boiler until you see your pressure gage rise.
• Reset your boiler’s timer. If you’re not sure how to set it, check the manufacturers guide.
• Check your boiler’s pilot light – if you have a pilot light and it has gone out, check the manufacturer’s instructions as to how to relight it.

2.       What do I do if the pipe on my boiler freezes?

• Condensing boilers create condensation as a by-product, which runs through the condensate pipe. In extreme weather, this pipe can freeze and cause the boiler to shut down.
• To thaw the condensate pipe, dilute some boiling water from your kettle with some cold water, (never use boiling water directly) and pour this water into a hot water bottle and cushion it around the pipes or use a watering can to pour hot water over the pipe to thaw.

3.      What can I do about frozen pipes?

• First, locate your main stop tap. It is usually under the kitchen sink or in a utility room closest to where the water supply enters your property.
• Apply a hot water bottle to the pipe, towel soaked in hot water or use a hairdryer in short bursts and held at a distance. Please note you should never use a naked flame near the pipes or apply constant intense heat.