Boiler Breakdown in Highworth, Close to Home

That pattern is typical of a frozen condensate pipe. Water from the boiler cannot drain, backs up and trips the boiler into lockout, and on an exposed hilltop house it can happen several times in one cold spell. Thaw the pipe with warm water only if it is low and safe to reach, then call me so I can look at why it keeps freezing.

No. Highworth is my base, and I also cover Swindon and the villages around it, including Blunsdon, Stratton St Margaret and Haydon Wick close by. Living in the same town simply means you're ringing a local engineer who knows the area.

Usually, yes. Older systems in period buildings can often be repaired, but parts for some older boilers are harder to find, and a system that has been altered repeatedly can hide more than one problem. A diagnosis shows whether a repair makes sense or whether it is time to talk about a properly sized replacement.

A lockout is the boiler shutting itself down because a safety check has failed, such as no flame being detected or the pressure being too low. Pressing reset over and over won't fix the cause and can hide a safety problem. Note the code or warning light and call me, as it tells me where to start.

On a combi the usual causes are a sticking diverter valve, which switches the boiler between heating and hot water, or a fault with the flow sensor that detects a tap being opened. Both need an engineer. Check the hot water setting on the boiler or controller is switched on, then call me with the make and model.

Yes. Give me the address, the tenant's name and number, and tell me how access will work. The tenant can describe the symptoms if that helps, and as the owner you can ask me about the fault and the repair options.

A reading that high usually means the system has been overfilled or the expansion vessel has lost its charge, and the pressure relief valve may start letting water out through a pipe outside. Don't try to drain the system yourself. Note the reading, check for water dripping from that outside pipe, and call me.

Not at all. In older properties the boiler is often in a loft, an airing cupboard or a kitchen cupboard. If it's in the loft, make sure there is a safe way up and some light, and clear the space around it. Tell me where it is when you ring so I know what to expect.

Check the boiler has power: look for lights on the display and make sure the fused switch next to it is on. Then look at the timer or programmer, as many reset to default after a power cut and the heating simply isn't scheduled to come on. If the boiler still shows a fault, call me with the code.

Your address and postcode, the boiler make if you know it, what has stopped working and any code on the display. If you've had work done on the heating recently, mention that too. On the day, keep pets out of the way and clear access to the boiler, the gas meter and the stopcock.