Boiler Breakdown Repairs in Lydiard Millicent

Probably not a full breakdown, but it is a sign something isn't right. In older rural houses with long pipe runs, a weak pump, sludge or an unbalanced system often shows first in the furthest rooms. If it has suddenly got worse, or the boiler is cutting out too, call me.

On Ideal boilers, L2 means the boiler has failed to ignite and locked out. Causes include an interruption to the gas supply, a blocked or frozen condensate pipe on some models, or a fault with the ignition or gas valve. Check other gas appliances work, then call me with the code and the boiler model.

You can call me to describe the problem, but the homeowner's go-ahead is needed before any repair is carried out. If you can reach them, ask them to call me or confirm by message. In the meantime, note the fault code and pressure reading, and keep the house protected from frost if it is empty.

Clear the space in front of and below the boiler, and make sure I can also reach the gas meter and the stopcock. If you have the boiler manual or old service records, leave them out. If pets will be around, keep them in another room while I work.

Start with the controls. Check the programmer is set to heating on, the room thermostat is turned up above the current temperature and, if it's wireless, the batteries aren't flat. If the controls are calling for heat and the radiators still stay cold, the fault may be a valve or the pump, so call me.

Water can escape where you can't see it, such as under floorboards or through the pressure relief valve to a pipe outside, or a failing expansion vessel can make the pressure swing. Note the reading first thing and again later in the day, for a day or two and give me both figures when you call.

Yes. Lydiard Millicent is about 7 miles from my Highworth base, and I also cover Purton, Haydon Wick and Royal Wootton Bassett nearby. When you ring, tell me your postcode and how to find the house if it is set back from the road.

Whistling often means restricted flow through the heat exchanger, caused by limescale or sludge, and it puts extra strain on the boiler. It isn't usually an immediate danger, but it often comes before a breakdown. If the noise is new or getting louder, switch off and call me.

Sometimes, but back boilers are old and parts for many models are no longer made. If yours has failed, whether a repair is realistic depends on what has gone wrong, and it's worth talking through. If it isn't, ask about what a replacement would involve so you can decide.

Use portable electric heaters if you have them, kept well away from curtains and furniture, and close doors to hold heat in the rooms you use. Never use a gas cooker or oven to heat a room. If you have an immersion heater on a hot water cylinder, it can still give you hot water.