Boiler Breakdown in Wroughton

After months unused, the pump can stick, a valve can seize, or the timer may have lost its settings. First check the thermostat is turned up above room temperature and the programmer is set to heating on. If the boiler fires but the radiators stay cold, or nothing happens at all, call me.

A hum with no circulation can point to a pump that is seized or failing, which is common after a long idle period. Running a stuck pump for long can damage it further, so switch the heating off and call me. Let me know if the boiler shows a code or the pressure gauge looks unusual.

Sometimes. A wireless thermostat with flat batteries, or one that has lost its connection to the receiver, can stop calling for heat. Replace the batteries, turn it up a few degrees and listen for the boiler firing. If hot water works but the heating doesn't respond, mention that when you ring, as it narrows things down.

On Worcester Bosch boilers, EA codes generally mean the boiler hasn't detected a flame when it tried to light. Check the gas is on at the meter and your hob works. If gas is reaching the house, the cause is probably in the boiler, so leave it as it is and call me with the full code.

If the boiler needs its pressure topped up often, has started making new noises or cuts out now and then, it is better to have it looked at before you depend on it in cold weather. Small faults tend to get worse under heavy winter use.

It tells me you probably have an open-vented system with a regular boiler, a cold water storage tank and a small feed and expansion tank. Faults on these systems can involve the tanks, a ball valve or the cylinder as well as the boiler. Mention the loft tanks when you call so I know what to expect.

Yes. Give me their address and phone number, and tell me whether you'll be there or whether I should speak to them directly. Let them know I'll be in touch so they are expecting the call, and make sure they have a safe way to keep warm in the meantime.

Yes, Wroughton is within my area, including the older village streets and the newer housing on the edges near the former airfield. I come over from Highworth, about 8 miles away. Give me your postcode and the nearest landmark when you ring.

It depends on the fault. Some can be put right once the cause is found, while others involve a part that has to be ordered and fitted later. Which applies depends on the diagnosis, so ask about anything that isn't clear.

Yes. Switch it off at the fused switch and, if water is coming out steadily, turn off the water at the stopcock. Put a container or towels underneath and keep water away from electrics. Note the pressure reading, then call me. Don't remove the boiler casing to look for the leak.