What are the most common winter boiler problems?

No one wants to be faced with a loss of heating or hot water in their home, let alone during the winter period. Boilers are more likely to develop problems in winter simply because they are being used more frequently. While not all of these issues will result in a broken boiler, they can nevertheless cause significant disruption. More importantly, winter boiler problems can cost homeowners large amounts of money through wasteful heating. As such, it’s important to be aware of the issues that boilers may develop so they can be solved quickly. 

In this blog, we’ll break down each of the most common boiler problems that could manifest in winter along with the possible causes and tell-tale signs. 

No heating or hot water 

If a boiler appears to be turned on but isn’t providing hot water or central heating, it is likely evidence that something is wrong with the system. This could happen for several reasons during the winter months, such as:  

• Boiler turns off due to water pressure being either too high or too low. 
• The boiler gets disconnected from the power, water, or gas supply for some reason. 
• Pipes obstructed due to defective valves, blockages, or frozen water. 
• Other safety features that cause the boiler to switch off, either for a variety of reasons or due to electrical faults. 

If your boiler is able to supply hot water to the property but cannot provide central heating, there’s likely to be a different issue. Firstly, combi boilers have a setting which allows them to switch between providing hot water to taps and radiators. Where the radiators have been turned off for the summer months, a possibility is that the setting simply hasn’t been changed now that winter has arrived. Alternatively, there could be a fault that prevents the setting from being changed. 

Boiler turns itself off  

Boilers can sometimes seem as though they are turning on and off all by themselves. This problem can result in significant costs, as the system is providing heat at inopportune times, as well as inconvenience as it isn’t providing heat when it is required. Causes of this problem can include: 

• Boiler pressure that is either too low or too high. 
• A faulty thermostat. 
• Air trapped within the system. 
• Blockage caused by a build up of sludge or limescale. 

For a more in depth analysis of this problem, our blog answers the question Why does my boiler keep turning on and off?.  

Boiler leaks 

A common problem at any time of year can be boiler leaks. However, they should be treated immediately as they can cause disrupt boiler components or cause water damage to other areas of the property. For instance, water may result in the malfunction of electrical components that are responsible for the proper function of the system. 

A leaking boiler can be caused by the following: 

• Boiler pressure above the recommended level. 
• Corrosion in pipes and/or tanks. 
• Defective seals due to freezing or sludge build up. 
• A component fault that leads to leaks from the boiler casing. 

Unusual noises  

As with leaks, boiler noises are among the most recognisable problems that can occur during winter. Just as with leaks as well, it can be evidence of deeper problems if left untreated. Strange boiler noises typically manifest as gurgling, whooshing, banging, or humming. The type of noise can often be attributed to the cause of the problem. For instance, a blocked air intake pipe usually results in whooshing sounds.  

Another notable noise that a boiler can give off is a whistling, known as boiler kettling. Here, the water inside the boiler is being heated at too fast a rate. This leads to the generation of steam, much of which is trapped inside the system. The high pressure steam will seek a way to escape the boiler, potentially causing damage to fragile components in the process. Kettling is often a sign that your boiler’s heat exchanger has lost functionality for some reason. Fortunately, we supply a huge range of boiler heat exchangers and heat exchanger plates. 

Pilot light keeps going off 

Homes fitted with older boiler models will have a pilot light that must be on to ensure that the burner is lit. In these cases, an issue with the boiler pilot light can affect the overall effectiveness of the system. Oftentimes, this will be because of component failure. You will therefore have to source replacement boiler parts to make sure the right signals are being sent between components and each one is working properly. 

Frozen boiler  

This is an issue that can affect any condensing boilers. The pipe at the back of the unit designed to carry condensation away from the system can freeze during extended periods of inaction. This causes the boiler to stall, meaning it cannot be defrosted with its own heat. Instead, warm water can be used to defrost the pipe from the outside. Freezing can risk damage to internal boiler parts as the water expands, leading to the need for replacements. 

Trusted new and refurbished boiler spares 

When boiler problems arise that leave your home without hot water or central heating, don’t waste time getting it fixed. National Boiler Spares has helped over 100,000 low-income households by granting them access to quality new and refurbished parts, and we don’t plan on stopping. This enables us to work with the most widespread brands today, such as Baxi boiler problems and Vaillant boilers problems. The problems discussed in this blog can affect any system during winter. Contact us to get the parts you need as soon as the following day. With our fast and reliable repair service, your household boiler will be back to functioning as it should in no time at all.