No hot water? Advice for around your home
Nobody wants to be left without hot water - especially if it's cold outside! But before you call an engineer, it's worth making sure that it's not just a minor blip that you can fix yourself. We've created a handy checklist to help you troubleshoot the smaller issues, and to help you identify when you really do need to get an expert involved.
Is there a problem with the power?
If your other gas and electrical appliances are working but your boiler isn't, check your fuse box to make sure a switch hasn't tripped and cut the power to your system.
Is the pilot light on?
If your permanent pilot light has gone out, try relighting it following your manufacturer's instructions. If it keeps blowing out, it'll need to be checked by an engineer. And if you smell or suspect gas, don't attempt to reignite the boiler -contact the Gas Emergency Line on 0800 111 999.
Is it a water pressure issue?
For your boiler to work at its best, your ideal water pressure should be between 1 and 1.5 bar. So, if the pressure's not quite high enough, adjust it carefully using the filling loop. See our how-to guide for more on boiler pressure issues and their fixes.
Is the thermostat set high enough?
If your temperature is set below 21℃ your boiler might not come on at all, so you'll need to increase it. If you're not getting any reading on the thermostat panel you might just need to change the batteries.
Is the timer correct?
Power cuts and accidental knocks can throw your boiler's timer out, so double check that yours is still set correctly and adjust it if not. If you're unsure about how to reset the timer on your system, check your boiler manual.
Do you have a water tank or cylinder?
If so the problem might lie with the thermostat/programmer on the tank or cylinder itself. Have a look to make sure it's displaying the right settings and change them if you need to.
Does the boiler need a reset?
Some boilers need resetting occasionally for all sorts of reasons; not all of them serious. So, locate your reset button and try resetting it according to the manufacturer's instructions. If your reset button is inside the boiler's casing, you’ll need to leave this to a Gas Safe engineer.
Does turning it off and on again help?
If you've tried all of the above and there's still no hot water coming from your taps, try switching the boiler off at the mains for a few seconds, before turning it back on again.
Could you have a frozen pipe?
If it’s very chilly outside, your boiler’s condensate pipe might have frozen. You can try to thaw it using hot (but not boiling) water or a hot water bottle. We talk you through dealing with frozen pipes in more detail here.
Do you only get hot water when the heating is on?
If you've tried all of the above and there's still no hot water coming from your taps, try switching the boiler off at the mains for a few seconds, before turning it back on again.
If you’ve tried all of the above and you still have no hot water, it’s time for a Gas Safe engineer to take a look. If you’re a HomeCare customer, get in touch and we’ll send someone out to you as soon as we can. If you don’t have HomeCare cover we can still help. Just click here to book a one off engineer visit. Otherwise, visit the Gas Safe Register for a list of safe and fully qualified engineers.