Top 5 Gas Boiler Questions asked by Customers
Answered by a Gas Safe Engineer
The Most Asked Boiler Related Questions
Over the past 30 plus years, you get all kinds of questions put to you, regarding gas boilers, central heating systems, hot water tanks, radiators and so on. And, like most trades, there are a few questions that are asked by my customers more than others. So, I've put together my top 5 most asked questions. If you still need a gas safe engineer, and your in the Telford or Shropshire area, please give me a call.
What should I do if my boiler starts to lose pressure?
If you think there may be a leak in your central heating system, first check the connections on your radiators.
If you find water on a connection, dry it off with paper towel and place a tray underneath it. Keep an eye on it for a few hours to see if it is actually leaking. Other signs of a leaking water pipe are; bubbling paint on the pipe or the skirting board, rust marks and worse case water stains on the ceiling.
If you do discover a leaking joint, get it examined and repaired or replaced by a plumber or gas engineer. If your boiler still loses pressure and no leak was found then there may be a fault with the boiler.
Could a fault be causing my boiler to lose pressure?
If your boiler is still losing pressure and you have checked for and found no leaks, then it is time to focus on the boiler itself.
Many boilers allow you to control the amount of water circulating through the boiler and heating system by manually adjusting the filling-loop. This is the loop that allows cold water to flow into your gas boiler.
Your boiler will usually carry a sticker to advise you of the operating pressure. Use this value to guage how much water to let in to your system.
How do I bleed my radiators?
During the winter months, having rads that don’t heat up can be a big problem. If one or two radiators aren’t heating up, the most common cause is trapped air.
Quite often air can become trapped in your radiators, causing them to be warm at the bottom but cold at the top. This can happen if the central heating has been off over the summer months. The way to release this trapped air, is to bleed the radiators.
Placing a paper towel under the bleed screw, use your radiator key to unscrew the bleed screw until you hear a hissing sound. Once the hissing stops and you see water coming from your radiator, close the bleed screw. Your radiator should soon be nice and warm.
Why are my central heating pipes making a noise?
Firstly, if it only happens when the central heating is switched on, it is usually a sign that the pipes are expanding and rubbing against the joists, floorboards or studs.
One way to stop the noise is to try and pack felt around the pipes where they come up through the floorboards. If this doesn't work, try lifting the floorboards as close to the noise as you can.
Check that any notches cut in to the joists for the pipes to pass through are wide enough. You may have to widen them if they seem a close fit. Another option if required, is to fit pipe clips to lift sagging pipes away from the timber.
What would cause my boiler to make banging noises?
Noises coming from a central heating boiler could be due to kettling. As well as causing a noise, you may also notice that your home is not heating up efficiently. This happens when the flow of hot water to your taps is inhibited. Fixing the issue will not only stop your boiler from making an annoying noise, but will also mean that your central heating system works far more efficiently.
With most of the water in Telford being hard or very hard, kettling can be a common problem in older boilers installed in this area. The noise is caused by a build-up of debris. The way to stop this is to remove any debris that is coating the inside of your boiler. This involves pumping water and a cleaning agent around your system to clear away the build up of debris and/or limescale.
Having your gas boiler system power flushed will remove the debris and should leave you with a smooth running boiler.
Still need a Gas Safe Engineer?
Hi, my name is Marc Powell and I have been installing boilers, servicing central heating systems and repairing gas boilers for over 30 years. I'm a fully qualified and registered Gas Safe engineer based in Telford Shropshire. I believe in looking after all my customers and offering them a gas repair and installation service that is clear and transparent. Especially when it comes to cost.
24/7 Emergency Gas Repairs in Telford » 07385 166 177
If your boiler or fire stops working, call me on this number. Don't sit there in the cold for any longer than you need to.