How Do I Know if my Central Heating is in Need of Repair October 21, 2019 While you use your central heating system most days, you probably rarely think about it unless it goes wrong. Sometimes you may notice things aren’t working as they should, but unless your boiler experiences downtime you may push it to the back of your mind. This is understandable, but doing this can lead to bigger problems that can’t be ignored and can be costly and to solve. The team at D A Gas, Heating & Plumbing have dealt with every central heating repair there is, many times over! And we’ve used this knowledge to provide guidance on common central heating issues and how best to solve them. Read on to improve your central heating system’s performance and save it from breaking down completely. How to spot problems with your central heating Radiators have cold spots Cold spots on your radiators, as well as them taking longer to heat up, may indicate the need for a powerflush. This is when a Gas Safe registered engineer flushes out your whole heating system, cleaning away debris, sludge and rust that builds up over time. As well as solving any cold spots on your radiators, this will also help your system work more efficiently and therefore perform better with less energy use. Radiators only heating at the bottom This is a fairly common occurrence, and usually signifies the need to bleed your radiators to release the air trapped inside. You can bleed your radiators yourself, using a special radiator key from a DIY shop (if you don’t have one lying around!). Boiler makes strange noises Boilers can make noises for a number of reasons, but never good ones! It may be something simple like the pressure is wrong, and you can check this by looking at the pressure gauge on your boiler which should be in the green zone and at around 1 or 1.5 bars. Sometimes it can signify the need for a powerflush, and other times it might be warning you of a more complex fault. If in doubt, get it checked by a Gas Safe registered engineer to identify the issue and ensure there are no safety risks. Pilot light turning off If your pilot light goes out it means your boiler can’t heat water. There are a few reasons why this might happen, and one is to prevent a build-up of gas if there is a leak. It’s therefore important to get your boiler checked by a Gas Safe registered engineer, as gas leaks are extremely dangerous. No heat from radiators If your boiler seems to be on and working, yet there is no heat from your radiators, the problem could be with your thermostat rather than your boiler. Thermostats are delicate, and components within them can wear out over time. It could be a wire or a small part, but either way it will need to be checked by a Gas Safe registered engineer. Fortunately, a faulty thermostat is quite easy to resolve, and your plumber should be able to fix or replace it easily. In Essex and in need of central heating repairs? At D A Gas, Heating & Plumbing, we’ve carried out every central heating repair imaginable, and serve customers throughout North Weald, Ongar, Theydon Bois, Epping, Hoddesdon and Broxbourne. If you need a central heating repair or have a question and would like our advice, feel free to get in touch. You can call us on 07920 875189 or 01279 316304, email us at dave@dagas.co.uk or complete our online contact form.