My boiler is losing pressure – what should I do?

There’s no need to panic if a boiler is losing pressure, especially if you have a boiler breakdown cover service plan with 247 Home Rescue! Our specialist contractors are performing boiler repairs 24/7, so we can help you out no matter what day of the year it is.

 

If your boiler pressure is too low, it doesn’t always require an emergency repair from a Gas Safe-registered engineer; you may be able to resolve the problem yourself if you need to repressurise the boiler, and it might just take you a few minutes.

 

Modern boilers have in-built pressure gauges you can use to easily check if there is a loss of pressure. Boilers need constant water pressure to function properly; water flows in to the boiler from the mains water supply and keeps the boiler pressure at a relatively constant level. Most boilers should be at one bar of pressure; the pressure gauge may have red marks to indicate when the pressure is too high or too low, or there may be a red needle to mark the ideal water pressure for the boiler.

 

 

Check for leaks

Leaking pipework, leaking boilers and leaking radiators can all lead to a loss of pressure in boilers. Take a look around your house to see if there are any unusual damp patches around your central heating system fittings or in your ceiling, or if there are any visible leaks. You may be able to repair the plumbing yourself, although don’t attempt any repairs if you are not confident about what you are doing as you may make the matter worse, or even put your health in danger. Don’t attempt to remove the boiler cover or panel unless you are Gas Safe-registered and qualified to work on domestic gas boilers – doing so is actually illegal and is very dangerous.

 

Check the instructions on the boiler

Most boilers come with instructions on the panel or in the user manual, and these instructions should tell you how to easily repressurise the system. There may be a tap you can use to refill the water in the boiler, or a screw you need to twist to recalibrate the system. If there is nothing wrong with your boiler, repressurising it should be a doddle.

 

Is your pressure release valve broken?

If you can’t figure out what is wrong with your boiler, then the problem may be within the appliance itself. The pressure relief valve allows water to exit the boiler when the pressure becomes too high. You may be able to see the discharge pipe that leads from the pressure relief valve outside your house; if it is leaking or if there are stains around the boiler, this may be the problem.

 

You will likely not be able to resolve this problem without the help of a Gas Safe-registered engineer; you should not fiddle around with the internal components of a boiler if you are not qualified to do so. If the previous advice has not helped you repressurise your boiler or if the boiler pressure keeps dropping, I’m afraid you’ll have to call in the experts!

 

Still having trouble?

Don’t attempt to touch any part of your boiler or central heating system if you’re unsure. Did you know? It’s illegal for anyone to use a gas appliance if they think it’s unsafe. It’s always better to be safe than sorry as you could make things worse.

 

Instead, call us on 0345 3192 247 and we can help. Our technical team will run through some simple troubleshooting to see if your problem can be resolved on the phone or they can book one of our friendly and knowledgeable Gas Safe registered engineers to get you back up and running as soon as possible. 

 

 

On the other hand, if your boiler pressure is too high, our help guide could help you solve the problem.

 

 

247 Home Rescue accepts no liability for any injuries or damages you sustain following the advice on this website. If in doubt, seek professional assistance.