05 / 06 Boilers & gas safety
Emergency Boiler Repair
When the boiler stops, the house gets cold quickly and there is no hot water for washing. A boiler breakdown is stressful, especially with children, older people or someone unwell at home. Our emergency boiler repair service gets an engineer to the fault, makes the boiler safe and repairs it properly. All work on the boiler is carried out by Gas Safe registered engineers, as the law requires.
Emergency boiler repairs are part of our plumbing services.
Smell gas or hear a carbon monoxide alarm? Read the next section first.
- Part ofPlumbing Services
- On this page9 topics covered
- Answered here6 common questions
- FreeSurvey & itemised quote
01Safety first
If You Smell Gas or Your CO Alarm Sounds
A Smell of Gas
Do not turn any electrical switches on or off, and do not light anything. Open doors and windows to let air in. If you can reach the gas meter safely, turn the lever on the pipe so it sits across the pipe, which shuts off the gas. Then get everyone outside and call the National Gas Emergency number on 0800 111 999. Their engineer will make the supply safe; once they have, we can repair or replace the faulty appliance.
A Carbon Monoxide Alarm
Carbon monoxide has no smell, so treat an alarm as real. Turn off the boiler and other gas appliances if you can, open the windows, leave the house and call 0800 111 999. If anyone has a headache, dizziness, sickness or breathlessness, get medical help straight away by calling NHS 111, or 999 if someone is seriously ill. Do not use the boiler again until an engineer has checked it.
02What to do
What to Do If Your Boiler Breaks Down
If there is no gas smell and no alarm, these checks often find the cause, or give the engineer useful information:
- 1
Check other gas appliances. If the hob will not light either, the problem is the gas supply. A prepayment meter may have run out of credit.
- 2
Check the power. Make sure the boiler's fused spur is switched on and nothing has tripped at the consumer unit.
- 3
Check the pressure gauge. If it has fallen to near zero, the boiler will lock out. Our boiler repair page explains pressure in more detail.
- 4
Check the thermostat and programmer. Turn the thermostat up and check the timer is on. Replace the batteries in a wireless thermostat.
- 5
Reset once. Follow the manual. If it locks out again, stop and call.
- 6
Note the fault code and send us a photo of the display and the data badge on WhatsApp, so the engineer can bring the likely parts.
03Not firing
Why Is My Boiler Not Firing Up?
The most common reasons are:
- No gas reaching the boiler, from the supply, the meter or a failed gas valve.
- Low system pressure, which stops the boiler lighting to protect it.
- A frozen or blocked condensate pipe, especially in freezing weather.
- Ignition or flame sensor faults, so the boiler tries to light and then locks out.
- A failed fan, PCB or sensor.
- The controls not asking for heat, from a thermostat, timer or wireless receiver fault.
04Frozen condensate
How to Thaw a Frozen Condensate Pipe
In freezing weather, the plastic condensate pipe that runs outside can freeze, and the boiler shuts down. You may hear gurgling from the boiler, or see a fault code.
- 1
Find the pipe where it leaves the wall, usually low down near a drain.
- 2
Pour warm water, not boiling, slowly along the pipe, especially at bends and the open end, or hold a hot water bottle against it. Boiling water can crack the pipe and scald you.
- 3
Reset the boiler as the manual describes.
Only do this if the pipe is at ground level and safe to reach; do not climb a ladder in icy conditions. If it keeps happening, the pipe can be rerouted, enlarged or insulated as a planned repair.
05Is it an emergency?
Is No Hot Water an Emergency?
It can be, depending on who lives there and the weather.
| Emergency: call now | Urgent, but can usually be booked | Different service |
|---|---|---|
| No heating in cold weather, with a baby, an older person or someone unwell at home | No hot water, but heating works, with other ways to wash | Whole heating system failure, radiators or underfloor heating: emergency heating services |
| Water leaking from the boiler that you cannot stop | A boiler that keeps losing pressure | Burst pipe or water through a ceiling: emergency plumbing |
| A boiler that will not reset after a lockout | An intermittent fault code | Electrics tripping or wet: emergency electrical services |
If the boiler is leaking, turn it off at the fused spur, isolate the water if you can, and keep away from wet electrics.
Until it is fixed, an immersion heater or electric shower can still give you hot water, if you have one. Never use a gas cooker or oven to heat a room, and never bring a barbecue or outdoor heater indoors.
If you rent your home, contact your landlord or letting agent first, as repairing the heating and hot water is normally the landlord's responsibility.
06When we arrive
What We Do When We Arrive
- 1
Make safe: check for gas, carbon monoxide risk and water near electrics.
- 2
Find the fault: read the fault history and test the components.
- 3
Repair: fit the part if it is available. If a part has to be ordered, we make the boiler safe and explain what happens next.
- 4
Test: gas tightness, combustion and safety devices are checked before the boiler is back in use.
- 5
Advise: if a repair is not sensible, we explain the options, including boiler replacement, and give you a written note of what we found.
Regular boiler servicing catches many of the faults that cause breakdowns.
07Cost
How Much Is an Emergency Boiler Call Out?
It depends on the time of day, the fault and the parts needed. We tell you how the visit will be charged, including any call-out charge, before we set off, and we explain the cost of the repair before we carry it out.
Every factor is priced line by line after your free survey — no guesswork, staged payments.
Call 020 0000 0000- 01
If your boiler is still under the manufacturer's warranty, or you have boiler cover or home emergency insurance, check with them first, as they may need to send their own engineer.
08Areas
Emergency Boiler Services Across London
We cover emergency boiler repairs across London, with a focus on east and south-east London. Find out more on our pages for emergency boiler services in London, emergency boiler services in Ilford, emergency boiler services in Barking, emergency boiler services in Dagenham, emergency boiler services in East Ham and emergency boiler services in Orpington.
09FAQs
Emergency Boiler FAQs
What should I do if my boiler breaks down?
Check other gas appliances, the power, the pressure gauge and the thermostat, then reset the boiler once. If it locks out again, note the fault code and call an engineer.
How much is an emergency boiler call out?
It depends on the time of day, the fault and the parts. We tell you how the visit will be charged, including any call-out charge, before we set off.
Why is my boiler not firing up?
Common causes are no gas supply, low pressure, a frozen condensate pipe, an ignition fault, a failed part, or controls that are not asking for heat.
Is no hot water an emergency?
It is if there is a baby, an older person or someone unwell at home, or the boiler is leaking. If you have other ways to wash and the heating works, it can usually be booked.
What should I do if my carbon monoxide alarm goes off?
Turn off gas appliances if you can, open windows, leave the house and call 0800 111 999. Get medical help if anyone feels unwell.
How do I thaw a frozen condensate pipe?
Pour warm, not boiling, water slowly along the outside pipe, or hold a hot water bottle against it, then reset the boiler.
11Plumbing Services
Explore other boiler services
Next step
Call Us About Your Boiler
Make sure it is safe, run through the checks above, then call us or send the fault code on WhatsApp. We will tell you what happens next and how the visit will be charged.
For non-urgent boiler faults, use our contact form.
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- Itemised written quote
- One project manager