Christmas may be the most wonderful time of year. But catch yourself without heating and hot water during the winter months and a festive spirit may quickly give way to a gloomy nightmare if you don’t pay close attention. For those that have experienced a cold home for any length of time, you’ll know that it simply isn’t pleasant.

So, it pays to understand when your boiler may be on its last legs, how to massage it back to life and when to call in the experts in boiler installation, Essex.

Let’s take a closer look at some of the common issues and warning signs that will require you to leap into action.

The boiler is leaking

More often than not, leaks are caused by an internal component. In many instances the leak can be traced to the pressure valve – too much pressure can put strain on the seal, wear it out and even damage the pipes in the system. Corrosion is also a risk factor that can lead to the pipes springing a leak.

It’s not easy to fully diagnose a leak yourself, so in this particular instance it is usually best to call in an expert quickly if you aren’t confident and competent with the central heating yourself.

Pressure dropping too low

Checking the pressure gauge on your boiler is something you should do on a regular basis. And if the hot water stops flowing, checking the pressure should always be your first port of call. Generally, speaking you should aim to keep things at 1.5 bar, but if it has fallen below 1 the pressure is too low for proper boiler function.

Low boiler pressure can be caused be a variety of different problems, including a system leak, radiator bleeding or even an internal failure. At times, though, the issue needs nothing more than a quick addition of pressure by turning the tap under the boiler for a few seconds.

If this doesn’t work, resort to calling an expert to investigate further.

Pipes are frozen

Mother nature can be cruel. If cold water has frozen in the pipes, the blockage can cause all kinds of problem. Firstly, the expansion into ice can potentially crack the pipes themselves. But even if this doesn’t happen, the blockage can affect the smooth flow of water, even seeing condensate flow back into the boiler itself.

This issue can usually be easily fixed by using hot water to thaw your pipes. If you aren’t confident doing it yourself then call out an engineer to help. You should always check that the condensate pipes fitted are suitable for their environment.

Radiator issues

It is often possible to tell if a boiler issue can be traced back to the radiator if you spot cold patches on radiators, even when they’ve been on for some time. This is often a sign of heavily sludged radiators. Sludge and air build-ups both cause unequal distribution of heat across radiators. Bleeding radiators can usually solve these problems – unless the entire system needs flushing, in which case you may be better advised to speak to a plumber.

Cleansing and flushing can be done as part of new boiler installation. Essex is an example of an area with hard water that is more likely to accumulate sludge.

The boiler is making loud noises

There’s no doubt that boilers make a bit of noise from time to time. The sound of heating water, a gas flame and expanding pipes usually isn’t anything to get too concerned about. However, if things begin to get deafening, it’s probably time to get it checked out. Exceptional noise can be caused by air in the system, low pressure, a build-up of limescale, or a faulty pump. But with the help of an experienced engineer you can get to the root of this problem.

Complete breakdown

Unfortunately, there are times when your boiler’s life has simply come to an end. This may have been caused because you’ve failed to address one of the issues mentioned above, or just because the boiler is old and multiple parts have worn down.

In this case, you will likely need a new boiler fitted. But don’t be too disheartened: if your boiler is a decade or more old the likelihood is that your new boiler will be substantially more efficient and will save you significantly on your energy bills over time.