If you smell gas or a CO alarm sounds
This is not a boiler fault to troubleshoot. Leave the property, open doors and windows if it is safe, do not use switches or naked flames, and call the National Gas Emergency Service on 0800 111 999, which is free and open 24 hours. See our guide to carbon monoxide and gas appliance safety.
Quick checks
Check the thermostat and programmer, as holiday schedules and flat batteries catch people out. Look at the pressure gauge, which should not be near zero (why a boiler loses pressure). Check whether other gas appliances work, and if you have a prepayment meter, check the credit. Note any fault code (common boiler fault codes) and try one reset as your manual describes.
Is it an emergency?
No heating is not always an emergency, but it is more urgent in freezing weather or with babies, older people or anyone unwell at home. Leaks are different, so see what counts as a plumbing emergency and know how to turn off your stopcock.
Keeping warm until it is fixed
Use electric heaters safely, close doors to keep heat in the rooms you use and layer up. Never use a gas oven, hob or barbecue to heat a room, as this can produce carbon monoxide.
Before the next cold snap
A yearly service catches many problems early (how often a boiler should be serviced). It also helps to keep an engineer’s number and your boiler details to hand.
Boiler down over the holidays? Call us and we will tell you how soon we can get to you.
Call about a breakdown
