Many people will have a horror story in winter or early spring of their boiler suddenly shutting off, sometimes with a cryptic error message, which requires either a lengthy search for the instruction manual or a call-out for an emergency boiler repair.
It is always important to call a gas-safe engineer if you are worried about your boiler and think that there might be a problem you do not feel comfortable fixing, but there are some minor issues that can be fixed.
One of the most common involves your boiler’s pressure, which needs to remain within a certain tolerance level to work safely. Too high or too low, and your boiler may not work as intended.
What is boiler pressure, how can you check it, and what can you do about it if the pressure is causing issues?
What Is Boiler Pressure?
Boiler pressure is the water pressure within your boiler and hot water system. Hot water expands as it reaches higher and higher temperatures, so in order for a boiler to effectively work, the hot water needs to be at a safe level of pressure for the boiler’s various components to handle it.
There is an ideal range for water pressure that is high enough for the systems to actually work and deliver hot water to taps, showers and radiators, depending on the specific setup for your hot water system.
Typically this range is between 1 and 1.5 bar when the boiler is not in operation, but this can vary considerably between boilers and it is important to check your boiler model to find the ideal pressure for operation.
How Do You Check Boiler Pressure?
Every boiler will have a pressure gauge which will vary by manufacturer but will show you at a glance the current water pressure. As long as the arrow is pointing to the green section, your boiler is working normally.
How Do You Fix Low Boiler Pressure Issues?
The most common reason why a boiler may suddenly stop working is due to low water pressure. This leads to no hot water coming from the taps and typically an error code displaying on the boiler.
Low boiler pressure is not uncommon, and most boilers will deal with it at least once a year during the winter months. It is thankfully also very easy to fix.
Most modern combi boilers have a series of switches or a pull lever which adds water to the system, which adds pressure to the system and often leads to the boiler working again as normal.
If it happens more than very occasionally, it could be caused by bleeding radiators or by a leak in the system, so mention it to your boiler engineer during their annual gas check.
How Do You Fix High Boiler Pressure?
High pressure is more of a problem and can cause potential mechanical faults. It can even be dangerous in some situations.
High boiler pressure is typically best fixed by a professional; it involves releasing water from the system and can potentially cause scalding injuries if not undertaken properly.
