Is there no power to your boiler? Having no access to hot water and heating can be extremely frustrating, especially during the colder months of the year.
It’s even worse if you are the type of person that likes to shower in the morning before work, and yet no power to the boiler is putting a downer on the day. It’s off-putting, frustrating and inconvenient.
So what may be causing no power to your boiler? And most importantly what can you do to fix it?
Fortunately, there are things you can do without always seeking professional help. Often, it only needs a simple DIY fix and in some cases, an engineer can have it sorted in no time at all.
With that said, let’s take a look at the possible reasons why there is no power to your boiler, and discuss what can be done about it….
No Power to Boiler Causes
1. Check the Fuses
The first port of call is to always check the fuses. Fuses are installed into electrical devices to ensure that components are not damaged in the event of a power surge.
Make sure first of all to check the main household fuse board and see if any of the switches have been flicked off. There may be a specific one for the boiler or the boiler may be routed through another junction depending on the way your household has been wired up.
Flick the associated switch back into its “on” position and reset your boiler. That should do the trick.
If the fuse board is fine, some boilers are plugged into a socket and will have a fuse within the plug itself or be running through a spur outlet that will also be fused. Check these too and replace any fuses that have blown.
When replacing a fuse, make sure to pay attention to the fuse amperage that is required for the boiler. It will say in the user manual, or if you haven’t got that, you may need to find the manual online or contact the manufacturer.
There’s no point in going by the amperage of the previous fuse because there is a possibility that the amperage of the fuse that has been used is incorrect and the reason you now have no power to the boiler.
If you need to reset your boiler too often, it may be a sign of a more significant fault, such as a central heating pump problem and if your boiler isn’t firing up for central heating or your boiler isn’t igniting, it may be time to consider getting a new boiler quote.
Nevertheless, if the fuse blows again after replacing it, this may mean your boiler has a severe fault where it’s trying to draw more power than intended. If not, then possibly the spur outlet is faulty or other faults could be occurring.
Either way, you should certainly get in contact with an engineer or electrician to inspect the appliance and determine whether it can be fixed or a replacement is needed.
2. Printed Circuit Board (PCB) Failure
Another potential problem with your boiler could lie within its PCB. The job of the PCB is to allow the components of the boiler or any device that has a PCB for that matter, to talk to each other and run as one unit.
It uses small conductive wires and electrical components to do this, and anywhere within this circuit, there could be a fault.
If there is a fault with the PCB this could mean that the boiler does have power running into it, but it will not switch on due to a failure in certain elements of the PCB circuit. This is not an uncommon issue when it comes to boilers not switching on.
It’s quite simple to test the PCB using a multimeter if you know what you are doing but, usually, these things are best left to certified professionals, especially when it comes to something as vital as your home boiler.
If the engineer does find a fault with the PCB, they may be able to fix it or they may need to replace it and depending on the supplier and quality of the PCB, this could cost anywhere up to £500.
If you’re in need of a new combination boiler, this guide on the best combi boilers is a good place to start.
3. Power Light Issues (LED Light Failure)
Boilers have become so advanced now that they can be on and working perfectly but they are so quiet, you can hardly tell. That’s why they have LED lights on them so that you can see whether or not it is on.
One problem may be that simply there is a problem with the LED bulb of the power light or possibly its connection to the circuit. Just like with a PCB, it’s very easy to determine whether this is the problem but since it’s a boiler, it is highly encouraged to have a professional do it.
If this is the problem then it’s a simple fix, as all that is required is a replacement bulb or for it to be rewired correctly, both being cheap and easy options.
Related boiler problems:
- How to descale a boiler.
- Boiler overheating.
- What is the age of your boiler?
- How to balance your radiators.
- Faulty boiler heat exchanger.
- Boiler PCB faults.
- Boiler not igniting.
- No power to your boiler.
4. Faulty Electric Meter
So, it’s pretty obvious that you would have noticed if you don’t have any credit on your electric meter because the boiler wouldn’t have been the only appliance with no power going to it.
But it’s still worth keeping in mind after carrying out other checks and speaking to an engineer that there is a possibility that there is a fault with the electric meter itself.
It’s not highly likely, but the reason it’s being mentioned here is because it has happened and only your utility provider can check and fix this, so it may be worth giving them a call if all else has failed.
Is your boiler pressure too high? Or is your boiler leaking water? If your boiler is old, past its warranty, it may be time for a new boiler replacement.
No Power to Boiler Final Words
When using your boiler, checking for information or performing tasks such as replacing fuses, it’s a no brainer to always consult the user manual. They can easily be found online if you don’t have the physical copy, as long as you know the make and model of your boiler.
And finally, we know it is stressful and frustrating to have a boiler not working, but it’s not worth accidentally causing more problems which could end up costing you more money in repairs or a replacement, or worse yet, cause an accident.
Ultimately, working on a boiler is something that should not be taken lightly and, particularly when working inside of the boiler, should always be left to a gas certified engineer who knows exactly what they’re doing and can test why there is no power to your boiler in a safe and professional way.
Boiler brand faults:
