Dealing With a Boiler Breakdown
When your heating and hot water suddenly fail — especially during a cold Kent winter — it's stressful. Before you panic, here's a step-by-step guide on what to check safely and when to call in a professional.
Step 1: Check the Basics
First, check your thermostat is set correctly and the timer hasn't tripped. Make sure the power supply to the boiler is switched on and that no household RCD has tripped on your consumer unit.
Step 2: Check the Boiler Pressure
Most combi and system boilers need a pressure of around 1.0–1.5 bar when cold. If the needle has dropped below 1 bar, the boiler will lock out for safety. You can usually repressurise via the filling loop — but if pressure keeps dropping, you likely have a leak that needs a professional.
Step 3: Reset the Boiler
Most modern boilers have a reset button. Hold it for a few seconds and see if the boiler fires up. If it locks out again immediately, don't keep resetting — there's a fault that needs diagnosing.
Step 4: Smell Gas? Act Immediately
If you can smell gas or suspect a leak, do not operate any electrical switches. Open windows, turn off the gas at the meter if safe to do so, and call the National Gas Emergency Service on 0800 111 999 straight away.
Step 5: Call a Gas Safe Engineer
For breakdowns that aren't simple fixes, it's time to call in the professionals. At Gascade Ltd, we offer rapid callouts across Gravesend, Northfleet and the wider Kent area to diagnose and repair faults — from faulty diverter valves and pumps to ignition and PCB issues.
Prevent Breakdowns With Annual Servicing
The best way to avoid a winter breakdown is prevention. An annual Gas Safe service keeps your boiler efficient, validates your manufacturer warranty and catches small faults before they become expensive failures.