Boiler Not Firing Up? Find Out Why & How to Fix It
By: Becky Mckay
Updated: 19th September 2023
When your boiler isn't firing up for central heating or domestic hot water, it's an issue that you'll want to get sorted as quickly as possible.
Fortunately, there are some simple checks you can make, which we'll take you through in this article.
If your boiler still isn't igniting after making those checks, then you can use this article to find out the potential fault, some of which you can tackle yourself, but for the most part you'll need to hire a Gas Safe registered engineer.
Our team at Boiler Guide can help you hire a Gas Safe registered for a fair price. Click the button below and we’ll send you up to 3 free quotes from heating engineers near you. You can then compare their offers and choose the best deal.
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4.7 /5
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27,100
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1,8 million quotes provided in 10 years
This was the hassle free way of finding a boiler company in my local area for a quote. I recieved 3 quotes and I was very satisfied. The job is complete and I'm now saving on my usage. I would highly recommend using Boiler Guide.
Mr Neil Cutsforth
Boiler Guide is the go-to to find the best boiler at a reasonable price and good installer. The experience has shown me to do your research properly when you are thinking of spending a lot of money. Boiler Guide was in touch to check if I found an installer. Thank you Boiler Guide
Shirley Feshitan
Brilliant service. Was getting a headache from other plumbers with extortionate prices. Saves a lot of hassle ringing around. Really pleased. Thank you.
Berni Byrne
This was the hassle free way of finding a boiler company in my local area for a quote. I recieved 3 quotes and I was very satisfied. The job is complete and I'm now saving on my usage. I would highly recommend using Boiler Guide.
Mr Neil Cutsforth
Boiler Guide is the go-to to find the best boiler at a reasonable price and good installer. The experience has shown me to do your research properly when you are thinking of spending a lot of money. Boiler Guide was in touch to check if I found an installer. Thank you Boiler Guide
Shirley Feshitan
Brilliant service. Was getting a headache from other plumbers with extortionate prices. Saves a lot of hassle ringing around. Really pleased. Thank you.
Berni Byrne
This was the hassle free way of finding a boiler company in my local area for a quote. I recieved 3 quotes and I was very satisfied. The job is complete and I'm now saving on my usage. I would highly recommend using Boiler Guide.
Mr Neil Cutsforth
Submitted my request and I received a phone call within 30 minutes to confirm what I needed. Received a list of potential installers the next day who all rang me and arranged a time to come round. Great service and it saved time which I didn't have as my boiler had stopped working.
K Patel
I was very impressed with this service. Within an hour of completing the form online I had a phone call from an advisor who confirmed that I would like to proceed. In the next two hours I had made appointments with three companies, all of whom have now been and given their quotations, within 48 hours of deciding to get a new boiler. We have proceeded with one of these companies and now have a date for installation. Excellent.
Steve W
Boilerguide emailed me 3 potential companies and within minutes one called me and visited my home and gave me a quote which i accepted and i'm having a new boiler installed within a few days i'm delighted with the result thank you boilerguide
Ted Billingham
Submitted my request and I received a phone call within 30 minutes to confirm what I needed. Received a list of potential installers the next day who all rang me and arranged a time to come round. Great service and it saved time which I didn't have as my boiler had stopped working.
K Patel
I was very impressed with this service. Within an hour of completing the form online I had a phone call from an advisor who confirmed that I would like to proceed. In the next two hours I had made appointments with three companies, all of whom have now been and given their quotations, within 48 hours of deciding to get a new boiler. We have proceeded with one of these companies and now have a date for installation. Excellent.
Steve W
Boilerguide emailed me 3 potential companies and within minutes one called me and visited my home and gave me a quote which i accepted and i'm having a new boiler installed within a few days i'm delighted with the result thank you boilerguide
Ted Billingham
Submitted my request and I received a phone call within 30 minutes to confirm what I needed. Received a list of potential installers the next day who all rang me and arranged a time to come round. Great service and it saved time which I didn't have as my boiler had stopped working.
K Patel
An easy to use website. Boiler guide gave me all the information I needed to choose a reliable company to remove and install my new boiler even although it was Christmas week. I would highly recommend anyone to check out boiler guide if they're looking to replace a boiler or radiators.
Margaret Arbuckle
Boiler Guide were excellent. I was already stressed having just been told my boiler was beyond repair, no idea of cost. Boiler guide made it all much easier, located people local to me and trusted to give me quotes. Really took some of the stress away from searching online myself. Highly recommended. Thank you
Julie Walker
Boiler guide is an excellent, quick & easy way to source businesses to provide quotes to have boiler replaced.
Sandra Emmerson
An easy to use website. Boiler guide gave me all the information I needed to choose a reliable company to remove and install my new boiler even although it was Christmas week. I would highly recommend anyone to check out boiler guide if they're looking to replace a boiler or radiators.
Margaret Arbuckle
Boiler Guide were excellent. I was already stressed having just been told my boiler was beyond repair, no idea of cost. Boiler guide made it all much easier, located people local to me and trusted to give me quotes. Really took some of the stress away from searching online myself. Highly recommended. Thank you
Julie Walker
Boiler guide is an excellent, quick & easy way to source businesses to provide quotes to have boiler replaced.
Sandra Emmerson
An easy to use website. Boiler guide gave me all the information I needed to choose a reliable company to remove and install my new boiler even although it was Christmas week. I would highly recommend anyone to check out boiler guide if they're looking to replace a boiler or radiators.
Margaret Arbuckle
Super efficient in finding 3 local firms to quote. All 3 got in touch the same day to arrange appointments and all 3 came within the next day. Great to be able to compare products and prices and I signed up with the best for me straight away
Joanne Barlow
Obtained names of 3 installers in my area, all of whom responded and visited very promptly. All 3 very professional, polite and gave estimates at time of visit, followed up by e-mailed quotes. Also answered my questions at time of visit and subsequently via e-mail. Found Boiler Guide very helpful in reducing time that might have been wasted trawling through local lists.
Lindsay Nicoll
The guys that came round were very professional and polite told us everything we needed to know and left the area spotless thanks
S Harding
Super efficient in finding 3 local firms to quote. All 3 got in touch the same day to arrange appointments and all 3 came within the next day. Great to be able to compare products and prices and I signed up with the best for me straight away
Joanne Barlow
Obtained names of 3 installers in my area, all of whom responded and visited very promptly. All 3 very professional, polite and gave estimates at time of visit, followed up by e-mailed quotes. Also answered my questions at time of visit and subsequently via e-mail. Found Boiler Guide very helpful in reducing time that might have been wasted trawling through local lists.
Lindsay Nicoll
The guys that came round were very professional and polite told us everything we needed to know and left the area spotless thanks
S Harding
Super efficient in finding 3 local firms to quote. All 3 got in touch the same day to arrange appointments and all 3 came within the next day. Great to be able to compare products and prices and I signed up with the best for me straight away
Joanne Barlow
Boiler Guide phoned me as soon as I had entered my details. Within a few minutes, 3 very professional companies called me and arranged to survey the same day. By the evening I had received 3 quotes to replace my boiler. I was very impressed with the service I received from both Boiler guide and their appointed gas specialists.
Sarah Bicknell
Having had an issue with my existing 18 year old boiler. I found the Boiler Guide online. Excellent and quick service, plus excellent customer services. They contacted me to find out what I was looking for and then informed me that three quotations would be in touch. They also supplied the details of the companies. They contacted me, next day, to ensure that the selected suppliers had been in touch and either supplied a quotation or were due to visit. Takes all the hassle away!
G@Southampton
Excellent. A rep called almost immediately after my enquiry. She was pleasant, helpful and this was a bank holiday. 3 engineers called really quickly so this platform is a superb service that takes the faff out of looking for heating engineers.
Windsor Browning
Boiler Guide phoned me as soon as I had entered my details. Within a few minutes, 3 very professional companies called me and arranged to survey the same day. By the evening I had received 3 quotes to replace my boiler. I was very impressed with the service I received from both Boiler guide and their appointed gas specialists.
Sarah Bicknell
Having had an issue with my existing 18 year old boiler. I found the Boiler Guide online. Excellent and quick service, plus excellent customer services. They contacted me to find out what I was looking for and then informed me that three quotations would be in touch. They also supplied the details of the companies. They contacted me, next day, to ensure that the selected suppliers had been in touch and either supplied a quotation or were due to visit. Takes all the hassle away!
G@Southampton
Excellent. A rep called almost immediately after my enquiry. She was pleasant, helpful and this was a bank holiday. 3 engineers called really quickly so this platform is a superb service that takes the faff out of looking for heating engineers.
Windsor Browning
Boiler Guide phoned me as soon as I had entered my details. Within a few minutes, 3 very professional companies called me and arranged to survey the same day. By the evening I had received 3 quotes to replace my boiler. I was very impressed with the service I received from both Boiler guide and their appointed gas specialists.
Sarah Bicknell
Quick checks to make
There are many possible reasons why a boiler won't ignite, leaving your home without central heating. Fortunately, there are a few simple checks you can make that could get your boiler firing up again in no time.
Thermostat setting
If the room is at a higher temperature than the thermostat is set to then the central heating won't come on. Double check the temperature on the thermostat and increase it – many homes consider the best thermostat temperature to be between 18-21°C.
Timer
After a power cut the timer on the boiler might have reset, meaning that the boiler won't fire up when you expect. Take a look through the instruction manual that came with your boiler to find out how to set the times you'd like your boiler to automatically ignite.
Fuse box
In the event that there's no power to the boiler whatsoever, but other electric and gas appliances are working, check the fuse box as there might be a tripped switch.
Prepayment meter
For any homes with a prepayment meter, it's worth checking that it has enough credit for the central heating to work. If not, simply topping it up should get your boiler to ignite.
No gas supply
Check other gas appliances around your home, such as the stove, to see if they're working. If not, then there might be an issue with the gas supply to your home. At this point, you could either contact your gas supplier or the Gas Emergency Service on 0800 111 999.
Reset your boiler
Sometimes all the boiler needs a restart to get fire up again. You can find a guide to take you through How to Reset Your Boiler on Boiler Guide but it's also important to have the manufacturer instruction manual to hand too.
If you've been through these checks and still aren't having any luck getting your boiler to ignite, then there's likely to be an issue that needs resolving.
In this case, you should contact a qualified heating engineer to help repair your boiler. Click the button below to receive up to 3 free, no-obligation quotes and have your boiler repaired as quickly as possible.
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Quickly compare 3 FREE quotes
4.7 /5
out of
27,100
reviews
1,8 million quotes provided in 10 years
This was the hassle free way of finding a boiler company in my local area for a quote. I recieved 3 quotes and I was very satisfied. The job is complete and I'm now saving on my usage. I would highly recommend using Boiler Guide.
Mr Neil Cutsforth
Boiler Guide is the go-to to find the best boiler at a reasonable price and good installer. The experience has shown me to do your research properly when you are thinking of spending a lot of money. Boiler Guide was in touch to check if I found an installer. Thank you Boiler Guide
Shirley Feshitan
Brilliant service. Was getting a headache from other plumbers with extortionate prices. Saves a lot of hassle ringing around. Really pleased. Thank you.
Berni Byrne
This was the hassle free way of finding a boiler company in my local area for a quote. I recieved 3 quotes and I was very satisfied. The job is complete and I'm now saving on my usage. I would highly recommend using Boiler Guide.
Mr Neil Cutsforth
Boiler Guide is the go-to to find the best boiler at a reasonable price and good installer. The experience has shown me to do your research properly when you are thinking of spending a lot of money. Boiler Guide was in touch to check if I found an installer. Thank you Boiler Guide
Shirley Feshitan
Brilliant service. Was getting a headache from other plumbers with extortionate prices. Saves a lot of hassle ringing around. Really pleased. Thank you.
Berni Byrne
This was the hassle free way of finding a boiler company in my local area for a quote. I recieved 3 quotes and I was very satisfied. The job is complete and I'm now saving on my usage. I would highly recommend using Boiler Guide.
Mr Neil Cutsforth
Submitted my request and I received a phone call within 30 minutes to confirm what I needed. Received a list of potential installers the next day who all rang me and arranged a time to come round. Great service and it saved time which I didn't have as my boiler had stopped working.
K Patel
I was very impressed with this service. Within an hour of completing the form online I had a phone call from an advisor who confirmed that I would like to proceed. In the next two hours I had made appointments with three companies, all of whom have now been and given their quotations, within 48 hours of deciding to get a new boiler. We have proceeded with one of these companies and now have a date for installation. Excellent.
Steve W
Boilerguide emailed me 3 potential companies and within minutes one called me and visited my home and gave me a quote which i accepted and i'm having a new boiler installed within a few days i'm delighted with the result thank you boilerguide
Ted Billingham
Submitted my request and I received a phone call within 30 minutes to confirm what I needed. Received a list of potential installers the next day who all rang me and arranged a time to come round. Great service and it saved time which I didn't have as my boiler had stopped working.
K Patel
I was very impressed with this service. Within an hour of completing the form online I had a phone call from an advisor who confirmed that I would like to proceed. In the next two hours I had made appointments with three companies, all of whom have now been and given their quotations, within 48 hours of deciding to get a new boiler. We have proceeded with one of these companies and now have a date for installation. Excellent.
Steve W
Boilerguide emailed me 3 potential companies and within minutes one called me and visited my home and gave me a quote which i accepted and i'm having a new boiler installed within a few days i'm delighted with the result thank you boilerguide
Ted Billingham
Submitted my request and I received a phone call within 30 minutes to confirm what I needed. Received a list of potential installers the next day who all rang me and arranged a time to come round. Great service and it saved time which I didn't have as my boiler had stopped working.
K Patel
An easy to use website. Boiler guide gave me all the information I needed to choose a reliable company to remove and install my new boiler even although it was Christmas week. I would highly recommend anyone to check out boiler guide if they're looking to replace a boiler or radiators.
Margaret Arbuckle
Boiler Guide were excellent. I was already stressed having just been told my boiler was beyond repair, no idea of cost. Boiler guide made it all much easier, located people local to me and trusted to give me quotes. Really took some of the stress away from searching online myself. Highly recommended. Thank you
Julie Walker
Boiler guide is an excellent, quick & easy way to source businesses to provide quotes to have boiler replaced.
Sandra Emmerson
An easy to use website. Boiler guide gave me all the information I needed to choose a reliable company to remove and install my new boiler even although it was Christmas week. I would highly recommend anyone to check out boiler guide if they're looking to replace a boiler or radiators.
Margaret Arbuckle
Boiler Guide were excellent. I was already stressed having just been told my boiler was beyond repair, no idea of cost. Boiler guide made it all much easier, located people local to me and trusted to give me quotes. Really took some of the stress away from searching online myself. Highly recommended. Thank you
Julie Walker
Boiler guide is an excellent, quick & easy way to source businesses to provide quotes to have boiler replaced.
Sandra Emmerson
An easy to use website. Boiler guide gave me all the information I needed to choose a reliable company to remove and install my new boiler even although it was Christmas week. I would highly recommend anyone to check out boiler guide if they're looking to replace a boiler or radiators.
Margaret Arbuckle
Super efficient in finding 3 local firms to quote. All 3 got in touch the same day to arrange appointments and all 3 came within the next day. Great to be able to compare products and prices and I signed up with the best for me straight away
Joanne Barlow
Obtained names of 3 installers in my area, all of whom responded and visited very promptly. All 3 very professional, polite and gave estimates at time of visit, followed up by e-mailed quotes. Also answered my questions at time of visit and subsequently via e-mail. Found Boiler Guide very helpful in reducing time that might have been wasted trawling through local lists.
Lindsay Nicoll
The guys that came round were very professional and polite told us everything we needed to know and left the area spotless thanks
S Harding
Super efficient in finding 3 local firms to quote. All 3 got in touch the same day to arrange appointments and all 3 came within the next day. Great to be able to compare products and prices and I signed up with the best for me straight away
Joanne Barlow
Obtained names of 3 installers in my area, all of whom responded and visited very promptly. All 3 very professional, polite and gave estimates at time of visit, followed up by e-mailed quotes. Also answered my questions at time of visit and subsequently via e-mail. Found Boiler Guide very helpful in reducing time that might have been wasted trawling through local lists.
Lindsay Nicoll
The guys that came round were very professional and polite told us everything we needed to know and left the area spotless thanks
S Harding
Super efficient in finding 3 local firms to quote. All 3 got in touch the same day to arrange appointments and all 3 came within the next day. Great to be able to compare products and prices and I signed up with the best for me straight away
Joanne Barlow
Boiler Guide phoned me as soon as I had entered my details. Within a few minutes, 3 very professional companies called me and arranged to survey the same day. By the evening I had received 3 quotes to replace my boiler. I was very impressed with the service I received from both Boiler guide and their appointed gas specialists.
Sarah Bicknell
Having had an issue with my existing 18 year old boiler. I found the Boiler Guide online. Excellent and quick service, plus excellent customer services. They contacted me to find out what I was looking for and then informed me that three quotations would be in touch. They also supplied the details of the companies. They contacted me, next day, to ensure that the selected suppliers had been in touch and either supplied a quotation or were due to visit. Takes all the hassle away!
G@Southampton
Excellent. A rep called almost immediately after my enquiry. She was pleasant, helpful and this was a bank holiday. 3 engineers called really quickly so this platform is a superb service that takes the faff out of looking for heating engineers.
Windsor Browning
Boiler Guide phoned me as soon as I had entered my details. Within a few minutes, 3 very professional companies called me and arranged to survey the same day. By the evening I had received 3 quotes to replace my boiler. I was very impressed with the service I received from both Boiler guide and their appointed gas specialists.
Sarah Bicknell
Having had an issue with my existing 18 year old boiler. I found the Boiler Guide online. Excellent and quick service, plus excellent customer services. They contacted me to find out what I was looking for and then informed me that three quotations would be in touch. They also supplied the details of the companies. They contacted me, next day, to ensure that the selected suppliers had been in touch and either supplied a quotation or were due to visit. Takes all the hassle away!
G@Southampton
Excellent. A rep called almost immediately after my enquiry. She was pleasant, helpful and this was a bank holiday. 3 engineers called really quickly so this platform is a superb service that takes the faff out of looking for heating engineers.
Windsor Browning
Boiler Guide phoned me as soon as I had entered my details. Within a few minutes, 3 very professional companies called me and arranged to survey the same day. By the evening I had received 3 quotes to replace my boiler. I was very impressed with the service I received from both Boiler guide and their appointed gas specialists.
Sarah Bicknell
Issues with the Heating System
After going through the steps above and finding that the boiler still won't ignite, it's time to consider potential faults with the heating system.
There are many issues that could get in the way of a boiler firing up, so you might want to hire a heating engineer to find the fault and get it fixed.
Boiler pressure
Boiler pressure is a reading of the pressure of hot water that's circulating around the central heating system. Ideally, the boiler in your home should have a boiler pressure of between 1-2 bar, preferably 1.5 bar – you can check the boiler pressure on the pressure gauge.
Should the boiler pressure be too low (below 1 bar), then the boiler will fail to work, while high boiler pressure (over 2 bar), can put unnecessary strain on the boiler and could lead to it breaking down.
A boiler will gradually lose pressure over time but if there's been a sudden drop it's often a sign that there's a leak in the system or the radiators need bleeding (which we'll come one later). If you find a leak, no matter how small, turn the water supply off and contact a qualified heating engineer.
Follow our step-by-step guide to increasing boiler pressure to get it back to the right level. If the boiler pressure is too high, then you might need to bleed at least 1 of the radiators around your home.
Air in the radiators
When you turn the central heating on, hot water gets circulated around the pipes, filling the radiators which then heat up the room. If you've noticed that only the bottom of the radiator is heating up, or the radiator isn't heating up altogether, then air is trapped in the radiators which prevents hot water from filling the entire radiator.
Bleeding the radiators releases the trapped air, allowing the hot water to heat them up properly. You can bleed radiators yourself, we have a handy guide to bleeding a radiator on Boiler Guide, but you can always hire a heating engineer to do it for you.
Frozen condensate pipe
The condensate pipe is an essential part of condensing boilers, leading acidic waste water away from the boiler and down a drain outside your property. Being outside makes condensate pipes susceptible to freezing during freezing temperatures, causing a blockage that prevents the water from leaving the boiler. Should this happen, the boiler will recognise that it isn't safe to operate and lockout until the condensate pipe has thawed out.
So, if you're reading this during the winter months then there's a good chance that your condensate pipe has frozen. To help you identify a frozen condensate pipe, your boiler should display an error code.
Should the condensate pipe be frozen, you can either attempt to thaw it out yourself or hire a professional heating engineer to do it for you. If you feel confident enough to do it yourself, follow the steps in our guide on How to Thaw a Frozen Condensate Pipe (complete with walkthrough video).
If you want to make sure your boiler is fixed correctly and safely, then we recommend hiring a qualified heating engineer.
Click the button below and we’ll put you in contact with up to 3 heating engineers near you. You can then compare their rates and choose the best one to avoid overspending on your new boiler.
Get your best deal
Quickly compare 3 FREE quotes
4.7 /5
out of
27,100
reviews
1,8 million quotes provided in 10 years
This was the hassle free way of finding a boiler company in my local area for a quote. I recieved 3 quotes and I was very satisfied. The job is complete and I'm now saving on my usage. I would highly recommend using Boiler Guide.
Mr Neil Cutsforth
Boiler Guide is the go-to to find the best boiler at a reasonable price and good installer. The experience has shown me to do your research properly when you are thinking of spending a lot of money. Boiler Guide was in touch to check if I found an installer. Thank you Boiler Guide
Shirley Feshitan
Brilliant service. Was getting a headache from other plumbers with extortionate prices. Saves a lot of hassle ringing around. Really pleased. Thank you.
Berni Byrne
This was the hassle free way of finding a boiler company in my local area for a quote. I recieved 3 quotes and I was very satisfied. The job is complete and I'm now saving on my usage. I would highly recommend using Boiler Guide.
Mr Neil Cutsforth
Boiler Guide is the go-to to find the best boiler at a reasonable price and good installer. The experience has shown me to do your research properly when you are thinking of spending a lot of money. Boiler Guide was in touch to check if I found an installer. Thank you Boiler Guide
Shirley Feshitan
Brilliant service. Was getting a headache from other plumbers with extortionate prices. Saves a lot of hassle ringing around. Really pleased. Thank you.
Berni Byrne
This was the hassle free way of finding a boiler company in my local area for a quote. I recieved 3 quotes and I was very satisfied. The job is complete and I'm now saving on my usage. I would highly recommend using Boiler Guide.
Mr Neil Cutsforth
Submitted my request and I received a phone call within 30 minutes to confirm what I needed. Received a list of potential installers the next day who all rang me and arranged a time to come round. Great service and it saved time which I didn't have as my boiler had stopped working.
K Patel
I was very impressed with this service. Within an hour of completing the form online I had a phone call from an advisor who confirmed that I would like to proceed. In the next two hours I had made appointments with three companies, all of whom have now been and given their quotations, within 48 hours of deciding to get a new boiler. We have proceeded with one of these companies and now have a date for installation. Excellent.
Steve W
Boilerguide emailed me 3 potential companies and within minutes one called me and visited my home and gave me a quote which i accepted and i'm having a new boiler installed within a few days i'm delighted with the result thank you boilerguide
Ted Billingham
Submitted my request and I received a phone call within 30 minutes to confirm what I needed. Received a list of potential installers the next day who all rang me and arranged a time to come round. Great service and it saved time which I didn't have as my boiler had stopped working.
K Patel
I was very impressed with this service. Within an hour of completing the form online I had a phone call from an advisor who confirmed that I would like to proceed. In the next two hours I had made appointments with three companies, all of whom have now been and given their quotations, within 48 hours of deciding to get a new boiler. We have proceeded with one of these companies and now have a date for installation. Excellent.
Steve W
Boilerguide emailed me 3 potential companies and within minutes one called me and visited my home and gave me a quote which i accepted and i'm having a new boiler installed within a few days i'm delighted with the result thank you boilerguide
Ted Billingham
Submitted my request and I received a phone call within 30 minutes to confirm what I needed. Received a list of potential installers the next day who all rang me and arranged a time to come round. Great service and it saved time which I didn't have as my boiler had stopped working.
K Patel
An easy to use website. Boiler guide gave me all the information I needed to choose a reliable company to remove and install my new boiler even although it was Christmas week. I would highly recommend anyone to check out boiler guide if they're looking to replace a boiler or radiators.
Margaret Arbuckle
Boiler Guide were excellent. I was already stressed having just been told my boiler was beyond repair, no idea of cost. Boiler guide made it all much easier, located people local to me and trusted to give me quotes. Really took some of the stress away from searching online myself. Highly recommended. Thank you
Julie Walker
Boiler guide is an excellent, quick & easy way to source businesses to provide quotes to have boiler replaced.
Sandra Emmerson
An easy to use website. Boiler guide gave me all the information I needed to choose a reliable company to remove and install my new boiler even although it was Christmas week. I would highly recommend anyone to check out boiler guide if they're looking to replace a boiler or radiators.
Margaret Arbuckle
Boiler Guide were excellent. I was already stressed having just been told my boiler was beyond repair, no idea of cost. Boiler guide made it all much easier, located people local to me and trusted to give me quotes. Really took some of the stress away from searching online myself. Highly recommended. Thank you
Julie Walker
Boiler guide is an excellent, quick & easy way to source businesses to provide quotes to have boiler replaced.
Sandra Emmerson
An easy to use website. Boiler guide gave me all the information I needed to choose a reliable company to remove and install my new boiler even although it was Christmas week. I would highly recommend anyone to check out boiler guide if they're looking to replace a boiler or radiators.
Margaret Arbuckle
Super efficient in finding 3 local firms to quote. All 3 got in touch the same day to arrange appointments and all 3 came within the next day. Great to be able to compare products and prices and I signed up with the best for me straight away
Joanne Barlow
Obtained names of 3 installers in my area, all of whom responded and visited very promptly. All 3 very professional, polite and gave estimates at time of visit, followed up by e-mailed quotes. Also answered my questions at time of visit and subsequently via e-mail. Found Boiler Guide very helpful in reducing time that might have been wasted trawling through local lists.
Lindsay Nicoll
The guys that came round were very professional and polite told us everything we needed to know and left the area spotless thanks
S Harding
Super efficient in finding 3 local firms to quote. All 3 got in touch the same day to arrange appointments and all 3 came within the next day. Great to be able to compare products and prices and I signed up with the best for me straight away
Joanne Barlow
Obtained names of 3 installers in my area, all of whom responded and visited very promptly. All 3 very professional, polite and gave estimates at time of visit, followed up by e-mailed quotes. Also answered my questions at time of visit and subsequently via e-mail. Found Boiler Guide very helpful in reducing time that might have been wasted trawling through local lists.
Lindsay Nicoll
The guys that came round were very professional and polite told us everything we needed to know and left the area spotless thanks
S Harding
Super efficient in finding 3 local firms to quote. All 3 got in touch the same day to arrange appointments and all 3 came within the next day. Great to be able to compare products and prices and I signed up with the best for me straight away
Joanne Barlow
Boiler Guide phoned me as soon as I had entered my details. Within a few minutes, 3 very professional companies called me and arranged to survey the same day. By the evening I had received 3 quotes to replace my boiler. I was very impressed with the service I received from both Boiler guide and their appointed gas specialists.
Sarah Bicknell
Having had an issue with my existing 18 year old boiler. I found the Boiler Guide online. Excellent and quick service, plus excellent customer services. They contacted me to find out what I was looking for and then informed me that three quotations would be in touch. They also supplied the details of the companies. They contacted me, next day, to ensure that the selected suppliers had been in touch and either supplied a quotation or were due to visit. Takes all the hassle away!
G@Southampton
Excellent. A rep called almost immediately after my enquiry. She was pleasant, helpful and this was a bank holiday. 3 engineers called really quickly so this platform is a superb service that takes the faff out of looking for heating engineers.
Windsor Browning
Boiler Guide phoned me as soon as I had entered my details. Within a few minutes, 3 very professional companies called me and arranged to survey the same day. By the evening I had received 3 quotes to replace my boiler. I was very impressed with the service I received from both Boiler guide and their appointed gas specialists.
Sarah Bicknell
Having had an issue with my existing 18 year old boiler. I found the Boiler Guide online. Excellent and quick service, plus excellent customer services. They contacted me to find out what I was looking for and then informed me that three quotations would be in touch. They also supplied the details of the companies. They contacted me, next day, to ensure that the selected suppliers had been in touch and either supplied a quotation or were due to visit. Takes all the hassle away!
G@Southampton
Excellent. A rep called almost immediately after my enquiry. She was pleasant, helpful and this was a bank holiday. 3 engineers called really quickly so this platform is a superb service that takes the faff out of looking for heating engineers.
Windsor Browning
Boiler Guide phoned me as soon as I had entered my details. Within a few minutes, 3 very professional companies called me and arranged to survey the same day. By the evening I had received 3 quotes to replace my boiler. I was very impressed with the service I received from both Boiler guide and their appointed gas specialists.
Sarah Bicknell
Boiler still not firing up? Hire an engineer
All of the issues we mentioned in the last section can be resolved yourself, although you shouldn't hesitate to contact a heating engineer if you'd prefer. The following reasons why a boiler might fail to fire up should only be repaired by a Gas Safe registered engineer.
While it can be hard to tell which of the following is preventing your boiler from igniting, unless there's an error code, a fully-qualified heating engineer will be able to diagnose and resolve them all safely and quickly.
Low gas pressure
In the case that there is a supply of gas to the boiler, just not enough, the boiler will lockout and display an error code. You should hire a Gas Safe engineer to test the gas pressure and find out why there's an insufficient supply – a couple of potential causes include a frozen gas meter or a faulty gas valve.
The gas valve controls the level of gas flowing to the boiler, opening and closing to allow more or less gas, depending on how much heat is needed. Sometimes, the gas valve might just need adjusting but it could also be damaged or blocked – a Gas Safe engineer will be able to carry out the required work.
A more unlikely scenario is that the gas meter has frozen during cold weather. However, with sufficient lagging it will be well protected when there's a drop in temperature.
Blockage in the burner
A blockage in the burner could lead to the boiler not firing up to provide your home with heating and hot water. A Gas Safe registered engineer will be able to clean the burner or replace it, if necessary.
No pilot light on boiler
Without a pilot light, the boiler won't be able to provide central heating or domestic hot water. The pilot light is a small blue flame that lights a larger flame when there a call for central heating and how water – if it's burning orange or yellow there could be a carbon monoxide leak.
While we've mentioned some of the more common faults, there are many more boiler problems that could prevent the unit from igniting, which you'll need a Gas Safe registered engineer to diagnose and repair.
Having a functioning boiler plays a vital part in living in a safe and comfortable home. If you have a problem with your boiler, it’s urgent to get it repaired as soon as possible.
Click the button below and we’ll put you in touch with up to 3 qualified heating engineers who can help you with your boiler-related concerns. Our service is completely free and you’re under no obligation to accept any offers you receive from the heating engineers.
Get your best deal
Quickly compare 3 FREE quotes
4.7 /5
out of
27,100
reviews
1,8 million quotes provided in 10 years
This was the hassle free way of finding a boiler company in my local area for a quote. I recieved 3 quotes and I was very satisfied. The job is complete and I'm now saving on my usage. I would highly recommend using Boiler Guide.
Mr Neil Cutsforth
Boiler Guide is the go-to to find the best boiler at a reasonable price and good installer. The experience has shown me to do your research properly when you are thinking of spending a lot of money. Boiler Guide was in touch to check if I found an installer. Thank you Boiler Guide
Shirley Feshitan
Brilliant service. Was getting a headache from other plumbers with extortionate prices. Saves a lot of hassle ringing around. Really pleased. Thank you.
Berni Byrne
This was the hassle free way of finding a boiler company in my local area for a quote. I recieved 3 quotes and I was very satisfied. The job is complete and I'm now saving on my usage. I would highly recommend using Boiler Guide.
Mr Neil Cutsforth
Boiler Guide is the go-to to find the best boiler at a reasonable price and good installer. The experience has shown me to do your research properly when you are thinking of spending a lot of money. Boiler Guide was in touch to check if I found an installer. Thank you Boiler Guide
Shirley Feshitan
Brilliant service. Was getting a headache from other plumbers with extortionate prices. Saves a lot of hassle ringing around. Really pleased. Thank you.
Berni Byrne
This was the hassle free way of finding a boiler company in my local area for a quote. I recieved 3 quotes and I was very satisfied. The job is complete and I'm now saving on my usage. I would highly recommend using Boiler Guide.
Mr Neil Cutsforth
Submitted my request and I received a phone call within 30 minutes to confirm what I needed. Received a list of potential installers the next day who all rang me and arranged a time to come round. Great service and it saved time which I didn't have as my boiler had stopped working.
K Patel
I was very impressed with this service. Within an hour of completing the form online I had a phone call from an advisor who confirmed that I would like to proceed. In the next two hours I had made appointments with three companies, all of whom have now been and given their quotations, within 48 hours of deciding to get a new boiler. We have proceeded with one of these companies and now have a date for installation. Excellent.
Steve W
Boilerguide emailed me 3 potential companies and within minutes one called me and visited my home and gave me a quote which i accepted and i'm having a new boiler installed within a few days i'm delighted with the result thank you boilerguide
Ted Billingham
Submitted my request and I received a phone call within 30 minutes to confirm what I needed. Received a list of potential installers the next day who all rang me and arranged a time to come round. Great service and it saved time which I didn't have as my boiler had stopped working.
K Patel
I was very impressed with this service. Within an hour of completing the form online I had a phone call from an advisor who confirmed that I would like to proceed. In the next two hours I had made appointments with three companies, all of whom have now been and given their quotations, within 48 hours of deciding to get a new boiler. We have proceeded with one of these companies and now have a date for installation. Excellent.
Steve W
Boilerguide emailed me 3 potential companies and within minutes one called me and visited my home and gave me a quote which i accepted and i'm having a new boiler installed within a few days i'm delighted with the result thank you boilerguide
Ted Billingham
Submitted my request and I received a phone call within 30 minutes to confirm what I needed. Received a list of potential installers the next day who all rang me and arranged a time to come round. Great service and it saved time which I didn't have as my boiler had stopped working.
K Patel
An easy to use website. Boiler guide gave me all the information I needed to choose a reliable company to remove and install my new boiler even although it was Christmas week. I would highly recommend anyone to check out boiler guide if they're looking to replace a boiler or radiators.
Margaret Arbuckle
Boiler Guide were excellent. I was already stressed having just been told my boiler was beyond repair, no idea of cost. Boiler guide made it all much easier, located people local to me and trusted to give me quotes. Really took some of the stress away from searching online myself. Highly recommended. Thank you
Julie Walker
Boiler guide is an excellent, quick & easy way to source businesses to provide quotes to have boiler replaced.
Sandra Emmerson
An easy to use website. Boiler guide gave me all the information I needed to choose a reliable company to remove and install my new boiler even although it was Christmas week. I would highly recommend anyone to check out boiler guide if they're looking to replace a boiler or radiators.
Margaret Arbuckle
Boiler Guide were excellent. I was already stressed having just been told my boiler was beyond repair, no idea of cost. Boiler guide made it all much easier, located people local to me and trusted to give me quotes. Really took some of the stress away from searching online myself. Highly recommended. Thank you
Julie Walker
Boiler guide is an excellent, quick & easy way to source businesses to provide quotes to have boiler replaced.
Sandra Emmerson
An easy to use website. Boiler guide gave me all the information I needed to choose a reliable company to remove and install my new boiler even although it was Christmas week. I would highly recommend anyone to check out boiler guide if they're looking to replace a boiler or radiators.
Margaret Arbuckle
Super efficient in finding 3 local firms to quote. All 3 got in touch the same day to arrange appointments and all 3 came within the next day. Great to be able to compare products and prices and I signed up with the best for me straight away
Joanne Barlow
Obtained names of 3 installers in my area, all of whom responded and visited very promptly. All 3 very professional, polite and gave estimates at time of visit, followed up by e-mailed quotes. Also answered my questions at time of visit and subsequently via e-mail. Found Boiler Guide very helpful in reducing time that might have been wasted trawling through local lists.
Lindsay Nicoll
The guys that came round were very professional and polite told us everything we needed to know and left the area spotless thanks
S Harding
Super efficient in finding 3 local firms to quote. All 3 got in touch the same day to arrange appointments and all 3 came within the next day. Great to be able to compare products and prices and I signed up with the best for me straight away
Joanne Barlow
Obtained names of 3 installers in my area, all of whom responded and visited very promptly. All 3 very professional, polite and gave estimates at time of visit, followed up by e-mailed quotes. Also answered my questions at time of visit and subsequently via e-mail. Found Boiler Guide very helpful in reducing time that might have been wasted trawling through local lists.
Lindsay Nicoll
The guys that came round were very professional and polite told us everything we needed to know and left the area spotless thanks
S Harding
Super efficient in finding 3 local firms to quote. All 3 got in touch the same day to arrange appointments and all 3 came within the next day. Great to be able to compare products and prices and I signed up with the best for me straight away
Joanne Barlow
Boiler Guide phoned me as soon as I had entered my details. Within a few minutes, 3 very professional companies called me and arranged to survey the same day. By the evening I had received 3 quotes to replace my boiler. I was very impressed with the service I received from both Boiler guide and their appointed gas specialists.
Sarah Bicknell
Having had an issue with my existing 18 year old boiler. I found the Boiler Guide online. Excellent and quick service, plus excellent customer services. They contacted me to find out what I was looking for and then informed me that three quotations would be in touch. They also supplied the details of the companies. They contacted me, next day, to ensure that the selected suppliers had been in touch and either supplied a quotation or were due to visit. Takes all the hassle away!
G@Southampton
Excellent. A rep called almost immediately after my enquiry. She was pleasant, helpful and this was a bank holiday. 3 engineers called really quickly so this platform is a superb service that takes the faff out of looking for heating engineers.
Windsor Browning
Boiler Guide phoned me as soon as I had entered my details. Within a few minutes, 3 very professional companies called me and arranged to survey the same day. By the evening I had received 3 quotes to replace my boiler. I was very impressed with the service I received from both Boiler guide and their appointed gas specialists.
Sarah Bicknell
Having had an issue with my existing 18 year old boiler. I found the Boiler Guide online. Excellent and quick service, plus excellent customer services. They contacted me to find out what I was looking for and then informed me that three quotations would be in touch. They also supplied the details of the companies. They contacted me, next day, to ensure that the selected suppliers had been in touch and either supplied a quotation or were due to visit. Takes all the hassle away!
G@Southampton
Excellent. A rep called almost immediately after my enquiry. She was pleasant, helpful and this was a bank holiday. 3 engineers called really quickly so this platform is a superb service that takes the faff out of looking for heating engineers.
Windsor Browning
Boiler Guide phoned me as soon as I had entered my details. Within a few minutes, 3 very professional companies called me and arranged to survey the same day. By the evening I had received 3 quotes to replace my boiler. I was very impressed with the service I received from both Boiler guide and their appointed gas specialists.
Sarah Bicknell
Get free boiler repair quotes
As we've seen, there are many possible reasons that can cause a boiler not to ignite or prevent power from reaching the boiler. So, to safely locate the cause, you should hire a Gas Safe registered engineer.
To make finding trustworthy heating engineers quick and easy, we can match you engineers based in your area. Simply let us know about the work you need, using our online form and we'll connect you with up to 3 local heat engineers.
Each of these heating engineers will be in touch to provide a free quote for the work, which means you can be confident that you're getting the best possible deal. Plus, there's absolutely no-obligation whatsoever. Click the button below to receive your free quotes.
Get your best deal
Quickly compare 3 FREE quotes
4.7 /5
out of
27,100
reviews
1,8 million quotes provided in 10 years
This was the hassle free way of finding a boiler company in my local area for a quote. I recieved 3 quotes and I was very satisfied. The job is complete and I'm now saving on my usage. I would highly recommend using Boiler Guide.
Mr Neil Cutsforth
Boiler Guide is the go-to to find the best boiler at a reasonable price and good installer. The experience has shown me to do your research properly when you are thinking of spending a lot of money. Boiler Guide was in touch to check if I found an installer. Thank you Boiler Guide
Shirley Feshitan
Brilliant service. Was getting a headache from other plumbers with extortionate prices. Saves a lot of hassle ringing around. Really pleased. Thank you.
Berni Byrne
This was the hassle free way of finding a boiler company in my local area for a quote. I recieved 3 quotes and I was very satisfied. The job is complete and I'm now saving on my usage. I would highly recommend using Boiler Guide.
Mr Neil Cutsforth
Boiler Guide is the go-to to find the best boiler at a reasonable price and good installer. The experience has shown me to do your research properly when you are thinking of spending a lot of money. Boiler Guide was in touch to check if I found an installer. Thank you Boiler Guide
Shirley Feshitan
Brilliant service. Was getting a headache from other plumbers with extortionate prices. Saves a lot of hassle ringing around. Really pleased. Thank you.
Berni Byrne
This was the hassle free way of finding a boiler company in my local area for a quote. I recieved 3 quotes and I was very satisfied. The job is complete and I'm now saving on my usage. I would highly recommend using Boiler Guide.
Mr Neil Cutsforth
Submitted my request and I received a phone call within 30 minutes to confirm what I needed. Received a list of potential installers the next day who all rang me and arranged a time to come round. Great service and it saved time which I didn't have as my boiler had stopped working.
K Patel
I was very impressed with this service. Within an hour of completing the form online I had a phone call from an advisor who confirmed that I would like to proceed. In the next two hours I had made appointments with three companies, all of whom have now been and given their quotations, within 48 hours of deciding to get a new boiler. We have proceeded with one of these companies and now have a date for installation. Excellent.
Steve W
Boilerguide emailed me 3 potential companies and within minutes one called me and visited my home and gave me a quote which i accepted and i'm having a new boiler installed within a few days i'm delighted with the result thank you boilerguide
Ted Billingham
Submitted my request and I received a phone call within 30 minutes to confirm what I needed. Received a list of potential installers the next day who all rang me and arranged a time to come round. Great service and it saved time which I didn't have as my boiler had stopped working.
K Patel
I was very impressed with this service. Within an hour of completing the form online I had a phone call from an advisor who confirmed that I would like to proceed. In the next two hours I had made appointments with three companies, all of whom have now been and given their quotations, within 48 hours of deciding to get a new boiler. We have proceeded with one of these companies and now have a date for installation. Excellent.
Steve W
Boilerguide emailed me 3 potential companies and within minutes one called me and visited my home and gave me a quote which i accepted and i'm having a new boiler installed within a few days i'm delighted with the result thank you boilerguide
Ted Billingham
Submitted my request and I received a phone call within 30 minutes to confirm what I needed. Received a list of potential installers the next day who all rang me and arranged a time to come round. Great service and it saved time which I didn't have as my boiler had stopped working.
K Patel
An easy to use website. Boiler guide gave me all the information I needed to choose a reliable company to remove and install my new boiler even although it was Christmas week. I would highly recommend anyone to check out boiler guide if they're looking to replace a boiler or radiators.
Margaret Arbuckle
Boiler Guide were excellent. I was already stressed having just been told my boiler was beyond repair, no idea of cost. Boiler guide made it all much easier, located people local to me and trusted to give me quotes. Really took some of the stress away from searching online myself. Highly recommended. Thank you
Julie Walker
Boiler guide is an excellent, quick & easy way to source businesses to provide quotes to have boiler replaced.
Sandra Emmerson
An easy to use website. Boiler guide gave me all the information I needed to choose a reliable company to remove and install my new boiler even although it was Christmas week. I would highly recommend anyone to check out boiler guide if they're looking to replace a boiler or radiators.
Margaret Arbuckle
Boiler Guide were excellent. I was already stressed having just been told my boiler was beyond repair, no idea of cost. Boiler guide made it all much easier, located people local to me and trusted to give me quotes. Really took some of the stress away from searching online myself. Highly recommended. Thank you
Julie Walker
Boiler guide is an excellent, quick & easy way to source businesses to provide quotes to have boiler replaced.
Sandra Emmerson
An easy to use website. Boiler guide gave me all the information I needed to choose a reliable company to remove and install my new boiler even although it was Christmas week. I would highly recommend anyone to check out boiler guide if they're looking to replace a boiler or radiators.
Margaret Arbuckle
Super efficient in finding 3 local firms to quote. All 3 got in touch the same day to arrange appointments and all 3 came within the next day. Great to be able to compare products and prices and I signed up with the best for me straight away
Joanne Barlow
Obtained names of 3 installers in my area, all of whom responded and visited very promptly. All 3 very professional, polite and gave estimates at time of visit, followed up by e-mailed quotes. Also answered my questions at time of visit and subsequently via e-mail. Found Boiler Guide very helpful in reducing time that might have been wasted trawling through local lists.
Lindsay Nicoll
The guys that came round were very professional and polite told us everything we needed to know and left the area spotless thanks
S Harding
Super efficient in finding 3 local firms to quote. All 3 got in touch the same day to arrange appointments and all 3 came within the next day. Great to be able to compare products and prices and I signed up with the best for me straight away
Joanne Barlow
Obtained names of 3 installers in my area, all of whom responded and visited very promptly. All 3 very professional, polite and gave estimates at time of visit, followed up by e-mailed quotes. Also answered my questions at time of visit and subsequently via e-mail. Found Boiler Guide very helpful in reducing time that might have been wasted trawling through local lists.
Lindsay Nicoll
The guys that came round were very professional and polite told us everything we needed to know and left the area spotless thanks
S Harding
Super efficient in finding 3 local firms to quote. All 3 got in touch the same day to arrange appointments and all 3 came within the next day. Great to be able to compare products and prices and I signed up with the best for me straight away
Joanne Barlow
Boiler Guide phoned me as soon as I had entered my details. Within a few minutes, 3 very professional companies called me and arranged to survey the same day. By the evening I had received 3 quotes to replace my boiler. I was very impressed with the service I received from both Boiler guide and their appointed gas specialists.
Sarah Bicknell
Having had an issue with my existing 18 year old boiler. I found the Boiler Guide online. Excellent and quick service, plus excellent customer services. They contacted me to find out what I was looking for and then informed me that three quotations would be in touch. They also supplied the details of the companies. They contacted me, next day, to ensure that the selected suppliers had been in touch and either supplied a quotation or were due to visit. Takes all the hassle away!
G@Southampton
Excellent. A rep called almost immediately after my enquiry. She was pleasant, helpful and this was a bank holiday. 3 engineers called really quickly so this platform is a superb service that takes the faff out of looking for heating engineers.
Windsor Browning
Boiler Guide phoned me as soon as I had entered my details. Within a few minutes, 3 very professional companies called me and arranged to survey the same day. By the evening I had received 3 quotes to replace my boiler. I was very impressed with the service I received from both Boiler guide and their appointed gas specialists.
Sarah Bicknell
Having had an issue with my existing 18 year old boiler. I found the Boiler Guide online. Excellent and quick service, plus excellent customer services. They contacted me to find out what I was looking for and then informed me that three quotations would be in touch. They also supplied the details of the companies. They contacted me, next day, to ensure that the selected suppliers had been in touch and either supplied a quotation or were due to visit. Takes all the hassle away!
G@Southampton
Excellent. A rep called almost immediately after my enquiry. She was pleasant, helpful and this was a bank holiday. 3 engineers called really quickly so this platform is a superb service that takes the faff out of looking for heating engineers.
Windsor Browning
Boiler Guide phoned me as soon as I had entered my details. Within a few minutes, 3 very professional companies called me and arranged to survey the same day. By the evening I had received 3 quotes to replace my boiler. I was very impressed with the service I received from both Boiler guide and their appointed gas specialists.
Sarah Bicknell
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About the author
Becky Mckay
Becky has been a writer at Boiler Guide since 2021. Her vast boiler knowledge means she’s ready to help with any home heating query, big or small!
