The 3 Most Common Reasons For A Oil Boiler Breakdown And How To Fix Them

A working boiler is essential to keeping a warm home. We're covering the top 3 reasons for a boiler breakdown and how you can fix them.  Even though we have some great fixes, sometimes it's best to leave it to the professionals, so if you're ever unsure call a trained OFTEC engineer. 

Top 3 Reasons For A Boiler Breakdown

1. You've run out of heating oil

Running out of heating oil is the top reason for a boiler breakdown. Checking your oil should always be the first thing to consider before assuming another fault. This problem is a simple fix. All you need to do is order your oil, get an emergency delivery to your home and top up your tank.

2. Your boiler’s pressure is too high or low

When your boiler’s pressure is too high or low, it will shut down (lockout). A lockout happens when the boiler detects an issue and shut’s down for safety reasons. Your boiler’s standard pressure is available in the manual. If the pressure is too high, you will need to reduce the water in the system by bleeding it. 

If you have low pressure, check for leaks. If there are no leaks, you can add water to the system by opening the valve on the external filling loop.

3. The condensation pipe is blocked

In cold weather, the pipes that remove the condensation can get blocked by frozen debris, causing your boiler to shut down. To fix blocked condensation pipes, all you need to do is thaw the frozen pipe by pouring warm water over it.