Clanking radiators? Cold spots? Odd noises from the airing cupboard? Here are some central heating repairs anyone can do...make sure you look at all these options before calling out a qualified gas engineer.
Clanking or noisy boiler
This is often caused by lime scale build up within the boiler expansion vessel, and is a common problem in older boilers. Fortunately an easy fix is available using boiler descaling fluidavailable from most hardware and DIY stores.
Some radiators are cold/have cold spots
Trapped air leads to cold spots in radiators where the hot water cannot flow. Corrosion and sludge can also build up over many years, which accounts for "cold at the bottom syndrome". You can alleviate cold spots by bleeding your radiators, or flushing out the heating loop with a build-up remover. If your system is particularly old or badly afflicted we recommend a “powerflush” by a qualified heating company.
Heating is intermittent/unreliable
Have you checked the accuracy of your thermostat recently? Central Heating control units are generally fairly inexpensive electronics, and not always as reliable as the rest of the system. If your thermostat or controls no longer track temperature or time accurately you can get a cheap replacement from your local DIY store.
If all else fails…
If you’re unable to find the source of your central heating fault be sure to call in a Gas Safe registered professional - it’s illegal for unqualified people to work on parts of the system which are attached to the gas network, even within their own homes.