A leaking boiler is never a good sign but can often be resolved pretty quickly by a gas safe engineer and doesn’t need to be a major issue.
That said, the moment that you do spot a leak it is important you act fast to minimise any damage done.
In some cases, you might even be able to resolve the issue yourself. In this guide, we will look at exactly what to do if you find a leaking boiler in your home and how to know when the situation is an emergency.
How to tell if your boiler leak is an emergency situation
Boiler leaks come in all shapes and sizes and whether or not your leak can be classed as an emergency situation will depend on the cause of the issue and the severity of the leak.
Bear in mind that in this article when we discuss boiler ‘leaks’ we are referring to water leaks and not to gas leaks.
If you smell gas coming from your boiler or your carbon monoxide detectors goes off and you suspect your boiler is leaking gas, turn the system off completely, leave the property and call the 24/7 gas emergency hotline on 0800 111 999.
But back to water leaks.
When we talk about emergencies, we mean that the leak poses a genuine threat to human health and immediate action must be taken to avoid disaster.
Any boiler leaking water is a serious concern and must be treated as such, but if there is a significant amount of water leaking from your boiler, especially close to electrical wiring you need to act without delay.
Different types of gas boiler leaks
Here are some of the most common boiler leaks that you need to be aware of:
Leaking Pressure Valve
Too much pressure in the boiler system is one of the most common reasons for a boiler to start leaking water. Luckily, it is also one of the issues that can be fixed most frequently by bleeding your boiler and your radiators.
Temperature Valve leak
If your temperature valve starts leaking, the chances are that you will need to call in a qualified Gas engineer, although the leak is unlikely to be overly serious. Often the reason for this type of leak is that the internal temperature of the boiler has risen a bit too high, or that the temperature probe itself needs to be replaced.
Pipe leaking
If you have only just had your central heating system installed and have already spotted water leaking from the pipes the chances are that this is a mistake with the installation. Any reputable professional installer will return to your home free of charge to resolve this issue.
Old boiler leaking
If an older style boiler is leaking from below, this type of leak may well be a bit more serious. The pipes inside your boiler will sometimes corrode over time, especially if your boiler is over 10 years old and has not been serviced regularly. In these instances your best bet may well be to get a new boiler.