British Gas is bracing for approximately 60,000 service calls this week as Storm Goretti prepares to hit the UK from Thursday evening. The severe weather system is forecast to bring snowfall of up to 20cm alongside ice warnings and overnight temperatures plunging to minus 12.5 celcius.
Last winter, the company’s engineers attended more than 1.2 million customer callouts to repair faulty boilers and restore heating systems as temperatures plummeted across the country.
Joanna Flowers, a British Gas service and repair engineer, said: “If you wake up and your heating isn’t working during a cold snap like this, don’t panic. There are some simple checks you can do yourself before calling an engineer.”
The engineer shared five pieces of advice with the energy provider’s millions of customers ahead of the looming “cold snap”.
British Gas has issued a warning
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These include:
- Checking the basics, including making sure the gas, electric, and water supply is turned on
- Double-checking boiler settings
- Being on the lookout for frozen pipes
- Seeing if any pipes have burst open
- Checking water system pressure
Storm Goretti will unleash a triple-whammy assault of gales, blizzards and rain | GETTY
Her first recommendation is to verify that gas, electricity and water supplies are all switched on. Homeowners should also ensure their room thermostat is turned up sufficiently and that the clock timer is activated.
The boiler’s pressure gauge, typically located on the front panel, should read approximately one bar. For systems equipped with a permanent pilot light, checking whether it remains lit is essential.
Ms Flowers also suggests households try having the heating at full power briefly to see if warmth begins flowing, and confirm the boiler timer displays the correct time.
Following a recent power cut, central heating timers may have reverted to factory settings and require resetting. Ms Flowers advises checking for a reset switch on the boiler’s front panel, with the user manual providing specific guidance.
When temperatures drop severely, the condensate pipe on modern condensing boilers can become frozen. This plastic pipe exits the boiler and can be thawed by carefully pouring hot water over it, though boiling water should never be used.
Placing a hot water bottle against the pipe can also help melt the ice, after which the boiler should be reset. Should a burst pipe be suspected, indicated by sudden pressure loss, damp patches, or water marks on surfaces, the stopcock must be turned off immediately.
All taps should then be opened to drain the system, with the supply remaining off until a qualified engineer inspects the damage.
A sudden loss of hot water or heating frequently indicates low boiler pressure, which commonly occurs after bleeding radiators or when a leak is present.
Britons are being urged to check their boiler
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PAHomeowners should inspect pipes, radiators, and the boiler itself for any signs of dampness. The pressure gauge on the boiler’s front should display a reading between one and 1.5 bar; anything below 1 bar means the system requires repressurising.
This process involves allowing additional water into the system via the filling loop, a flexible silver hose with valves at each end found on most modern combi boilers.
After switching off and cooling the boiler, both valves should be opened until the gauge reaches the correct level, then closed before restarting.
For those unable to resolve issues themselves, British Gas offers same-day appointments for customers who telephone before 11am.