Winter Boiler Help Document

Contents

DETAILS

• Frozen condensate pipe and how to thaw yourself.
• How to bleed radiators safely.
• How to repressurise your boiler.
• And many more advice and instructions.

• Worcester
• Baxi
• Potterton
• Glow worm
• Ideal
• Feroli
• Valor
• Vaillant
• Alpha
• Ariston
• Viessman
• Biasi

WORCESTER

• Look for an outdoor pipe (its usually white plastic connecting to an external drain), connected to your boiler.

• If safe to do so, pour WARM (not boiling water), water along the pipe.

• Reset your boiler. All should be working (if the pipe is defrosted) normally.

• First, turn your heating on and wait for the radiators to warm up. Check all radiators and identify which radiators might need bleeding.
• Turn off your heating system and wait for the radiators to cool.
• Insert your radiator key into the bleed screw in the bleed valve which will be at the top of your radiator. Make sure you have a cloth or rag ready to hold under the bleed valve to catch any drips.

• Turn the radiator key anti-clockwise to open the valve. You will hear a hissing sound (this is the gas escaping). Some water might escape.
• Keep the radiator key turned until water starts to flow steadily and then turn the radiator key clockwise to close the valve.
• Use the cloth to catch the drips and clean up any excess water.
• When you have bled all the affected radiators, turn the heating system back on. Check treated radiators to make sure they are now warm all over.

• After you have finished bleeding all the radiators, make sure you top up the pressure on your boiler. Boiler pressure can be lost when bleeding radiators.

• You'll be able to identify if you have an external filling loop, because there'll be two valves; one from the mains cold water and then a second valve which is connected to the heating system.
• Attach the hose to each side of the valve and open the mains cold tap.
• Open the second tap which allows water into the heating system.
• Watch the pressure rise and stop once the bar reaches just about one and turn off both taps.
• Remove the taps from the hose, there will be some water drip out so be mindful.

• Locate the key this will usually be on a flap underneath the boiler, or it may have been provided you as part of the installation.
• On the front right-hand side, you'll notice an open black port, and this is where the key fits.
• You'll notice a picture of an open padlock and a closed padlock and on the white key there is an arrow on the shaft, align the arrow with the open padlock as you push it up into the open port.
• Turn the key and watch the pressure rise to just over one bar.
• Turn the key back to the open padlock and remove. Be mindful of any water dripping.

BAXI/POTTERTON

• Switch off your central heating (allowing radiators to cool).
• Have your old towel ready (to catch any water splashing out).
• Using the radiator key (or screwdriver), gently loosen the valve at the top of your radiator.
• Twist slowly until you hear a hiss. The more air in your radiator, the more pronounced the hiss.
• When the hissing slows, water might start to dribble out.
• Tighten up the valve immediately.

• This is likely to be where the pipe is most exposed, outside the building and probably at its end or at a bend or dip in the pipe where the condensate could collect and freeze.

• You can use a hot water bottle or a microwaveable heating pack (the sort used for muscular aches and pains) or a cloth soaked in hot water. You can also pour hot, but NOT boiling, water onto the blockage, but remember that the water may freeze on the ground and make it slippery.

• Once the blockage has cleared, check the boiler operating instructions or the manufacturer’s website for guidance on any action needed to clear the fault code or alarm and re-start the boiler. If it still doesn’t work, you should call a Gas Safe engineer to come and look at it for you.

• Please watch the video below on how to top up pressure on a boiler.
• https://www.baxi.co.uk/faqs/how-do-i-top-up-the-water-pressure

VALLIANT

• Check that your condensate pipe has frozen.
• Locate the frozen blockage within the condensate pipe.
• To effectively defrost a condensate pipe, you can simply pour warm water along the affected area of the pipe to dislodge, melt and remove the ice blockage. Use a suitable container - like a watering can or pitcher - and continue the process until either the ice falls from the pipe or until the contents of the pipe are fully drained. It is important not to use boiling water from a kettle as this can damage or crack the pipe.
• Restart your boiler once ice blockage has been removed.

FEROLI

• Locate the outdoor pipe connected to your boiler, it is usually white plastic. Try and locate the blockage which is likely to be at a bend in the pipe, probably at its end or where water could collect and freeze.

• To thaw your pipe, you can use a hot water bottle, a cloth soaked in hot water or pour warm (not boiling) water onto the pipe. Please check your condensate before requesting an engineer.

• Once the blocked pipe has thawed, clear the fault, and reset your boiler and if the pipe has defrosted your boiler should be working as normal.

• Insert the radiator key into the bleed valve.
• Place the cloth underneath to capture any water.
• Twist the radiator key anti-clockwise until you hear a hissing sound as the air escapes and close it again when water starts leaking from the valve.
• Tighten up the radiator valve again by turning the key clockwise.

• Switch off your boiler and give it sufficient time to cool.
• Check the filling loop, making sure both ends are attached and secure.
• Keep the valves open until the pressure reading on your boiler gets to 1.5 bar.
• Close both valves, one at a time

VIESSMAN

• Prepare some warm to hot water using a kettle or microwave. Transfer the hot water to a suitable container such as a watering can or a jug. Do not use boiling water as this is an accident risk in cold conditions and can cause damage to the pipe.
• Pour the water over the section(s) of pipe that you believe are frozen. If the pipe’s outlet is fully or partially frozen, start there as it will allow any water that has gathered elsewhere in the pipe to escape once it is able to. After this, it is recommended to pour hot water on any flat sections or elbows as these typically freeze faster.
• If this is not sufficient to melt the ice inside, you may try using a hot water bottle. This will allow heat to be applied to the frozen section for a longer period. Ideally, you will see water begin to leave the pipe or hear a trickling sound.
• Once you believe the blockage has melted, you can attempt to reset the boiler. If you were successful, any fault codes will be cleared, and the boiler should restart.
• Be sure to reset your boiler in accordance with the manufacturer’s instructions, as provided in the manual. If in doubt, consult a trained engineer.

• Turn your heating off and allow time for it to cool down.
• Take a towel and a jug and place both underneath the bleed valve on the radiator.
• Insert the bleed key and turn it slowly, anti-clockwise.
• Air will escape and you will hear a hissing noise. Close the valve when water starts to come out.
• Repeat on all the radiators in your home.
• Turn your heating back on and check the radiators are heating up properly.

• Locate the filling-loop and pressure gauge. The filling loop handles should be at a 90° angle to the flow of the pipe.
• Check that you can see the pressure gauge whilst accessing the filling loop. The correct pressure level will often be shown in green on the gauge for modern systems, however you should check the pressure for your specific model in the manual prior to beginning the procedure.
• Turn off the boiler.
• Turn both filling loop handles until they match the direction of the pipe - you should now hear water flowing.
• Observe the pressure gauge to make sure you don’t over-pressurise the boiler. If you cannot always see the gauge, it is recommended to ask someone to assist before proceeding. Once the correct pressure is reached, make sure the handles are fully closed by returning them to the 90° position.
• Turn the boiler back on and check if the pressure remains steady.

The Scottish Gas Network

• Keep an eye on the forecast and watch out for weather warnings from the Met Office.
• If cold weather comes, follow NHS advice to wear layers to keep warm and regularly have hot drinks. Try to check on your neighbours, especially if they could be particularly vulnerable in cold weather.
• Save the free emergency numbers to your phone – call 0800 111 999 in a gas emergency or call 105 in a power cut.
• Find out about the Priority Services Register. This is a free service that helps us identify customers who need priority support and will make sure you receive extra help if you’re without your gas supply.
• Make sure you get your gas boiler and appliances serviced annually by a Gas Safe registered engineer.
• Fit a carbon monoxide alarm – regularly test it and check its expiry date.

• If your boiler has stopped working in the cold, check if your boiler’s condensate pipe has frozen. Cold weather can freeze the condensate pipe, which is the external pipe that takes condensation from your boiler to your drain outside. If the condensate pipe does freeze you can fix it without the need of an engineer, you can do this by pouring warm water (NOT BOILING), over the part of the pipe that is blocked due to freezing.

ALPHA

• Ensure your boiler is switched off before you begin to repressurise it. If possible, you should try and let the system cool for between four to six hours before starting this process.

• Next, check to see whether your boiler has an external filling loop. If it does, you may need to attach a braided filling hose here. Attaching a filling loop will enable you to add more pressure to the system. Some boilers have an internal filling loop, or a similar device used for the same function. If you are unsure, it is always best to refer to the manufacturer’s handbook for guidance.

• Using either the installed tap handles or a screwdriver, start to open the filling valves on the boiler pipe work. As you turn the valves, you should begin to hear water running. Whilst doing this, keep an eye on the pressure gauge and ensure that the pressure is rising.

• Once the pressure gauge hits a reading of one bar it is time to close the valves off again. Try to not let the reading creep above one, as the pressure will continue to increase slightly once the valves have been closed.

• Wait for the pressure reading to settle, which can take a couple of minutes. Once it has, ensure that the reading is within a safe level of between one and one and a half bar and proceed to switch the boiler back on.

• Some modern boilers will inform you when the condensate pipe has frozen by displaying a warning message on the system’s display. If your boiler does not have a display, then you can look and see if the condensate pipe is frozen. Check to see if the pipe has any visible signs of frost, or if it is making any gargling noises, both of which are indications that it is either partially or fully frozen.

• Once you have confirmed that the pipe is frozen, it is important to locate the exact point where the blockage has occurred. Normally, pipes will freeze at their most exposed points, so it is worthwhile checking the open end or any bends first before examining other areas. Simply run your hand down the pipe until you find an area that feels colder than the rest of the pipe. Normally, this will be the site of the frozen blockage.

• This is the most important step in the process and the stage where you need to take the most care. One of the most effective ways to thaw the frozen blockage is with warm water, however it is crucial not to use boiling water, which can crack the pipe. Carefully remove any pipe lagging and pour warm water down the side of the pipe, repeating the process until you start to notice it thawing.

• Once you are happy that your condensate pipe has been defrosted and the frozen blockage has gone, you can restart your boiler. As always, it is important to follow the manufacturer’s guidance on how to do this safely. Once the system has restarted it should now function as normal. Don’t forget to replace any lagging removed from the condensate pipe during the thawing process.

IDEAL

• First put a towel or bowl beneath the valve on the radiator to catch any leaks.
• Turn your value anticlockwise using a radiator key.
• Shut the valve when the radiator stops hissing and water begins to run.

• If your thermostat isn’t in the correct place, it could make your central heating kick in at the wrong time. Make sure they’re positioned in a place away from draughts and windows so they can accurately gage the temperature in the room.

BIASI, ARISTON, GLOW WORM

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