All boilers come with built-in failsafe settings that will cause the boiler to lockout if it identifies a fault. If your boiler has locked-out, you will need to reset it to get things working again. But you must make sure it is safe to do so. In this short guide, we will tell you everything you need to know.
No matter what make and model of boiler you have, it is likely to lockout at some point. This happens when the boiler detects a problem and it thinks it is serious enough to either risk damaging itself or even potentially cause harm to you.
If you badly need to get your hot water or heating going again and your boiler has locked out, you will need to restart your boiler. But it is important you do so safely. In this guide, we will walk through the simple steps you must take to do this.
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Why has your boiler locked out?
Lockouts are a safety feature that all boilers come with. Whether you have a boiler made by Vaillant, Worcester, Vokera, Glow-Worm, Ideal, Ferroli, Baxi, Halstead, or one of the other boiler manufacturers on the market in the UK, you can expect your boiler to lockout at some point in its life.
Your boiler will lockout because of one of two main things:
- It has identified a fault that stops it from working properly.
- It has identified a fault that makes it unsafe to continue operating.
Every boiler has a different way of resetting, but in this guide, we will outline the steps you need to follow in order to reset safely.
If you find your boiler is going into lockout repeatedly, especially if these lockouts are caused by different problems, this might mean it’s time for a new boiler.
If that sounds like your situation, be sure to take a look at WARMZILLA – this online installation company offers some of the lowest prices around on a wide range of high-quality boilers from all the top manufacturers. They have some great special offers and can offer you a fixed-price quote in just a couple of minutes without you having to share any personal information.
How To Reset A Boiler – a four-step guide
#1 – Identify And Fix The Fault
If your boiler has locked-out, it is important to acknowledge that it has done so for a reason. While you can just reset your boiler and hope for the best, the chances are that the problem will just reoccur and you will be back to square one.
Most boilers will generate a fault code when they go into lockout. This will appear on the boiler display panel and should give you a clue as to what the problem is. Look up the error code in your manual or online and follow the recommended steps to rectify the problem.
If you are in any doubt, call out a qualified engineer to look at the problem. They will be able to run various diagnostic tests and identify the root cause of the problem before recommending the appropriate fix.
#2 – Locate The Reset Button
If you have a fairly modern boiler, it should have a reset button. This is usually located somewhere close to the display panel but it can sometimes be elsewhere.
Take a look on your boiler and, if necessary, consult your manual to locate where the reset button is on your boiler.
Be aware that sometimes the reset and ignition button is the same button.
If your boiler is an older model, it may not have a reset button. This means you will need to follow a manual reset sequence instead. This will vary depending on which make and model of boiler you have, so it is best to check your manual for details.
#3 – Press And Hold The Reset Button
Once you have identified the reset button and are ready to reset, you will usually need to press and hold the button.
The holding time will vary from one boiler to another, so check the manual if you need to. This is usually between 3 and 10 seconds.
#4 – Wait For The Boiler To Fire Up
Be aware that once your boiler has reset, it may not fire up immediately. All boilers are different but most modern ones will have a pre-set reset sequence they have to follow.
This is usually fairly short but on some boilers, it can take anything from 5-10 minutes. Be patients and give your boiler a chance to go through its sequence.
If you find the boiler isn’t resetting and you have waited a sufficient length of time, you will need to call out a qualified gas engineer to try and identify the cause of the problem.
Where to get a new boiler
If your boiler’s problem is a serious one and it is likely to cost hundreds of pounds to fix, you might want to consider investing in a new, energy-efficient boiler instead.
If this sounds like a good idea, we always recommend that you get several quotes and we would strongly suggest that you make sure one of these is from WARMZILLA.
WARMZILLA is an online installation company that offers some of the cheapest prices around on a wide range of high-quality boilers from all the top manufacturers. Visit their website and enter a few details (nothing personal or private) and they will give you a fixed price quote which could save you a fortune on a brand new boiler.
Summary
Resetting your boiler is usually pretty simple, but if your boiler has locked out, you must try to fix the underlying problem before resetting.
Just going through the reset may temporarily solve the problem but it will come back unless the underlying problem is fixed.
If your boiler has a major problem, you may want to consider investing in a new, energy-efficient boiler and we have recommended you get a quote from WARMZILLA as one of your quotes.
If you have any questions or comments about resetting your boiler or have any tips for our readers that we haven’t mentioned in this guide, feel free to share your thoughts with us using the comment box below.