How much does it cost to fix no hot water in Gloucester?
No hot water? Post the job for free and it goes to local plumbers and heating engineers who cover your area. Only the one who takes it on gets your contact details.
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Common causes and first checks
With a combi boiler, no hot water usually points to the boiler itself: low pressure, a fault code, or a failed part inside. With a boiler and a hot water cylinder, it could be the programmer, the cylinder thermostat, a motorised valve or the boiler, and some cylinders also have an electric immersion heater you can use as a backup.
A few safe checks before the engineer arrives:
- Is the boiler showing power? Write down or photograph any fault code on the display.
- Look at the pressure gauge and compare it with the range in your manual.
- Check the programmer or app is set to call for hot water, and that the clock is right after any power cut.
- Note whether the heating still works. It helps narrow things down.
- In freezing weather, a frozen condensate pipe outside can stop a condensing boiler.
If the manual says you can reset the boiler with its reset button, try it once. If the fault comes back, leave it. Don’t take the casing off or try to repair a gas boiler yourself. Repairs must be done by a Gas Safe registered engineer.
If the problem is the immersion heater, replacing the element is often a plumbing job, but faults in the wiring or switch are electrical work.
What to include when you post
Tell the engineer enough to bring the likely parts on the first visit.
- Whether you have a combi, or a boiler with a hot water cylinder
- The make and model of the boiler, with a photo of the display
- Any fault code, and the reading on the pressure gauge
- Whether the heating still works
- Whether it stopped suddenly or has been getting worse
- Whether you have an immersion heater, and whether it works
- Whether anyone at home is elderly, unwell or very young
- What you’ve already checked, such as the programmer or a reset
If you’re not sure which system you have, photos of the boiler and the airing cupboard will usually answer it.
Choosing who does the work
A gas boiler fault needs a Gas Safe registered engineer, and their ID card should cover gas boilers. An immersion heater wiring fault may need an electrician. Say which you think it is, and the right person can pick it up.
Before the visit, ask:
- whether the call-out, diagnosis and repair are priced separately
- whether they carry common parts for your make of boiler, or will need to order them
- what guarantee they give on parts and labour
- whether they’ll explain what failed and why
If the boiler is still under warranty, check with the manufacturer first. Some warranties only cover repairs by the manufacturer’s own engineers.
Not quite the right job?
See every job on our Plumber page, or post it anyway and describe it in your own words.
Before a tradesperson starts work
Registrations
Some work must be done by a registered professional. Work on a gas boiler, cooker or fire must be done by a Gas Safe registered engineer, which you can check on the Gas Safe Register.
Our business check
Limited companies are checked with Companies House and sole traders upload their insurance certificate. Trade registrations are confirmed by the tradesperson when they sign up.
Get the price in writing
Ask for a written quote that sets out the work and the price before anything starts. Your contract for the work is with the tradesperson.
Questions
What people tend to ask before booking this job. For anything specific to your home, ask the tradesperson who takes it on when they get in touch.
If hot water comes straight from the boiler and there's no hot water cylinder in an airing cupboard, it is usually a combi. A photo of the boiler and any cylinder helps the engineer.
Often, yes, though faults in the wiring or switch are electrical work. Mention it in your job so the right person takes it on.
Many sealed systems have a filling loop you can use to top up the pressure, and the manual shows how. If you're not confident, or the pressure keeps dropping, leave it for the engineer, as repeated drops often mean a leak somewhere in the system. Don't open the boiler casing.
If your cylinder has an immersion heater, switching it on can give you hot water while you wait for the boiler to be fixed. It runs on electricity, separately from the boiler.
Usually it can wait for a normal booking. If there's no other way to wash and someone at home is very young, elderly or unwell, choose the emergency option. Tradespeople pay more for emergency jobs, so please only use it when it really can't wait.