Why do I have to keep resetting my boiler?

Essentially, a boiler reset is like rebooting a computer or a phone.

Most electronic devices benefit from a reset every now and again, as rogue bits of code sometimes creep into the system and cause crashes.

With a regular boiler, it’s likely that it’s just a simple case of returning to factory settings.

However, you might have to take a little more care with some modern boilers and smart thermostats that are connected to the internet – returning to factory settings might erase recent firmware updates, so make sure you’re just doing a soft reboot.

Different brands have different ways of resetting. Sometimes it’s a sequence on the control panel, while other times you might have to hold down a button for 10 seconds, perhaps by poking a small object into a hole to prevent accidental pressing.

You’ll know the boiler needs resetting if it’s not turning on, but there will probably also be a light or error message on the display to let you know it’s not functioning.

Inside your boiler, there are a host of sensors and gauges that make sure everything is running as it’s supposed to.

The most critical ones are temperature, pressure and flow sensors, as it’s critical to keep these metrics within safe ranges. If any of them go outside their operating ranges, the boiler will automatically trip.

Sometimes, there has just been a glitch or a false reading, and resetting the boiler will solve the problem and it will be back to normal again.

However, if it constantly trips, it’s more likely that there’s a problem with pressure, temperature or flow, which could mean an issue with the pump or the heat exchanger. It’s also possible that there’s a problem with the circuit board itself, although that’s quite unlikely.

Your boiler might give you very specific error messages that tell you what the problem is. If it’s water pressure, you might be able to fix it yourself as long as it’s a one-off problem. If the pressure is high, you’ll need to bleed a radiator until the pressure is normalised.

If it’s low, you’ll need to put more water in the system from the mains via the filling loop. However, if the problem keeps coming back, there’s something more persistent that will need to be looked at by a professional boiler engineer.

In fact, for the vast majority of problems where the boiler is continually tripping, we’d always recommend a professional inspection. There could be something important that needs fixing for your own safety, or for the efficient operation of your boiler.

Only a gas safe engineer can do that. It might only need a replacement part, or it could be time for a new boiler, but either way, just call us out for your own peace of mind.