--- title: "Central Heating Repair in Brighton & Hove | R.K Plumbing" description: "Gas Safe registered central heating repairs across Brighton, Hove, Lewes and Sussex. Prompt, tidy diagnosis and repair from R.K Plumbing & Heating." canonical: "https://www.rkplumbingandheatingservices.com/services/central-heating-repair" --- Central Heating # Central Heating Repair Cold radiators, a boiler that keeps locking out, or pressure that drops overnight all have a cause, and finding it is the job. We diagnose and repair domestic heating systems for homes and rental properties across Brighton, Hove and the surrounding Sussex towns. [Call 01273 911551](tel:+441273911551) ![Plant room wall of copper risers, brass air vent, zone valves and a circulating pump on plywood](/_next/image?url=%2Fapi%2Fmedia%2Ffile%2Frk-cylinder-installation-20200124-01.jpg%3Fprefix%3Dtenants%252F6a73367026944505f092a67a%26v%3D1787044834598&w=1536&q=75&dpl=dpl_J3UkotoCWSfG7mH3JdDuNRVcD7J7)![Plant room wall of copper risers, brass air vent, zone valves and a circulating pump on plywood](/_next/image?url=%2Fapi%2Fmedia%2Ffile%2Frk-cylinder-installation-20200124-01.jpg%3Fprefix%3Dtenants%252F6a73367026944505f092a67a%26v%3D1787044834598&w=1536&q=75&dpl=dpl_J3UkotoCWSfG7mH3JdDuNRVcD7J7) ## What's involved Heating faults show up in a handful of familiar ways, and these are the areas we work through to find the cause. ### Fault Diagnosis Checking pressure, controls, the boiler and the pipework in order, so the repair addresses the cause and not just the symptom. ### Boiler Faults and Lockouts Ignition, pressure, sensor and diverter valve problems on domestic boilers, worked on under our Gas Safe registration. ### Cold Radiators and Circulation Bleeding, valve and pump work, and clearing sludge where poor flow is stopping heat reaching the far end of the house. ### Controls, Leaks and Pressure Loss Programmers, room thermostats and zone valves, plus tracing and repairing the weeping joints that pull system pressure down. ## Finding the fault before changing the part Most heating call outs start the same way: something has stopped working, and it is not obvious why. A radiator stays cold, the boiler fires and cuts straight back out, the pressure gauge is sitting on the floor again by Monday morning, or the hot water is fine while the heating is not. Each of those points at a different part of the system, so the first thing we do is work through it in order rather than reach for the most likely part. That means checking the simple things first, because they are often the answer: the programmer and room thermostat settings, the batteries in a wireless stat, the system pressure, and whether the pump and zone valves are actually moving. From there we look at flow and return temperatures across the radiators, listen to the pump, and watch how the boiler behaves through a heating demand and a hot water demand. > A part swapped without a diagnosis is a repair you pay for twice. ## What we isolate, remove and test Once the fault is identified we isolate the section we need to work on rather than draining the whole system where that can be avoided. A single radiator or valve can usually be closed off at both ends and dropped out on its own. Boiler work means isolating the gas and electrical supplies, closing the flow and return valves, and draining only the appliance. Faulty components come out and go with us. On boilers that is typically an expansion vessel that has lost its charge, a pressure relief valve weeping to the outside, a diverter valve that has stuck, or an ignition or flame sensing fault. On the system side it is more often a seized zone valve head, a failed pump, a corroded radiator valve, or an airlock in a badly run pipe. Afterwards the system is refilled, vented and dosed with inhibitor if we have drained it down. We pressure test, run the boiler through a full cycle on both heating and hot water, and check the gas rate and combustion where we have worked on the gas side. We are Gas Safe registered for domestic gas work under registration 568345 and an accredited Vaillant installer, so Vaillant appliances are familiar ground alongside the other boilers common in homes around Brighton, Hove and Woodingdean. More information ### Faults we are called out for - One or more radiators cold while the rest of the house is warm - A boiler locking out, showing a fault code, or firing and cutting straight back out - System pressure dropping and needing topping up again and again - Hot water working while the heating does not, or the other way round - Banging, kettling or gurgling from the boiler or the pipework - A thermostat or programmer that no longer controls anything > Pressure that keeps dropping is telling you water is going somewhere; it is worth finding out where. ## Repair or replace Not every fault is worth fixing. If a boiler is old, parts are getting hard to come by, or the cost of the repair is creeping toward a large share of a replacement, we will tell you that plainly and let you decide. Equally, plenty of systems that feel finished only need a single component and a proper clean of the water inside them. We are based in Woodingdean and cover Brighton, Hove, Worthing, Lewes, Shoreham-by-Sea, Haywards Heath, Seaford, Burgess Hill and surrounding Sussex towns. Call 01273 911551 with the symptoms and any fault code showing on the boiler, and we will take it from there. ### Ready to talk? Tell us what the system is doing and we'll come back to you with honest advice, not a hard sell. [Call 01273 911551](tel:+441273911551) ### While you're here - [Central Heating Installation](/services/central-heating-installation)→ - [Power Flushing](/services/power-flushing)→ - [Radiator Installation](/services/radiator-installation)→ ## Worth considering Central Heating ### Smart Thermostat Installation Smart thermostat fitting for homes in Brighton, Hove and Sussex, checked for wiring compatibility and set up ready to use. [Smart Thermostat Installation→](/services/smart-thermostat-installation) Central Heating ### Heating Controls Installation Thermostats, programmers and smart heating controls supplied, fitted and set up for homes across Brighton, Hove and the surrounding Sussex towns. [Heating Controls Installation→](/services/heating-controls-installation) Central Heating ### Underfloor Heating Installation Wet and electric underfloor heating installed neatly and tested properly, often alongside bathroom design and fit-outs. [Underfloor Heating Installation→](/services/underfloor-heating-installation) Central Heating ### Radiator Repair Fixing cold, leaking or noisy radiators, from bleeding and valve repairs to flushing and full radiator replacement. [Radiator Repair→](/services/radiator-repair) Central Heating ### Radiator Valve Replacement Seized, dripping or outdated radiator valves replaced and leak-tested, for homes across Brighton, Hove and the surrounding Sussex towns. [Radiator Valve Replacement→](/services/radiator-valve-replacement) Central Heating ### Underfloor Heating Repair Diagnosis and repair of wet and electric underfloor heating systems, with minimal floor disruption, for homes across Brighton, Hove and Sussex. [Underfloor Heating Repair→](/services/underfloor-heating-repair) ## Before you book The things people usually want to know before we come out to a heating fault. My heating has stopped working. What should I check first? Have a look at the programmer and room thermostat settings, change the batteries if the thermostat is wireless, and check the pressure gauge on the boiler. If the gauge is well below the normal band, or there is a fault code on the display, note it down before you call. Anything involving the gas side or the inside of the boiler needs a registered engineer rather than a look yourself. Why does my boiler keep losing pressure? Losing pressure means water is leaving the system somewhere. The usual causes are a weeping radiator valve or joint, a pressure relief valve discharging outside, or an expansion vessel that has lost its charge. We trace which of those it is rather than simply topping the system back up and leaving you to do the same next week. Only some of my radiators are cold. Is that a boiler fault? Usually not. Radiators that stay cold while others heat normally tend to point at trapped air, a stuck valve, sludge restricting flow, or a system that has never been balanced. We check flow and return temperatures around the house to work out which of those it is before touching the boiler. Do you work on all makes of boiler? We work on the domestic boilers commonly found in homes across Brighton, Hove and the surrounding Sussex towns, and as an accredited Vaillant installer we are particularly at home on Vaillant appliances. Our Gas Safe registration, number 568345, covers domestic gas work. Can you repair heating in a rental property? Yes. We carry out heating repairs in domestic rental properties for landlords as well as for homeowners, and we can carry out a landlord gas safety check and issue a CP12 certificate where one is needed. Our registration covers domestic gas work only. Does a heating fault mean I need a new boiler? Not usually. Most faults come down to a single component, an airlock, or dirty system water rather than a boiler at the end of its life. If a repair genuinely is not worth the money on an old appliance we will say so and explain why, rather than fitting parts to something that will fail again. How do I get a price for a heating repair? Call 01273 911551 and tell us what the system is doing, including any fault code showing on the boiler. We will talk through what is likely involved, and once we have diagnosed the fault on site you get the cost before any repair work starts. Which areas do you cover? We are based in Woodingdean and cover Brighton, Hove, Worthing, Lewes, Shoreham-by-Sea, Haywards Heath, Seaford, Burgess Hill and surrounding Sussex towns. ## Let's get your heating working again Tell us what the system is doing and we'll work out what's behind it. [Call 01273 911551](tel:+441273911551)