Brits warned do NOT ignore ‘strange boiler sound’ that could cost you £300 in repairs

BRITS are being warned not to ignore a strange sound which can come from your boiler.

The bizarre noise could be a cause for concern and might end up costing you around £300 to repair.

If you hear a popping or gurgling sound from the heating system it can be a sign of several problems.

The first issue could simply be low pressure.

However, the second could be a result of kettling - which is when the system overheats and the system itself starts to boil.

The Sun recently spoke to trade expert Mark from Cheshire, who partnered with Toolstation to educate people on the sounds coming from their boilers and radiators.

While most noises can be fixed free of charge, having to sort a problem such as kettling can result in a hefty bill.

HOW TO CHECK THE PROBLEM

The water pressure on your boiler should be set between one and two on the gauge.

Anything below that is low pressure and could mean that the boiler struggles to fire up.

To increase your boiler pressure first turn off your boiler.

You should then look for an external filling loop directly under the boiler – this is usually a short length of braided hose linking two water pipes, with levers at both ends to work valves.

Then turn both valves so that the levers are aligned with the direction of the braided hose.

You should hear water running, and see the boiler pressure gauge going up.

At about 1.5 bar, shut off both valves.

Provided the pressure stays up, and there are no obvious signs of leaking water, it’s safe to power the boiler back up - if your boiler continues to lose pressure consult a heating engineer.

If this still doesn't resolve the noise your boiler might be experiencing kettling.

This is when the heat exchanged overheats and produces steam bubbles.

When the bubbles move to a colder area, they make this bubbling sound.

If it is the latter, this would require calling in a heating professional.

Repairing boiler kettling can cost between £75-£300, according to Mark.

Mark said: "If you do hear a peculiar sound coming from your boiler, it’s always good to call a professional either way just to double-check. Low pressure in your boiler usually just requires topping up."

How to find a heating engineer or boiler expert

If you need someone to fix your boiler or any gas appliance then they need to be Gas Safe registered.

You can use the gas safe register website to find a local engineer near you.

Ideally you should get quotes from 2-3 different Gas Safe registered businesses, check their reviews online and ask for previous references from customers.

You may also want to check that the business has public liability insurance and ask for the details of the job to be confirmed in writing beforehand.