If you’ve noticed that you don’t have any hot water or your radiators aren’t getting as hot as they should, the problem could be your boiler pressure. If the pressure of your boiler has dropped, you may need to re-pressurise it to ensure your boiler continues to heat your home and provide hot water effectively.
You can check the pressure of your boiler and re-pressurise it yourself without having to call an engineer out. This post explains everything you need to know when it comes to re-pressurising a boiler and how to do it.
You can check the pressure of your boiler by looking at the gauge on the front when your boiler is off and cool. A hydraulic pressure gauge will indicate the standard operating pressure with a green zone and the maximum safe operating pressures with a red zone. Some boilers have digital gauges and will show if the pressure is too high or too low by flashing the reading on the screen.
The pressure of your combi boiler should be between 1 and 1.5 bar.
If your pressure reads at less than 1 bar, it’s possible that you have lost water from the system via a leak. If the pressure reads at 2.75 bar or above, you may need to bleed a radiator to release the pressure and bring it back down to a suitable level. If you attempt to bleed a radiator, you should make sure that you have a way of catching the water to prevent the walls or floor from being ruined. Take caution when undertaking this job as the water can be very hot. If you’re unsure about anything, it’s a good idea to call an engineer who can help you.
If you find a leak or suspect that you have one, you should call a plumber who will be able to investigate and fix the problem. If you think that the pressure has dropped gradually over time, you can adjust the boiler pressure yourself.
Before getting stuck in, it’s a good idea to check your boiler manual for instructions on how to re-pressurise your combi boiler and whether you can do this yourself. Every type and model of boiler is slightly different so double check you know what to do.
Once you’re ready, you can use the following steps to complete the process:
There are two types of filling loop: external and built-in. An external one will need to be attached by you, so you should attach it during Step 2 and then remove it before turning the boiler back on in Step 6.
By re-pressurising your boiler, you’re allowing more water to enter the system from the mains supply. If you accidentally over-pressurise the system, don’t panic. You may need to bleed your radiators to bring the pressure back down.
You should keep an eye on the pressure over the following days and weeks to make sure the pressure doesn’t drop again. If it does, there’s a chance you may have a leak.
If you get stuck while trying to re-pressurise your Viessmann boiler, you can always contact us for support.
There isn’t a specific timeframe that states when you should re-pressurise your combi boiler. You should re-pressurise it when the pressure has dropped to below 1 bar. This indicates that water has been lost from the system and needs to be replaced.
You shouldn’t need to do this frequently. If you’re doing it more often than you think you should be, contact your installer as your boiler could be leaking.
Depending on how low the pressure of your boiler is, you should allow water in through the valves for around 10 seconds. This should be enough water to get your combi boiler back up to pressure again. If it takes longer than this, you could have a leak in the system.
The whole process, including attaching the filling loop, opening and closing the valves and removing the filling loop should only take a couple of minutes. It might take a bit longer if you’ve never done it before.
A combi boiler system should be installed as a pressurised system. However, if you have a conventional boiler system, you may have a self-filling water tank (usually located in the loft) which controls the pressure for you. The system works by heating up cold water in the hot water storage cylinder which feeds into your taps. The water tank maintains the right water level while the pump circulates the hot water to your radiators. You should never have to re-pressurise this kind of boiler.
Combi boilers need to be connected to the mains in order to increase the pressure. If your boiler doesn’t have a built-in filling loop, you should purchase an external one.
An older combi boiler might have a filling key rather than a filling loop. The key can be inserted into the keyhole and put into the unlock position. Use a spanner or wrench to turn the valve next to the filling key until you can hear water flowing through it. When the pressure is at 1.5 bar, close the valve with the spanner and remove the key by turning it to the lock position. This prevents the valve from being turned on accidentally.
Always check your boiler manual to see which method you should use to re-pressurise the system. If in doubt, you can visit the manufacturer’s website and get in touch with them directly.
You might have noticed the pressure of your boiler drops as soon as you re-pressurise it. The most common reasons for lack of pressure include a leak somewhere in the system or a damaged pressure relief valve.
If you’ve tried to re-pressurise the system once and it hasn’t worked, don’t keep trying it. There’s clearly a problem and it’s best to get an engineer to have a look at what’s going on.
Re-pressurising your boiler isn’t a complicated procedure, and you should regularly check the pressure to make sure the system is running as it should. If you’ve spotted that your pressure is always dropping, you could try to find a leak yourself, but if you’re unsure, call an engineer to help you determine what the problem is. You don’t want to be left without hot water or heating.
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