Intergas Boiler Fault Problems And Cures
The Intergas boiler fault problems and cures Q & A or require an engineer for an emergency boiler repair.
The Intergas Boiler Fault Problems And Cures Common Q & A
Below we’ve created an extensive guide to the most common Intergas boiler faults, and some potential cures. So, if you’ve noticed a fault code being displayed on your boiler and you’re wondering what it means, this guide is going to help.
Your Intergas boiler is controlled by the printed circuit board (PCB). The PCB tells parts when they need to operate, and when they need to shut down. Likewise, your boiler contains a range of sensors. By monitoring the readers given by a range of sensors, your boiler’s PCB knows what’s working and when. More importantly, when readings aren’t within the boiler’s working tolerance, the PCB will lockout your appliance.
A boiler lockout is designed to either protect important boiler components from further damage, or, to ensure that the boiler isn’t operating when it could be dangerous. For both reasons, you shouldn’t attempt to reset your boiler to fix the problem. The reset function on your Intergas boiler is designed to be used once the problem is fixed, it’s not a way to fix your appliance.
Most faults will require an emergency boiler repair company. And, that’s because it’s only Gas Safe registered engineers that are qualified to work on gas appliances.
Here is a list of the most common fault codes for Intergas boilers, all of which we’ve covered below: (Please click on the link in the list to go directly to the article relating to each code).
My boiler is displaying the 0.0 fault code, what does this mean?
The 0.0 fault code on Intergas boilers relates to low water pressure in your central heating system. The PCB has recognised that the pressure has dropped below the minimum and has likely locked out your boiler.
The first thing to check, is the pressure gauge. This is usually located on the front of the boiler, or just below the display panel. Your boiler should read around 1.3 bar, with anything between 1-1.5 bar being OK. If the pressure has dropped below 0.5 bar on the pressure gauge, it’s likely that low pressure is the cause.
Typically, there are two things that would cause a boiler to lose pressure; airlocks and leaks.
Airlocks find their way into the system via water. So, if you’ve topped up your boiler recently, it might be airlocks are what’s causing the issue. Typically, you’ll want to bleed radiators and towel rails after topping up your heating system with water. And, when you do so, you’ll see the pressure gauge drop considerably.
If the system has been topped up and the air bled from the system, it’s likely that the system hasn’t been topped up during the bleeding procedure. As you bleed the system, you’ll need to keep topping up the pressure as you open bleed valves, as removing airlocks will also remove pressure.
Another common issue that can lead to a drop in pressure is a leak in your heating system. No matter how small, a leak is going to mean that your system isn’t sealed. As water escapes from the system, so will pressure. Eventually, the boiler will lockout.
Leaks can come in all shapes and sizes, and be located on anything from a towel rail, to a radiator, or even copper pipework. Your boiler repair company will need to locate and fix the leak. After topping up the system and bleeding radiators and towel rails, they’ll need to reset your boiler to clear the 0.0 fault code.
The leaks on your boiler need to be fixed as soon as possible. Any moisture inside your boiler could cause damage to other electrical components.
What does fault code 1 mean on Intergas boilers?
Another common error we see on Intergas boilers is the 1 fault code. This fault relates to an appliance that’s overheating. Typically, an overheating boiler is going to mean that there’s something that’s affecting the circulation in the appliance.
Although the fault code helps narrow down the problem for your boiler repair company, it’s not 100% specific. Anything that is involved in circulating water around your central heating system (or, could hinder that circulation), needs to be checked.
The first thing your boiler engineer needs to check for, is airlocks. Airlocks can act like blockages. If you top up your boiler regularly, it’s likely there’s air in the system. And, this air could be in radiators, towel rails, and even the pump.
Your boiler repair company will need to bleed air from towel rails, radiators and the pump, topping up the boiler as they go, to ensure that it’s constantly set to the right pressure. If airlocks were the problem, after bleeding the heating system, resetting the boiler will clear fault code 1 from the display panel.
The next thing they’ll want to check, is the pump. Is it on the correct speed setting? Is it free from airlocks, and not seized? Is it responding from commands given by the PCB? Is it blocked with heating sludge?
In some instances, the pump can be fixed. If not, expect a quality replacement to be around £250 including parts and labour.
If fault code 4 is being displayed on my Intergas boiler, how can it be fixed?
Fault code 4 relates to a boiler that has no flame signal. The PCB has asked the gas valve to open, providing fuel to the burner, and the boiler’s ignition system to kick into life. However, the PCB can’t recognise that the boiler can establish a flame.
As this could be a venting or fuel supply issue that could be dangerous, your boiler is going to lockout.
Like most boiler fault codes, fault code 4 can be a complex and dangerous one to fix. So, always call an emergency Gas Safe emergency boiler repair company.
Once on site, they’ll start by checking the flame sensor on your boiler. Your boiler could be establishing a flame as per usual. However, if the flame sensor is faulty, the PCB won’t receive the feedback to say that the flame is established. If the flame sensor is faulty, your engineer will fit a new one and reset your boiler to clear fault code 4 from the display panel.
But, that’s not the only thing they’ll want to check. Another potential culprit could be the gas valve. Gas valves are known to seize over time. When they do, they might seize partially shut, or partially open. In this case, it’s likely it’s stuck partially closed and not able to provide enough gas to the burner.
On some occasions, the gas valve can be freed to fix the problem. However, if your boiler engineer thinks the gas valve is beyond repair, it’s likely they’ll want to fit a new valve. If you do need a new gas valve on your Intergas boiler, expect to pay around £300.
My boiler is displaying fault code 5 on the display, why, and how can it be fixed?
Fault code 5 on Intergas boilers is slightly different to fault code 4. Instead of the boiler being unable to produce a flame, the flame signal that the PCB is seeing, is weak.
Like fault code 4, it’s worth checking that the flame sensor isn’t to blame. If the flame sensor on your Intergas boiler is faulty, it could be feeding back the wrong readings to the PCB. So, even though the flame is solid, the PCB thinks otherwise.
After checking the flame sensor, analysing the gas pressure is the next step for your boiler engineer. If the gas pressure into the meter isn’t correct, the gas pressure out of the meter and into the boiler isn’t going to enable the appliance to function correctly.
With gas pressure checks complete, they’ll want to look at the component that controls the flow of gas to the burner; the gas valve. As gas valves wear, it’s common that they start to stick. If you have a sticking gas valve, this could mean that the burner isn’t able to get the gas supply it needs to produce a solid flame. Instead, the flame signal will be weak, at best.
Next, your boiler repair company will want to check for airway blockages; this includes the flue and condensate pipe. For your boiler to operate safely, harmful gases need to be vented out of the flue, and condensed gases via the condensate pipe. Any blockages need to be cleared, and the boiler reset to clear fault code 5 from your boiler’s display.
If the flame sensor, gas pressure and airways all look good, the next place for your boiler repair company to check is the burner. The burner can get a build-up of debris over time, but it’s unlikely the cause if your boiler is only a few years old.
The build-up of debris can hamper the efficiency of the burner and cause a blockage. Typically, the blockage would be in the small jet that supplies gas to the burner. Even the smallest piece of debris could cause a blockage. So, it will need to be cleaned out and refitted, followed by a reset, for your boiler to be operational again.
My boiler is showing fault code 6 on the display panel, what’s caused this to happen?
If your boiler is showing fault code 6 on the display panel and has locked out, there’s a problem with the PCB’s ability to detect a flame.
Naturally, your Gas Safe engineer is going to want to check the flame sensor first. If the flame sensor isn’t working, it’s not going to be giving the PCB the correct flame signal. So, even if there is a solid flame, the PCB is going to think otherwise.
If the flame sensor isn’t to blame, your boiler engineer will need to check any parts that relate to ignition and fuel supply. This includes parts such as the gas valve, ignition lead, and even the gas pressure into the appliance.
When there is a problem that relates to an electrical component, your engineer will want to check whether it’s old age that’s caused the error, or whether there has been a catalyst. For instance, water damage from leaking parts such as the pump or heat exchanger are common. After finding the part causing the sensing or flame issue, they’ll also need to fix any leaks, as leaks could damage electrical components in the future.
If my Intergas boiler is showing fault code 8, can it be fixed?
Fault code 8 on Intergas boilers relates to a fan speed issue.
The fan on your boiler is a safety device. It works by creating a draught that pushes harmful gases up the flue, and out of your property. If your fan isn’t working correctly, there’s a chance that the boiler could be dangerous. Naturally, your boiler is going to lockout until the problem is fixed, and the boiler is reset.
If fault code 8 is being displayed on the control panel, it’s most likely the fan speed is too slow. It’s not creating a big enough draught to get rid of gases, and that’s going to be dangerous. Assuming there’s nothing wrong with the fan, your boiler repair company will be able to adjust the fan’s speed to ensure that gases are being expelled from the property.
If that doesn’t fix the problem, it’s likely there’s a fault with the fan. Your boiler repair engineer will be able to check that this is the case by testing the fan with a multi-meter. After checking the fan, if your repair company determines that the fan has failed, it’s going to need to be replaced. Typical replacement costs for fans on Intergas boilers sit in the range of £250.
What does the 10, 11, 12, 13 and 14 fault code mean on my Intergas boiler?
If you are seeing the 10, 11, 12, 13 or 14 fault code on the display panel of your Intergas boiler, they all mean the same thing; there’s a problem with the sensor on the heat exchanger, or the readings aren’t within tolerance for the boiler to operate.
The heat exchanger on your boiler has two sensors; S1 and S2. The S1 sensor monitors the flow of water from the heat exchanger, whereas the S2 monitors it on the return (water returning to be reheated).
The most obvious fix here, is to get your boiler repair company to replace the S1 sensor on your boiler.
But, not all fault codes are correct, however specific they are. Although the fault code indicates the issue is with the S1 sensor, it might be a circulation issue in your boiler.
One example that directly relates to the heat exchanger, would be limescale build-up. If limescale has built-up in your heat exchanger, that’s going to restrict flow. The S1 sensor will feedback these readings of restricted flow to the main PCB, and the boiler is going to lockout until the problem is fixed.
Limescale is a major killer of boiler parts, especially the heat exchanger. The best thing to do is have your boiler repair company inspect the heat exchanger. If they suspect limescale is the culprit, they can flush the central heating system using descaling chemicals.
Once flushed, they can top up your system using central heating inhibitor. This is going to help break down limescale and heating sludge. Preferably, they’ll then fit both a limescale filter, and a magnetic system filter. Combined, they’ll catch both limescale and central heating sludge, protecting boiler parts from damage.
If your heat exchanger is cracked, or in need of major repair, a replacement might be necessary. Typical heat exchanger replacement costs could be £400 or more.
If my boiler is showing fault code 29 on the display, what’s the problem?
Fault code 29 on Intergas boilers relates to a problem with the gas valve. Unlike many other fault codes, this error code is specific. The most likely explanation for the problem, is that the relay on the valve is faulty.
Your boiler repair company can check this using a multi meter. If the relay is the cause, it will need to be replaced.
Not all errors relating to fault code 29 are going to be related to the relay. If the relay test comes back ok, it’s likely the problem lies with the gas valve instead.
Like with the relay, your engineer will test the valve for power. They’ll also test wiring and connections to the valve. Even one slightly loose connection, or partially damaged wire, could be enough to make the gas valve not work.
If the problem doesn’t seem electrical, they’ll check the operation of the valve. Old gas valves are known to stick. When they stick, they might stick partially open, or partially closed. Either way, that’s going to mean that the burner in your boiler isn’t getting the supply of gas that it needs.
Sometimes, valves in this state can be repaired. However, it’s more likely that your Gas Safe engineer is going to suggest a replacement. A sticking valve can be dangerous. If a replacement is needed, you should expect to pay around £300 including parts and labour.
Fault code 30 is being shown on the control panel of my boiler, what do I need to do to fix it?
Fault code 30 on Intergas boilers relates to a problem with the gas valve. As with anything that relates to gas, you’ll need to consult a Gas Safe engineer.
It’s most likely that when they test the gas valve, they’ll find that there’s a problem with the relay. If that’s the case, replacing the relay on the gas valve and resetting your boiler will clear the fault code from the display panel.
However, not all problems relating to fault code 30 are related to the relay. If the relay isn’t the issue, they’ll want to make sure that the valve is getting power, and if it is, that it’s moving freely.
If there’s a mechanical or electrical fix possible, your engineer will be able to get your boiler up and running within one working day. However, if your boiler needs a replacement gas valve, expect to pay around £300, and for the job to take two to three working days; they may have to order a gas valve in from their local supplier.
Other boiler issues relating to other manufactures
For more boiler issues then please visit the Boiler Problems And Cures page.