Common Ideal Boiler Problems and Repairs

Have you recently purchased an Ideal boiler? If you have, you’ll be pleased to know that Ideal boilers have been Good Housekeeping Reader Recommended, with 95% of consumers rating their appliance as being very good or excellent. Trouble is, no boiler is immune from faults, which means it’s likely that your Ideal boiler may run into a problem at some point or another. You also need to be aware that some Ideal boiler faults are more common than others and some problems can be resolved without you needing to call in a qualified engineer.

If your Ideal boiler has stopped working or you want to learn more about common issues, this helpful guide covers the most common Ideal boiler problems and what needs to be done to rectify them.

1. The boiler is leaking water

This could be quite a serious problem, depending on the cause. An Ideal boiler that is leaking water could be the result of a broken heat exchanger, a loose or faulty pump, damaged seals or water pressure issues.

What to do next: A leaking boiler could be potentially dangerous if not dealt with quickly, so you’ll need to switch off the boiler (if it’s on) and call in a Gas Safe registered engineer. The boiler needs to be taken apart so the engineer can take a look at the internal components, which is something you should never attempt to do yourself. Fingers crossed it’s not a broken heat exchanger as this will be expensive to fix or replace.

2. The boiler is unresponsive

If your Ideal boiler is refusing to fire up and switch on, it could be down to a wiring or electrical issue. The printed circuit board (PCB) is likely to be the culprit when it comes to an unresponsive Ideal boiler as they are prone problems.

What to do next: You can check if there is an issue with the plug socket by unplugging the boiler and testing another appliance in the same plug socket. Try plugging in a lamp or something small. If there’s nothing wrong with the plug socket that you use to power your boiler, then it’s probably an issue with the PCB, which will need to be looked at by a qualified Gas Safe registered engineer.

3. The boiler is leaking and making gurgling noises

This is usually a problem linked to blocked waterways from the boiler itself to the condensate. It isn’t uncommon for a condensate trap (located underneath the boiler) to fill up with debris, regardless of whether it’s an Ideal boiler or another brand.

What to do next: If you feel it’s safe to do so, you can remove the condensate trap to clear the blockage. Before you do this, turn the boiler off, then grab a bowl and place it underneath the boiler to catch any leaks that drip from the trap whilst you clear out the debris. If you don’t feel confident attempting to clear the blockage yourself, contact a qualified engineer to do it for you.

4. The boiler is showing a flame loss fault code

When you encounter a flame loss problem, your Ideal boiler will usually display the F2 fault code. This fault could stem from an issue with the flue, gas pressure, gas valve or the fan, or it could be that one of the electrical components is faulty.

What to do next: You can check to see if the other gas appliances in your home are working as normal to rule out an issue with the gas supply and make sure your pre-payment meter has enough credit if you use one. If your other gas appliances work or you have enough credit in your meter, you’ll need to call out a Gas Safe registered engineer to identify the cause and fix the problem.

5. The boiler refuses to ignite

If your Ideal boiler has failed to ignite after attempting to do so 3 times, it will go into a lockout mode and shut itself down as a safety precaution. A bright orange light should appear when the boiler enters the lockout mode. This is a fairly common fault with some Ideal combi boilers and it usually means that there’s a problem with either the ignition and flame sensors or the ignition leads.

What to do next: You can reset your boiler and try to ignite it once more. If your Ideal boiler still refuses to ignite or you hear strange noises coming from your boiler, then you will need to call a Gas Safe engineer to inspect the ignition leads and boiler sensors.