Heating problems split cleanly into two kinds: the water side — radiators, valves, pipework and circulation — and the gas side, which is the boiler. Tell us what the system is doing and we will look for an appropriately qualified local tradesperson for that part of the job.
Boiler repairs and any work involving gas must only be completed by an appropriately Gas Safe-registered engineer.
If you smell gas, call the National Gas Emergency Service immediately on 0800 111 999. Open doors and windows, avoid flames and electrical switches, and leave the property if advised.
A heating plumber works on everything the water runs through: radiators, thermostatic and lockshield valves, circulating pumps, motorised valves, heating pipework, cylinders on the water side, system flushing and inhibitor dosing, and balancing a system so the far rooms actually heat up. Most complaints about a heating system turn out to live in that list.
The boiler itself is different. Opening up a gas appliance, working on gas pipework, or fitting, servicing and repairing a boiler all require Gas Safe registration, and you should expect to see the engineer’s card with the categories they are registered for. Some plumbers hold that registration, many do not, and no reputable plumber will pretend otherwise.
This matters when you describe the fault, because the same symptom can belong to either side. "No heating" might be a seized pump, a failed motorised valve, a thermostat or a boiler fault. Tell us what you observe rather than what you think is broken, and the enquiry can be pointed at the right trade.
Repeated pressure loss usually means water is escaping somewhere. Topping it up again and again masks a leak rather than fixing it.
Radiator and valve work is priced much like other plumbing: a call-out or hourly rate, plus parts. A radiator replacement typically falls in a guide range of about £150–£300 supplied and fitted in the Midlands. System flushing is quoted per job and varies widely with the size and state of the system, so it is worth getting it looked at before anyone gives a figure.
Vofix does not set or control prices. The plumber or engineer quotes you directly and you are free to decline.
Guide prices are general Midlands figures, not quotations from Vofix or its participating plumbers.
Vofix is a matching service that connects customers with independent local plumbers. The plumber will confirm availability, pricing and the scope of work directly with you before work begins.
Availability varies by area and by day, so attendance is always subject to plumber availability. Vofix does not set or control the prices plumbers charge.
Three steps from telling us about the job to speaking with a local plumber directly.
Share a few quick details about your plumbing job, big or small.
We look for a plumber in the Vofix network covering your area.
Speak directly with your plumber and get the job sorted.
Commonly a seized circulating pump, a failed motorised valve, a thermostat or programmer fault, or low system pressure. All but the pressure are diagnosis jobs rather than something to guess at — describe exactly what the boiler and radiators are doing in your enquiry.
Only if it involves the boiler or gas. Boiler repairs and any work involving gas must only be completed by an appropriately Gas Safe-registered engineer. Radiators, valves and heating pipework are ordinary plumbing work.
It can transform an older system full of sludge, and it is money wasted on a system that is not. A plumber should check radiators for cold bottoms, look at the colour of the water drawn off and consider the age of the system before recommending one.
Radiator symptoms explained →Usually a small leak — a radiator valve, a joint under a floor, or the boiler’s own pressure relief discharging outside. Bleeding radiators also lets pressure down, but only once. If you are topping up weekly, it needs investigating.
Finding a hidden leak →We will look for someone as quickly as we can, subject to plumber availability. On its own, a loss of heating is normally treated as an urgent next-working-day repair rather than an emergency, but tell us if there is a vulnerable person in the property.
What counts as an emergency →Tell us what the system is doing and we will look for an appropriately qualified local tradesperson. Free to use, with no obligation.
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