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Boilers
Servicing, breakdowns, pressure, repair or replace, and what a new boiler involves.
12 articles, each with the date it was last updated.
Baxi E133 fault code — what it means
E133 on a Baxi boiler means the boiler did not establish a flame — the gas supply was interrupted or the boiler could not light. Check the gas supply first, then the condensate pipe in cold weather. If both are fine, it needs a Registered Gas Installer.
C. Kenneally · Oct 2026Combi, system or regular boiler — which do I need?
It depends on how much hot water you use at once. A combi heats water on demand and suits one bathroom. A system boiler with a cylinder suits two or more bathrooms in use together. A regular boiler with attic tanks is common in older houses and is usually replaced like-for-like unless there is a reason to change.
C. Kenneally · Oct 2026How long does a boiler last?
Usually around 10 to 15 years with annual servicing. Boilers that are never serviced, or that run on a sludged system without a filter, often fail sooner.
C. Kenneally · Oct 2026How much does a new boiler cost in Cork? (2026 price guide)
A straight like-for-like gas combi swap starts at €2,750 including VAT, fitted and certified. An oil boiler starts at €3,200. Changing boiler type, moving the boiler or a new flue route adds to that — which is why the fixed price comes after a survey or photos.
C. Kenneally · Oct 2026How often should a boiler be serviced?
Once a year. Gas Networks Ireland recommends gas appliances are serviced annually in line with the manufacturer's instructions, and most boiler warranties depend on it. Oil boilers are serviced annually as standard practice.
C. Kenneally · Oct 2026Ideal boiler F1 and L2 fault codes
On Ideal Logic boilers, F1 means the system water pressure is too low — usually below about 0.5 bar — and L2 means the boiler tried to light, failed, and locked out. F1 you can often fix yourself by re-pressurising. L2 is an ignition lockout, usually caused by a gas supply problem, a frozen condensate pipe or the ignition parts.
C. Kenneally · Oct 2026Replacing an oil boiler: how to plan it
Plan it before the old boiler fails, ideally outside the winter rush. Check the tank, oil lines and flue at the same time, and price a heat pump alongside — with the SEAI grant and the new €2,000 boiler scrappage support, it can work out closer than you expect.
C. Kenneally · Oct 2026Should I repair or replace my boiler?
Repair it if it is reasonably young, the faulty part is easy to get, and it has been reliable. Replace it when breakdowns are becoming regular, parts are hard to get, or one repair would cost a large share of a new boiler.
C. Kenneally · Oct 2026Vaillant (and Glow-worm) F28 and F29 fault codes
On Vaillant boilers — and many Glow-worm models, which share parts — F28 means the boiler failed to light at start-up, and F29 means the flame was lost while it was running. Both usually point to the gas supply, a frozen condensate pipe, or the ignition and flame-sensing parts.
C. Kenneally · Oct 2026What should I do if my condensate pipe freezes?
Find the plastic condensate pipe running from the boiler to an outside drain, pour warm — not boiling — water along it until the ice clears, then reset the boiler.
C. Kenneally · Oct 2026Why does my boiler keep losing pressure?
Because water is leaving the sealed system. The usual causes are a small leak on a radiator valve or joint, a pressure relief valve letting by, or an expansion vessel that has lost its charge.
C. Kenneally · Oct 2026Worcester Bosch EA or EA 227 fault code — what it means
EA, shown as EA 227 on newer Worcester Bosch boilers, means the boiler tried to light and did not see a flame. It locks out for safety. The commonest causes are no gas getting to the boiler, a frozen condensate pipe in cold weather, or a worn ignition or flame-sensing electrode.
C. Kenneally · Oct 2026
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