Emergency boiler repair in Exeter
If the boiler has died, is leaking, or keeps locking out, tell us what's happening and we'll get a local boiler engineer in touch with you as soon as possible.
Get a free quote
Tell us what's happening. It takes about two minutes.
Thanks, your enquiry is on its way to a local boiler engineer, who'll be in touch. If you smell gas, leave the property and call the National Gas Emergency Service on 0800 111 999.
When it can't wait
- No heating and no hot water, and a reset hasn't helped
- Water dripping from the boiler or the pipes underneath it
- The pressure gauge keeps dropping after you top it up
- The boiler locks out and shows the same fault code again and again
- Banging, gurgling or whistling that started suddenly
- A pilot light that won't stay lit, or a burner that won't fire
- Someone vulnerable in the house and the heating has gone off in cold weather
What an emergency repair usually involves
In general, the engineer starts by finding the fault rather than guessing at it. They'll check the error code, the pressure, the gas supply to the boiler, and the parts that most often fail: the pump, the fan, the diverter valve, the printed circuit board and the various sensors.
If a part has to be ordered, the engineer will usually make the boiler safe and tell you what happens next. On an older boiler that keeps failing, they may talk to you about whether a repair is still worth it.
Any work on a gas boiler must, by law, be carried out by an engineer on the Gas Safe Register. Ask to see their Gas Safe ID card when they arrive; it shows which kinds of gas work they're qualified for.
Breakdowns around Exeter
Most homes in Exeter run on mains gas, so most emergency calls in the city are for gas combi and system boilers. In the villages beyond the city edge, oil boilers are far more common, and a sudden breakdown there is often about fuel supply or the burner rather than the boiler's electronics.
Cold snaps catch a lot of condensing boilers out. In general, the plastic condensate pipe that runs outside can freeze in a hard frost, and the boiler shuts itself down to protect itself. It looks like a breakdown, but it is often fixed by thawing the pipe.
While you wait
If you smell gas, turn off the gas at the meter if you can do so safely, open the windows, don't use light switches or anything that could spark, leave the property and call the National Gas Emergency Service on 0800 111 999. If water is leaking, turn the boiler off at the switch and put a bowl or towels underneath; if the leak is heavy, turn off the water at the stopcock. If the condensate pipe outside is frozen and you can reach it at ground level, pour warm (not boiling) water along it, then reset the boiler. Never climb up to reach a pipe or flue.
What happens when you enquire
Tell us what the boiler is doing and choose 'Urgent' on the form. We pass your enquiry to one vetted, independent boiler engineer who covers your area, and they'll contact you directly to talk it through and arrange a visit.
The enquiry is free and there's no obligation. If the engineer charges for an emergency call-out or a diagnostic visit, they'll tell you before they come out.
Typical emergency repair costs
| Job | Typical cost |
|---|---|
| Emergency weekday call-out (before labour and parts) | £75–£120 |
| Weekday emergency repair | £120–£300 |
| Evening emergency repair | £170–£400 |
| Weekend emergency repair | £200–£500 |
| Repair including a common replacement part | £200–£515 |
Indicative UK price ranges published by MyJobQuote (updated October 2026). Your boiler engineer will quote after inspecting.
Emergency boiler questions
Should I repair my boiler or replace it?
In general, a repair makes sense when the boiler is otherwise reliable and the part is available. If it keeps breaking down, parts are hard to find, or a repair would cost a large share of a new boiler, it may be time to replace it. Your engineer can talk you through both options.
My boiler's stopped. What can I check first?
Check the boiler has power and the display is on, that the gas or oil supply is on, and that the pressure gauge is within the range in your manual. Try the reset button once. In freezing weather, check the condensate pipe outside isn't frozen. If none of that helps, send an enquiry.
What should I do if I smell gas?
Turn off the gas at the meter if it's safe to, open doors and windows, don't use switches or anything that could spark, leave the property and call the National Gas Emergency Service on 0800 111 999. Don't send an enquiry first.
Why does my boiler stop working in a frost?
Condensing boilers send water out through a plastic condensate pipe. In a hard frost that pipe can freeze, and the boiler shuts down to protect itself. Pouring warm, not boiling, water along the pipe at ground level often fixes it. Never climb to reach it.
My oil ran out. Will the boiler restart after delivery?
Sometimes, but often not straight away. When a tank runs dry, air and sludge can get into the supply line, and the engineer may need to bleed the line and clean the filter before the boiler will run reliably.
Boiler down right now? Send an enquiry marked urgent and a local engineer will be in touch.