Do you think your boilers diverter valve may be stuck? Here we explain what to do to resolve this common issue.
Is your boiler’s diverter valve acting up?
Whether you know for sure that it’s stuck, or you suspect that it’s stuck, you’ve come to the right place.
In this guide, we’ll explore what this means and what you can do about it.
Let’s dive in!
PS we fit new combi boilers with gas installation nationwide. Simply answer these questions, get your fixed price and you could get it installed as quick as tomorrow.
What is a Boiler Diverter Valve?
The diverter valve on a combi boiler is a mechanism used to direct hot water to radiators or taps/showers for direct hot water use.
The valve is able to switch between directing hot water to radiators and to taps and showers by opening and closing.
You’ll only find a diverter valve on a combi boiler as they are not used with heat-only or system boilers.
Signs that the diverter valve is faulty
Here are some of the major signs that your boiler’s diverter valve may be faulty:
Lukewarm water coming out of your taps/shower
This would suggest that your diverter valve is likely stuck in a position such that it only lets an amount of hot water reach your radiators, while the supply to your taps/shower is being limited.
Your hot taps are working fine but your radiators won’t heat up
In this case, the diverter valve could be stuck in a position where it lets hot water reach your hot taps/shower but not your household’s radiators.
The hot water taps do not work unless your central heating is turned on
Lastly, this problem may not even be noticeable until the warmer parts of the year.
After all, if you’re using your central heating quite a bit through the winter then a lack of hot water to your hot taps may not be evident until you start using your heating less and less.
Ultimately, if you find that you can only get hot water from your hot water taps when the heating is on, this would also point to a stuck diverter valve.
*Please note that none of these signs are proof of a stuck diverter valve but rather evidence/symptoms. We discuss more on diagnosing and fixing a stuck diverter valve in the next section.
One of the most common explanations for a faulty boiler diverter valve is that it has become stuck.
But might cause this and how can it be fixed?
Fixing a Stuck Diverter Valve
Unfortunately, there’s no way you can verify that a diverter valve is stuck DIY.
However, if you suspect that your boiler’s diverter valve is stuck, you must hire a Gas Safe Register engineer to take a look at it.
After all, most work on a boiler is only suitable for a professional.
Attempts to locate and unstick a diverter valve yourself would not only be dangerous but against the law.
If something goes awry with a boiler from DIY work, it could prove very dangerous and may even result in a lethal explosion.
So, for this sort of work, always hire a qualified professional.
Of course, the symptoms of a stuck diverter valve mentioned in the previous section could be signs of another issue.
Either way, one or more of those issues would be clear-cut reasons to hire a heating engineer regardless as they would suggest there’s likely an issue with your boiler/central heating system.
A heating engineer will have the chance to run tests when they arrive to verify that the diverter valve is the source of your issue.
Alternatively, they may discover that something else is wrong with your boiler or/and heating system.
Suppose they find that the diverter valve is indeed stuck. More than likely, they will remove the diverter valve and clean it using a suitable commercial chemical cleaner.
Once they’ve completed the process required here per the chemical cleaner’s instructions, they’ll be able to reinstall the diverter valve.
With that said, depending on the nature of the problem and how worn down the diverter valve is, the heating engineer may determine that it’s best to have your diverter valve replaced or indeed that it’s simply necessary.
Don’t forget that if your boiler is under warranty and it can be proven that a manufacturing defect or/and issue with the diverter valve material resulted in the problem, you may be able to have it replaced for free.
Cost of Fixing a Stuck Diverter Valve
As discussed, you must hire a qualified heating engineer to have a stuck diverter valve fixed.
But how much would this actually cost? Let’s take a look...
The average cost of fixing a stuck diverter valve:
Cleaning and refitting a stuck diverter valve
£40 to £130Replacing the diverter valve
£60 to £200Replacing an entire boiler
£800 to £2,800 *
*It may be determined that your boiler is in fact beyond economical repair (BER). For example, it wouldn’t be financially sensible to have say a new diverter valve installed when your boiler is likely to run into new costly issues or just break down entirely in the not-too-distant future.
Therefore, if your boiler is BER, it would be time to have it replaced. Of course, with the ongoing cost of living crisis this may not currently seem viable.
Thankfully though, there are alternatives to obtaining a boiler than simply paying the full cost upfront.
For one, you could purchase a boiler on finance (i.e., buy now and pay later). This would involve paying off the overall cost of a boiler installation, that being the labour cost + supply cost, over an extended timeframe, such as 12 or 24 months.
In many cases interest will apply but zero-interest options also exist.
Of course, alternatively, you could take out a loan or even use a credit card.
One way or another, whether you want to purchase on finance, take out a loan, or use a credit card, you should only take on debt if you’re confident you can comfortably repay it.
If you’re unsure how to move forward financially, you can always consult a qualified heating engineer.
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