Winter weather advice - What to do if you are having problems with your boiler
Cold weather like we’re having at the moment can lead to boiler faults caused by a frozen external pipe, triggering the following error codes:
- E133 - Potterton/Baxi boilers
- EA227/9 - Worcester boiler
If you see one of these errors on your boiler and you're able to, please try the following steps to resolve the issue before reporting a repair.
- Find where the pipe is frozen; this is usually the most exposed part of the pipe. Take care if the floor is frozen to avoid slips or falls.
- Warm the condensate pipe (usually a white plastic pipe) across its exposed length using either a hot water bottle, a microwaveable heat pack or warm water poured from a watering can. Please do not use boiling water straight from the kettle, as this could damage the pipe.
- Restart/reset your boiler.
- Repeat the process until the boiler works again.
If you live alone, are vulnerable or elderly, or you've followed these steps and it hasn’t worked - please get in touch with our Customer Hub, but please be aware we’re getting a lot of calls so if you ring us the waiting time for us to answer your call may be longer. Please see our Contact Us page for other ways to get in touch including our webform which sends an email directly to the Customer Hub.
For more advice on dealing with common problems brought about by cold weather, including frozen pipes, visit United Utilities Cold Weather.
For info on how cold weather can affect your health please visit NHS Winter Health Advice,