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Heating Problems

If your heating is not working as it should, it could be something minor that is causing an issue. Here are some tips and simple steps you can take that might help to solve the problem.

Helpful Tips

Check credit

If you have a pay as you go meter, check that it is topped up.

It is recommended that Pay As You Go (PAYG) Gas and Electricity customers check their meters regularly and ensure that they have enough credit.

Here is a link to a useful gas networks guide to the use of your pay as you go meter:

Gas Networks Ireland Pay As You Go Meter Guide

Check settings – Room thermostat

Room thermostats work by sensing the air temperature in the home and communicates with your heating system. If it’s too cold, the thermostat will tell the heating to come on and when the home is back up to temperature it will turn your heating off. This is a great way of making sure the temperature in your home is comfortable but also helps to control your energy costs. The recommended temperature in Ireland for the winter months is between 18-20 degrees.

If your room thermostat is set too low, then your boiler will not fire up. Try turning up your thermostat to see if that helps.

Check boiler water pressure

Check the pressure gauge which is usually found on the front of the boiler. If this reads less than 0.5 bar when your system is cold, carefully use the filling valve to slowly increase it between 1 and 1.5bar. Be careful not to exceed 1.5 bar. If the boiler pressure gauge falls below 0.4 bar the boiler may not operate..

Bleed radiators

A great deal of radiator issues can be resolved by bleeding the radiator, a simple task that you can undertake by yourself.

Bleeding a radiator means releasing air that has become trapped inside your heating system. Letting this air out will help you to heat your home more effectively and reduce your energy bills. If you can hear pipes banging or radiators gurgling, this is usually a sign that you should bleed your radiator.

You will need – A radiator bleed key (available in most hardware stores) A cloth to catch any water leakage and a container or towel to place under the radiator.

Follow this quick step summary, as a guide to help you to bleed your radiator.

  • Turn The Central Heating On
  • Check All Radiators For Cold Spots
  • Turn The Central Heating Off
  • Find The First Radiator To Bleed
  • Locate The Bleed Valve On That Radiator
  • Put A Towel On The Floor Under The Radiator
  • Insert The Radiator Bleed Key
  • Turn The Key Anti-Clockwise & Listen For A Hiss
  • Wait For The Hissing To Stop & Turn The Key Back Again
  • Bleed Other Radiators That Require Bleeding
  • Check Boiler Pressure
  • Turn The Central Heating Back On.

Should you experience a problem with your heating system that cannot be resolved using the tips above contact Cork City Council’s Customer Service Helpline  - Tel:(021) 4924000

It is important to note that all work on Gas appliances or Boilers MUST be carried out by a fully qualified RGII registered heating engineer. 

It is illegal for anybody other than a registered gas installer to service your boiler.

Reporting a heating issue to Cork City Council

It is important that you supply as much information and detail as possible. Describe the nature of the issue and describe the area or equipment that is causing the problem. This will assist the heating team to ensure that the correct person for the job is sent to the property.

Please also provide a current telephone number that you will be contactable on and if available, a current email address. A Cork City Council appointed heating contractor will contact you to arrange a suitable time for the call out. (Please expect that this call will be from a private number or a number unknown to you). 

How long will my repair take?

The successful contractor is expected to respond to the call within four working days by contacting the tenant and making arrangements to visit the property, analyse the problem and affect the necessary repairs. (A working day is any day that you work. Most commonly, working day refers to one of the days in the working week, the span of five days that are not the weekend and when many people work.)

Please note that should the contractor be unable to contact you they will call to the property at their next available appointment. Should access not be achieved, a missed call notice will be left at the property providing direct contact details for the contractor. It is recommended that you make contact with the contractor directly to arrange a time suitable to you for a call out. Over time should missed access be noted as a common occurrence at your property you may be liable for the call out charge.

Boiler servicing

Cork City Council operates a boiler servicing programme on all eligible properties in its housing stock. A Cork City Council appointed heating contractor will call to your property to carry out a boiler service and safety check. As Cork City Council does not have current contact details for all tenants, it may be necessary for the contractor to call to your property without notice. If it is a suitable time the service will be carried out, should you not be present a missed call notice will be left at the property with direct contact details for the contractor.

If access is not achieved by the contractor, the onus falls to the tenant to make contact with the contractor directly using the number provided on the missed call notice to arrange to have the service carried out. Should you have any issues with this please contact Cork City Council Customer Service Helpline – 021 4924000 explaining that a service call was missed.

Contractors carry photo identification (ID cards), and you should request to see this, before admitting anyone into your home.

I am a Tenant