my boiler wont light

[joannesizzy]

I have a pre pay gas meter and gas is running through to my gas hob but I have no heating or hot water(unless I switch the emerssion heater on for water) and my pilot light will not come on it sparks but doesn't light. I have a small leak in the celling next to the boiler and two copper pipes which has caused quite alot of damp could this be effecting it?

[chrisrob]

It sounds to me like the "flame fast" device. It used to be a bimettalic strip that bent away when heated but is now probably an electronic detector. It needs to be warmed enough first to permit gas to feed. You'll need to get a gas fitter to check it out and adjust or replace the part if necessary.

[Steviegb]

Sounds like your pilot light is blocked.Get a corgi registered fitter to come and clean it out.

[gucciman]

what make and model of boiler is it?

does it have a permanant pilot light i.e. is the pilot light always lit even when the main burner is not lit, you have to press in a grey knob, press the spark button to light the pilot, keep the grey knob held in for 10 secs and then the pilot stays lit. or does the pilot light electronically each time the boiler starts up?

did you let the gas run out before you put more credit on it? quite often a boiler will work fine until you turn the pilot off and then it simply wont re-light, this is usually because the thermocouple was on the verge of failing.

if its not the thermocoule at fault then the pilothead or injector could be blocked and if that doesnt solve it you may need a new gas valve.