Warm Air Heating Faults and Fault Codes

Checks you can do yourself

Before you ring anyone, go through these. None of them involve taking the casing off.

• Is the power on? Check the fused spur next to the unit and the consumer unit.
• Is the programmer calling for heat, and is the room thermostat turned up above the room temperature?
• Is the gas on? If the hob works, the supply is fine.
• Is the return air filter clean? A blocked filter is one of the most common causes of a unit overheating and shutting down.
• Are enough outlets open? Closing too many grilles restricts the airflow and can trip the overheat cut-out.
• On a WarmCair, write down any fault code on the display. You can reset the unit once. If the fault comes back, leave it and call an engineer.

WarmCair fault codes

Johnson & Starley’s engineer guide for the WarmCair C range lists these as the common codes. Any of them that comes back after a reset needs an engineer.

• Code 1: flame lockout. The burner has failed to light.
• Code 3: condensate pump fault.
• Code 5: no signal from the fan, which usually points to a fan or wiring fault.
• Code 7: high flue gas temperature.
• Code 26: the flame has been lost several times in a few minutes. Causes include gas pressure, the fan, a blocked flue or the heat exchanger.
• Code 57: restricted airflow. Check the filter and that the return air path isn’t blocked.
• Code 99: the unit’s two control boards have stopped talking to each other.

Common faults on older units

On older Economaire, Modairflow and similar units, the faults we see most are:

• The pilot won’t light or won’t stay lit, usually the thermocouple, a blocked pilot injector or the igniter
• The burner lights but the fan doesn’t start, or the fan runs on long after the burner has gone out
• The unit cuts out on overheat, often a blocked filter or too many grilles closed
• A noisy fan, often worn bearings or a failing motor
• On combined units, heating but no hot water, or the other way round

When to turn it off and call an engineer

Turn the unit off and ring an engineer if you see soot or brown staining around the unit or the grilles, if a carbon monoxide alarm goes off, or if the same fault keeps coming back after a reset. If you smell gas, turn the supply off at the meter and ring the gas emergency line on 0800 111 999.

Parts for older units

Johnson & Starley still hold a range of parts for discontinued units, but some components can no longer be made and the stock of others has run out. On some older models a repair isn’t possible any more. When that happens, the options are a new WarmCair on the existing ducting, an Aquair upgrade, or converting to radiators. The replacement cost guide covers all three.