The fire or downflow heater is working on and off or theres a smell coming form it

The fire or heater is working on and off, or there's a smell coming form it

The first thing to check is that the thermostat is turned up on your fire or heater.

It is common for an electric fire to smell slightly when it is first lit after not being used in a while. This may mean that it needs cleaning or vacuuming. You should make sure the fire is turned off before cleaning. The hoover should be positioned under the vents where the hot air comes out.

Down-flow heaters can sometimes come on for a short period of time then go off. This signals that the heater needs cleaning. Clean the heater by vacuuming the vents on the front and underneath. This must only be done when the heater is off.

Sometimes the fire may work for a while then switch off, which is likely to be because the temperature on the thermostat has been reached. If this is the case, you don’t need to report a repair. Try turning the thermostat up higher if you still need more heat.

We don’t come out to replace bulbs in electric fires if it is otherwise working correctly.

If you still think there's a problem after trying the advice above please report this to us.

How do I report a repair?

You can report a repair to us at anytime, anywhere using My Account or contact us via Live Chat. Let us know when reporting that you’ve followed the advice and what you’ve tried to get it working, this helps us to assess what to do next to get the right person for the job.