Heating Repairsin Reading and Surrounding Areas
Fixing heating controls, thermostats, pumps and pipework so your system runs properly again.
320+ reviews from Checkatrade · 2-year guarantee
28 years' experience
Residential, commercial and industrial
320+ reviews
from Checkatrade
2-year guarantee
On all our workmanship
£10 million insured
Public and employer's liability
24/7 emergency call-outs
Same-day service guaranteed
Heating Repairs
What heating repairs cover
Heating repairs from CBS Plumbing and Heating cover the parts of a central heating system that control and move hot water around your home: programmers, room thermostats, thermostatic radiator valves, circulating pumps and the pipework that carries heat to every radiator. It does not include any work on the appliance that heats the water itself, which is a separately regulated area.
This service suits homeowners with radiators that stay cold, rooms that never quite reach the set temperature, a heating system that switches on and off at the wrong times, or a pump that hums, leaks or has stopped moving water. It also covers landlords and small commercial premises in Reading with a heating fault affecting comfort or costing more to run than it should.
Heating faults are needed when a system stops responding to its controls, when a pump fails and radiators run cold, when a pipe under a floor or behind a wall starts weeping or bursts, or when a thermostat gives inaccurate readings and the heating runs constantly. Some of these show up gradually as higher bills before they fail outright.
Professional help matters because heating systems are pressurised and interconnected: a fault in one thermostat or valve can affect the whole system's balance, and a leaking pipe hidden in a wall can cause serious damage before anyone notices. Mitchell Antrobus has spent 28 years diagnosing exactly these faults across residential and commercial heating systems around Reading, so the right part gets fixed first time rather than guessed at.
Why it matters
What happens if heating faults are left
A heating system that is not working properly rarely fixes itself. A stuck valve or failing pump puts extra strain on the rest of the system, and a small leak on a heating pipe will get bigger under pressure, especially once it is hidden behind plaster or under floorboards.
Left unresolved, these problems escalate quickly. A leaking heating pipe can soak insulation, stain ceilings, and cause plaster and plasterboard to fail, turning a straightforward pipe repair into a redecoration job. A failed pump left running can burn out its motor, and a faulty thermostat left in place can leave a system running on and off unpredictably for months, pushing running costs up without ever solving the underlying problem.
Cost tends to rise with time in nearly every case. What starts as a single valve replacement or a short section of pipe becomes water damage, drying out, and repair of surrounding fabric if it is ignored. Diagnosing intermittent faults also gets harder the longer they run, because symptoms change and mask each other.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Bleeding radiators repeatedly without finding out why air keeps returning to the system
- Ignoring a thermostat that reads inaccurately rather than replacing it
- Leaving a slow drip on a heating pipe because it is hard to reach
- Turning the system off completely rather than getting the fault diagnosed
- Assuming a noisy pump is normal wear rather than an early warning sign
Our process
How your heating repairs job runs.
- Step 1
Call or enquire
Ring Mitchell on 07810 646762 or send an enquiry. Tell him what's happening and he'll tell you straight away whether it's an emergency or a planned job.
- Step 2
Visit and diagnosis
Mitchell comes out, finds the cause and explains it in plain English. Call-outs are £85 inc VAT, plus £85 inc VAT for the first hour of work.
- Step 3
Clear quote
You're told what needs doing and what it costs before work starts. Larger jobs are booked in with a 5% deposit.
- Step 4
The work
Mitchell and his apprentice Bradley carry out the work, bringing in trusted tilers, plasterers and electricians where a job needs them. Larger jobs are paid daily as they progress.
- Step 5
Test and guarantee
Everything is tested for leaks and correct operation before we leave, the area is cleaned up, and the work is backed by our 2-year guarantee.
What you get
The difference it makes.
Fast diagnosis
Mitchell traces heating faults back to the actual component rather than replacing parts on guesswork, so the visit fixes the problem rather than delaying it.
Safe pipework repairs
Heating pipes are repaired properly, pressure tested and refilled correctly so there is no risk of a repeat leak once the system is back up to temperature.
Longer system life
Sorting out a failing pump or valve early reduces strain on the rest of the heating system, helping other components last as long as they should.
Lower running costs
A thermostat or programmer that is actually working correctly stops a system heating rooms unnecessarily, which shows up directly in energy use.
Reliable results
28 years of residential and commercial heating repair work means faults that look unusual to most people are recognised quickly by Mitchell and Bradley.
Peace of mind
Same-day service is genuinely offered, so a cold house or a dripping ceiling does not have to wait around for a convenient slot.
Why CBS
Who'll be doing the work.
CBS Plumbing and Heating is run by Mitchell Antrobus, who has 28 years in the plumbing and heating industry across residential, commercial and industrial installation, servicing and repairs. That background is why your heating repairs job gets diagnosed properly the first time rather than patched and left.
Day to day you'll deal with Mitchell and his apprentice Bradley. On bathroom jobs, Mitchell brings in experienced tilers, plasterers and electricians he works with regularly, so you have one point of contact from the first call to the finished room.
CBS has 320+ reviews from Checkatrade, carries £10 million public liability and £10 million employer's liability insurance, and guarantees its work for 2 years. We cover Reading, High Wycombe, Maidenhead, Marlow, Beaconsfield, Wokingham, Henley-on-Thames, Bracknell and Chalfont St Giles.
About CBSIn detail
Heating repairs in detail
Heating repair covers several distinct jobs, each with its own approach depending on what has failed and where.
Controls and programmers
Central heating programmers and timers control when a system fires up and shuts down. When these fail or are set incorrectly, homes in Reading often end up with heating running at odd hours or not switching off at all. Repairs range from rewiring a faulty programmer to replacing it entirely with a compatible unit, checked against the existing wiring centre and zone valves so the whole system talks to itself correctly rather than just fixing the symptom in isolation.
Room thermostats and TRVs
A room thermostat reading the wrong temperature will leave a house too hot or too cold regardless of what the programmer is set to. Thermostatic radiator valves that stick, usually from limescale or being left closed for long periods, stop individual radiators heating properly even when the rest of the system works. Both are checked for correct calibration and replaced where the internal mechanism has worn out, matched to the existing valve bodies and pipework wherever possible.
Read more
Circulating pump replacement
The pump moves hot water from the heating pipework out to every radiator. A failing pump shows up as radiators staying cold, unusual noise, or leaking around the pump housing. Replacement involves isolating the system, draining down locally rather than the whole system where possible, fitting a pump matched to the property's pipe size and heat output, and re-pressurising and bleeding the system before confirming even heat distribution across every radiator.
Burst and leaking heating pipes
Heating pipework runs under floors, through walls and behind radiators, and a burst or corroded section needs locating before it can be repaired. Mitchell traces leaks using visible staining, damp patches and pressure drop testing rather than opening up more of a property than necessary. The affected section is cut out and replaced, joints tested under pressure, and the system refilled and bled before confirming there is no residual drip.
Residential and small commercial systems
Domestic heating repairs in Reading homes usually involve a handful of radiators on one zone, while small commercial premises, offices and shops often run larger systems with multiple zones and pumps working together. The diagnostic approach is the same in both cases, but commercial systems typically need more careful isolation so that repair work in one area doesn't shut down heating across an entire building.
When repair isn't enough
Occasionally a heating pipe run has corroded in several places, or a pump and its associated pipework are old enough that a single repair would only buy a short amount of time. In these cases Mitchell explains honestly what's found and what the realistic options are, rather than repeatedly patching a system that needs more substantial pipework replacement.
Related services
Heating Repairs near you
Good to know
Heating Repairs questions, answered.
Can't see your question? Call Mitchell on 07810 646762 or send an enquiry.
How long does a heating repair take?
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Most single-fault repairs, such as a pump, thermostat or valve replacement, are completed within a single visit. Tracing a hidden pipe leak can take longer if access needs to be created first, but Mitchell will explain the likely timeline once the fault is found.
Will you need to drain the whole heating system?
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Not always. Many pump and valve repairs can be isolated locally so only that section is drained down, which keeps disruption and refilling time to a minimum. A full drain is only needed where the fault or its location requires it.
How long should heating components last once repaired?
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A correctly fitted pump, valve or thermostat should give many years of reliable service under normal domestic use. Lifespan depends on water quality and how hard the system works, which Mitchell can advise on during the visit.
Do you cover heating repairs outside Reading itself?
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Yes, alongside Reading the team regularly covers High Wycombe, Maidenhead, Marlow, Beaconsfield, Wokingham, Henley-on-Thames, Bracknell and Chalfont St Giles.
Can a heating fault damage other parts of my home?
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A leaking heating pipe can damage plaster, flooring and ceilings if left, and a stuck pump or valve puts strain on the rest of the system. Getting a fault looked at early limits how far the damage spreads.
What do you charge to come out?
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Our call-out is £85 including VAT, plus £85 including VAT for the first hour of work. You'll know the price of anything beyond that before we start.
How do payments work on bigger jobs?
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Larger jobs such as a heating repairs project are booked in with a 5% deposit, then paid daily as the work progresses, so you're never paying far ahead of what's been done.
Is the work guaranteed?
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Yes. Our workmanship is guaranteed for 2 years.
Are you insured?
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Yes. We hold £10 million public liability and £10 million employer's liability insurance.
Can you come out in an emergency?
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Yes. Emergency call-outs run 24/7 and we guarantee same-day service. Call 07810 646762. Standard working hours are 8am to 5pm.
Get your heating fixed properly
If radiators are running cold, a thermostat isn't reading right, or a heating pipe is leaking, call CBS Plumbing and Heating for a same-day visit around Reading.
Next step
Get it fixed properly,
without the wait.
Tell us what you need and Mitchell will get back to you quickly. Same-day service guaranteed, clear prices before we start, and a 2-year guarantee on our work.
Prefer to talk? Call Mitchell07810 646762Emergency call-outs 24/7 · Standard hours 8am–5pm