Worcester Bosch EA fault code: what it means and how to fix it
EA, usually shown with the number 227, is the code a Worcester Bosch boiler displays when it tried to light but did not detect a flame. The boiler locks itself out as a safety measure. A few causes you can check yourself in minutes; the rest are a job for a Gas Safe engineer.
What EA (EA227) means
When your heating or hot water asks for heat, the boiler opens its gas valve and sparks an ignition electrode. A flame sensor then confirms a flame has actually lit. If it does not detect one, the boiler tries again a few times, then shuts down and shows EA, usually with 227 alongside it.
The lockout is deliberate. It stops gas being released when nothing is burning it. So EA is the boiler telling you ignition failed; the job is finding out why.
Before you do anything
Never remove the boiler casing. Everything behind the front panel is gas work, and only a Gas Safe registered engineer should touch it. Every check below is done from outside the boiler.
If you can smell gas, turn it off at the meter, open the windows, do not touch electrical switches, and ring the National Gas Emergency Service on 0800 111 999.
Safe checks you can do yourself
Work through these in order. They cover the common causes that sit outside the boiler.
Is gas reaching the house?
If you have a gas hob or gas fire, try it. If that will not light either, the problem is the gas supply rather than the boiler, and the boiler cannot light without gas.
Check the meter
On a prepayment meter, make sure there is credit, including emergency credit. Then check the valve on the pipe next to the meter: the handle should be in line with the pipe, which means it is on. If it has been knocked across the pipe, the gas is off.
In cold weather, check the condensate pipe
This is the plastic pipe that runs from the boiler to a drain outside. In a freeze it can ice up, and the boiler locks out. Pour warm water along the outside section, never boiling water, which can crack the pipe. Check the open end is not blocked by leaves or debris too.
Press reset once
Press the reset button as described in your boiler’s user manual and give it a minute to try lighting. If the heating fires and stays on, you are done.
If EA comes back, stop resetting. Repeated resets will not fix the cause, and the boiler is locking out for a reason. That is the point to call an engineer.
What an engineer will check
If the gas supply and condensate pipe are fine, the cause is inside the boiler. These are the usual suspects:
- Ignition electrode or lead. The electrode wears and can drift out of position, so the spark is weak or in the wrong place. The lead to it can crack or work loose.
- Flame sensing. The boiler may light but fail to detect the flame, so it shuts down anyway.
- Low gas pressure. Enough gas for the hob is not always enough for the boiler. An engineer measures the pressure at the boiler and the meter.
- Gas valve. If the valve does not open properly, no gas reaches the burner.
- Blocked flue or condensate trap. A blocked flue, or a trap inside the boiler full of debris, can stop it lighting or staying lit.
- PCB. The control board runs the ignition sequence. It is checked once the other causes have been ruled out.
When you ring, tell us the exact code on the display, the boiler model if you know it, and what you have already checked.
Common questions
What does EA227 mean on a Worcester Bosch boiler?
It means the boiler tried to light, did not detect a flame, and locked out for safety. EA and 227 refer to the same ignition fault.
Can I reset a Worcester boiler showing EA?
Yes, once, after you have checked that gas is reaching the house and, in cold weather, that the condensate pipe is not frozen. If EA comes back after one reset, stop and call a Gas Safe registered engineer.
Why does my Worcester boiler show EA when it is cold outside?
The most common cold-weather cause is a frozen condensate pipe. Thaw the outside section with warm, not boiling, water, then press reset once.
Can I take the cover off the boiler to look?
No. Never remove the boiler casing. The parts behind it are gas parts, and only a Gas Safe registered engineer should work on them.
How much does it cost to fix an EA fault?
Our callout is £89 + VAT, which covers the visit and the first hour of labour. If the fix needs a part, such as a new ignition electrode, we quote you for it during that hour so you decide before anything else is spent.