IBC Technologies · Error codes
IBC SFT-1 F004 — No flame detected during four ignition trials
F004
The controller made four ignition trials and detected no flame in any of them, so the unit locked out. The manual's checks span the gas supply, ignition components, condensate drain and vent paths.
If you smell gas
- Stop what you are doing. Do not use phones, switches, matches or anything that can spark inside.
- Go outside and leave the door open behind you.
- Call the FortisBC 24-hour emergency line at 1-800-663-9911 or dial 911.
Only after that, call ROMA about the boiler. Official guidance: FortisBC gas leaks and odour.
Applies to
This fault is shown by the numeric-display touch panel control on Superflow SFT-1 tankless water heaters (SFT 199-1), as documented in IBC Installation & Operating Instructions — SFT 199-1 tankless water heater, doc 84160406, sections 5.3.1–5.3.3.
Controller: numeric-display touch panel control. Source manual: 84160406 (2024-09).
Why a code is not a diagnosis
An ignition failure can be a closed gas shut-off, low gas pressure, blocked condensate or vent, a faulty ignitor or ignition module, poor grounding, or a gas valve fault. Only on-site testing distinguishes these.
Safe things to observe
- Note the code and check that the gas shut-off valve to the appliance is fully open (in its normal position).
- Check whether other gas appliances in the home work, which points to a supply issue.
- From a safe distance, check the vent and combustion-air terminals for blockage.
- If you smell gas, leave the building and call FortisBC at 1-800-663-9911 or 911 first.
Do not
- Do not keep resetting the unit to force more ignition trials.
- Do not touch the ignitor, gas valve or any gas fitting.
- Do not attempt to purge a gas line yourself.
How professional service helps
- A licensed gas technician verifies the gas shut-off, inlet pressure during the ignition trial (at least 4" w.c.), and the condensate and vent paths.
- The ignitor gap and condition, grounding, and the ignition module are checked and corrected to specification.
- The gas valve and control module are tested only where the manual's measurements point to them.
Where ROMA provides on-site service
On-site service is currently offered in Greater Vancouver, BC, including Vancouver, Burnaby, Richmond, Surrey, Coquitlam, North Vancouver, West Vancouver, New Westminster, Port Coquitlam, Port Moody, Delta, Langley, Maple Ridge, Abbotsford, Chilliwack, White Rock, Pitt Meadows, Tsawwassen, Anmore, Lions Bay, Belcarra, Bowen Island, Mission. Everything else on this site is reference information you can use anywhere in Canada.
Parts and service
Parts commonly involved
These parts appear in the documented text for this alert. A code reports a condition, not a failed part — a technician confirms the cause by testing before anything is replaced.
Ignition electrode
The ignition electrode creates the spark that lights the burner in a gas boiler, and on many models it also senses the flame once it is burning.
What a technician checks →Flame sensor (flame rod)
The flame sensor is the small rod that proves a gas boiler's burner is actually lit before the control will keep the gas valve open.
What a technician checks →Boiler venting (flue and air intake)
A condensing boiler vents cool, wet flue gases through dedicated plastic pipe that must meet ULC S636 in Canada and the boiler manufacturer's own…
What a technician checks →Condensate trap
Every condensing boiler makes acidic water as it cools its flue gases, and the condensate trap collects that water and seals the flue gases out of…
What a technician checks →
Service for this alert
- Gas Boiler Repair
Licensed gas technicians from ROMA Heating & Cooling diagnose and repair residential and light-commercial gas boilers across…
- Emergency Boiler Repair
Priority gas boiler repair for homes and buildings in Greater Vancouver with no heat, no hot water, a locked-out boiler or a leak.
Every boiler part explained — what it does, how it fails and what a technician checks.
Documented for IBC Technologies Superflow SFT-1 Tankless.
Frequently asked questions
Should I check anything before calling?
Confirm the appliance's gas shut-off valve is in its normal open position and that other gas appliances work. Beyond that, leave ignition work to a licensed gas technician.
Boiler locked out? Call with the alert text ready.
The brand, model and this alert are passed along when you request service online, so the technician arrives prepared.
On-site service in Greater Vancouver, BC. ROMA lists “Open 7 days” on its site; call to confirm same-day availability.
Sources and verification
- IBC Installation & Operating Instructions — SFT 199-1 tankless water heater, doc 84160406, sections 5.3.1–5.3.3 · 84160406 · accessed September 7, 2026
Facts checked September 7, 2026. Last updated September 7, 2026. Technical reviewer: not yet assigned.