7 Of The Most Common Hot Water System Problems

When you’re singing under a steaming hot shower, or relaxing your muscles after a long day in a soothingly hot bath, hot water problems are the furthest thing from your mind. But when that hot water system starts supplying stone cold water to your taps, it’s impossible to overstate just how much hot water system problems disturb the smooth and happy operations of your home.

But don’t ever forget, while modern hot water systems these days are ultra-reliable, even the best technology goes wrong sometimes. So when that day comes when your hot water system is not working properly, it’s important to have a basic understanding of what might have gone wrong.

So who better to ask than the most skilled and experienced plumbers in Sydney, who know exactly what all the most common hot water problems are?

Hot water system not working? Here are the top 7 causes:

1. It’s not hot enough

So many people move into new homes with perfectly functioning hot water systems only to grumble that the hot water never seems to be hot enough. Here in Sydney, most hot water systems should be set to 60 degrees to minimise scalding and bacteria growth (providing 50 degrees at the outlets) – but are you sure it hasn’t been fiddled with? Another possibility is that the thermostat is on the blink.

2. It smells bad

When you run the bath, is your impending relaxation ruined by the foul smell of rotten eggs? If that sounds awful, it’s actually pretty common – and it’s caused by that bacteria growth we mentioned above. Luckily, it’s usually sorted with a good old water tank flush.

3. The system is noisy

Something else a good round of hot water system maintenance and a tank flush can fix is a noisy system, which is commonly caused by a build-up of sediment around the element. However, the noise may actually be a sign that the element is in its dying days.

4. The tank is leaking

We’re not going to lie – if your tank is leaking, and the hot water system is no longer producing that hot water you crave so much, there’s a good possibility that it’s an old unit and can’t be fixed even by Sydney’s most reliable plumber. But if you’re really lucky, it’s possible a valve just needs replacing.

5. Not enough pressure

When you turn on the cold tap and get normal water pressure, then you turn on the hot tap and you got low hot water pressure! One of a few things may have gone wrong with your hot water system. A valve may be on the blink, the pressure regulator may no longer be doing its thing, or a leak you cannot see (gulp) could need an urgent fix.

6. Last shower is always cold

Are you always the last one in your family to get a shower … and always the one complaining that the water ran out halfway through? This doesn’t necessarily mean your hot water system’s not working – it’s probably a sure sign that your other family members are spending too long under the nozzle – or that your unit’s tank is simply not big enough for your family’s size or shower habits!

7. Too slow to heat up

We all know that feeling as we stand stark naked with our hand under the freezing cold water in the middle of winter, waiting patiently for it to finally heat up. If that goosebump-inspiring wait is getting longer and longer by the day, you may need a professional repair … or a totally new system.

Here at Affordable Plumbing Solutions, we know how to repair hot water system problems because we’ve been doing it professionally and affordably for years all over Sydney’s North Shore and beyond. And if yours has given up the ghost, we can advise you about the perfect technology type and system size that will suit your family and lifestyle perfectly – and then get it installed and up and running in a jiffy and with a smile.

For friendly advice, guaranteed workmanship and affordable plumbing in Artarmon, Normanhurst, St Ives, Hornsby, and right across Sydney, get in touch today.