No hot water? What should you do?

You turn on that tap and there’s no hot water. What should you do? Read on for our advice on what to check before calling a plumber or electrician.

There are a number of things that can cause a loss of hot water at your home. Before you call us, there are a few simple things you can check to help us diagnose the issue and recommend the best course of action.  This will save you time and money.

Yes, we want you to avoid paying for unnecessary plumbing maintenance call outs!

1. Did the water heater fuse blow? Check your fuse box first to see if the fuse has tripped. This will stop electricity flowing to your hot water tank to heat the element.  Reset the fuse and wait for your water to reheat.
2. If the fuse is fine, or the water is still cold after resetting it we recommend you run the hot tap for a couple of minutes. Is there still no hot water? If so, then touch the pipe at the top of your hot water cylinder. Does it feel really hot or cold?

   • If it’s very hot and your cylinder has a tempering valve (only on modern cylinders) you need to call us to fix the valve.

   • But if the pipe feels cold, it’s likely to be a problem with the thermostat or the element.  These are both electrical problems so you need to call an electrician rather than a plumber.  If you have an old tank, it might be time to consider an upgrade. Contact us and we can discuss new hot water tank installation options with you.

3. If the water coming out of the tap is lukewarm (e.g. it’s running but not hot enough) the tempering valve could be faulty. Again, the pipe coming out of your tank will feel very hot as well. If this is the case, this is a plumbing problem, so the best and safest way forward is to give us a call.
4. Is there no water coming out of the tap at all? This is definitely a major plumbing problem so give us a call straight away.

If you’re still not sure, or you’re experiencing a problem with an infinity gas hot water heater, contact JT Plumbing & Gas to discuss the problem you’re experiencing. Our team are highly knowledgeable and happy to help.