A hot water system is one of the behind the scenes items that keeps our homes running. As long as hot water continues to come out of the tap we often don’t give it a second thought.
It’s only when the water comes out cold that the humble hot water system is given a check over, and then it’s sometimes too late.
Keith Dawber, from Rheem hot water systems, has some key tips to help householders identify if their hot water system is on the way out – or might need some attention.
“For most people, a hot water system is ‘out of sight out of mind’ – until it fails,” Dawber says. “But if you have the system checked on a regular basis, then you can extend the life of your system, improve efficiency and ensure your water heater is operating and performing as designed, highlight any repairs which need to be done, not to mention ensuring it has been installed correctly in the first place.”
Keith says signs your hot water system might be in need of attention, include:
- Is the water coming from the tap rusty or brown in colour?
- Is the water muddy or does it have sediment in it?
- Is the hot water system making strange sounds? (some noise from the water heating up is normal, but if you notice cracking or popping noises these should be checked by a plumber)
- Has the pilot light gone out? Does this happen often?
- Does the hot water have a strange smell or metallic taste?
- Are you getting less hot water?
- Is water leaking out of the system?
- Do you often experience fluctuations in temperature?
- Does the water pressure or flow rate vary?
- Are you running out of hot water?
A regular service, ranging from six months to five-years can pick up minor problems before they lead to system failure, he says. Some of the problems that have been discovered during service checks include pilot light outages, which results in leaking valves, temperature settings set too high, which can increase running costs and incorrect gas pressure settings.
Dawber recommends having domestic hot water systems checked around every three years for gas and electric systems, bi-annually for solar systems, or “whenever you feel something has changed or you have noticed any warning signs”.
“Relief valves which are stuck and then leak constantly due to householders not operating the valves every six months in accordance with manufacturers’ instructions,” he says. “There are a number of factors which will affect the length of service the water heater will provide. These include, but are not limited to, the water chemistry, the water pressure, the water temperature (inlet and outlet) and the water usage pattern.”
