My Gas Hot Water System isn’t Working

There is nothing worse than waking up to a cold shower!! If your gas hot water system isn’t working there may be a simple fix you can do yourself and get your hot morning shower back up and running! If it’s more than a simple DIY job or even the thought of fiddling with your gas hot water system isn’t appealing we can get out to you asap. But read on to see the common reasons your gas hot water system has stopped working.

And remember if your hot water system is over 10 years old it may be time for a replacement and nothing may be able to save it. New hot water systems with maintenance every 2 years should last upwards of 15 years or more.

And remember to check your warranty as you may still be covered for any issues.

First Step

If you do not have any hot water check the mains supply for gas to your home. Turn on your gas stove or other gas appliances like gas heaters. If they do not light up and work then the issue could be your gas mains.

To check your gas valve tap and look to see if it is switched on, it will align vertically with the pipe. If the gas metre is on then call your gas provider. If it is switched off then turn it back on and your hot water is good to go. If touching your gas mains is comfortable for you simply call us and we can come out and do it for you and inspect for any issues.

If your gas is on and your other gas appliances are working then its time to look at your gas hot water system.

Pilot Light

Check the pilot light on the gas hot water system. You need to hold down the pilot light for at least 30 seconds, hold down the button for this long before releasing it. If when you release the button and the light goes out then you may have a faulty thermocouple. These are not expensive to replace and we can do so quickly.

But before you call us to book try relighting the pilot a couple more times, follow the instructions exactly (usually inside the front cover of the unit). It can be a bit tricky but really is just a set procedure that must be followed. It’s easy to miss an instruction and not be able to light it the first time, especially if it’s early in the morning and you have not had your hot shower!

The pilot light is usually down the bottom of the unit and should show a blue flame. If it is not on then follow these steps. But generally to turn it back on the instructions are similar to the following;

• Turn the knob to the off position
• Wait 5 minutes for gas to dissipate
• Turn the knob to the pilot position
• Hold the control knob while pushing the ignition switch for at least 30 seconds
• Then switch know to position to as instructed by unit
• If the pilot light goes out again wait 5 minutes and repeat these steps.

If the pilot light cannot be switched on by these steps then call us.

Is Your Water Not Hot Enough?

If find that the hot water just isn’t reaching a warm enough temperature then it may be the distance between the tap and heater is too far. We can install a recirculating pump or insulate the pipes. We will advise on the best option and let you know the costs. But this is an issue we can fix.

Another cause could be the hot water heater flow rate. Instantaneous hot water systems need high water flows to ignite the pilot light. Turn your taps up high and run for a few minutes, if the hot water comes on then the issue is the flow rate not the heater. Again this is a plumbing issue and simply call us to fix.

The other possibility is the tank size if it’s too small then it cant hold the heated water needed. If you have upgraded your home and added new features like a spa or second bathroom then you may need a bigger tank.

Water Pooling or Dripping

The relief valve is usually connected to the top side of the system and only should drip when the hot water system is being heated. If your valve is dripping constantly then something is wrong. And if you can see water pooling at the bottom of the heater then this is also a sign of an issue. It’s best to call us straight away as leaving this type of issue will only make the problem worse and more costly.

At Harley Plumbing we specialise in Gas Hot Water Systems, we will let you know if it’s going to be cheaper to get a new system or repair the old one. Hopefully, it’s just a quick fix that won’t break the bank and we will definitely give you that option if we can! But if it is a new system then we have the best and most affordable gas water systems available. We can help – just contact the expert hot water system professionals here at Harley Plumbing Melbourne.