Why Won’t My Hot Water Work?

Hot water is one of the many things that we all take for granted. When it’s there, we think nothing of it because that’s the way it should be, right? But when it stops working, it can feel like the world’s ending. Even if that characterisation is a little dramatic, it’s still pretty annoying when something we all rely on each day just isn’t there anymore. Tearing your hair out and get angry at your faucets won’t fix the problem or bring your hot water back, though. Instead, you need to find out why it’s not working.

There are plenty of reasons why your hot water might not be working, and there are some steps that you can take to get to the source of the issue. Read on to learn about the steps that should be taken by you as a homeowner, as well as some of the common reasons for this headache.

The Steps to Take When Your Hot Water Won’t Work:

Examine the Water Heater

The first thing you need to do is have a closer look at the water heater itself. This will help identify any obvious problems that might be causing the water to stop heating properly. Loose connections and obvious damage can cause this problem, so see if you can spot any evidence of that. These things can usually be fixed depending on the age and condition of the heater.

Try to Kickstart the System

Turning up the temperature as high as it will go could help to kickstart the water heater and get it working as normal once more. If you have an ageing heater, this can often be all that’s required. Of course, the same problem could arise again at some point. But for the time being, it helps you get your hot water on again, which has to make this trick worth trying once.

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Look for Frozen Pipes

If you’re experiencing these problems during winter when the temperature has already dropped pretty dramatically, it might be worth looking for frozen pipes. These are common causes of problems with your water heater. When the pipe freezes, it stops the entire system working properly. It’s hardly an ideal situation to be in, but by getting the problem fixed, you should be able to get your hot water back relatively quickly.

Try Switching it Off

This is one of those simple tricks that seems to easy and too cliched to possibly work. However, if nothing else is working for you, you definitely should try switching the system off. You can then leave it off for a few minutes or an hour. And then come back to it, switch it back on and see if anything has changed at all. You might be surprised to find that this is all that’s needed to get it working once more.

Seek Professional Support

If you are not having any luck with getting the bottom of the problem, it could be best to seek help from a professional who knows what they’re doing. If you have no plumbing background, it’s no surprise that you don’t know everything there is to know about water heaters. It can often be safer, quicker and easier to just get the right help from the right people. Otherwise, you might never get to the bottom of the problem. In this case call BDS Drainage and we can help.

Common Reasons Why Your Hot Water Might Not be Working:

Old Age

Over time, your water heater takes a lot of wear and tear. It’s not a system that is going to get better as it gets older, as nice as that would be. Instead, it will slowly get worse, and some of its features might start to fail or its mechanics deteriorate. So, if your water heater is approaching about 10 years old, you should be looking to replace it anyway. Old age is the most common cause of people’s hot water not working.

A Bad Thermostat

Sometimes, thermostats can be the source of your problem. These regulate the heating of the water. In many cases, people forget that it has been turned down or turned off for whatever reason. They then wonder why the hot water isn’t working when they need it again. That’s why you should always check the thermostat first. It might also be broken and in need of some repair work.

A Malfunctioned Timer

If your heating uses a timer, it could simply be the case that something has gone wrong with that timer. This is a pretty small problem, and much easier to put right than some of the other issues your water heater could face. It could be as simple as resetting the timer. Sometimes, the clock can skip backwards or forwards, and that can lead to a situation wherein the water isn’t hot when you want it to be.

Valve Problems

When your problem is isolated to your water, meaning that the home’s central heating is working fine, it points towards a problem with your diverter valve. The valve might have become damaged or need replacing. It’s something to be aware of. It might also be the case that your valve float has got stuck, which can also lead to problems with your hot water. It’s not an ideal situation, but it’s relatively simple to fix.

A Buildup of Sediment

Your water heater is not going to just stay the same for as long as it’s in use. It experiences changes, and some of these can be damaging. For example, some of the contaminants found in the water that is stored in your heater can lead to a slow buildup of sediment. This can then harden and settle at the bottom of your water heater. Eventually, this could stop your heater from doing what you want it to.

We all know that it can be pretty frustrated when your hot water just won’t work how you want it to. But keep a level head and do your best to get to the bottom of the problem. Only then will you be able to get things back in working order.