Do you need help with your gas hot water service?

There can be nothing worse than waiting in the shower for hot water that never arrives on a cold winter Melbourne morning. You don’t realise how much you depend on your gas hot water system until it fails.

Even though recent studies proclaim, “A cold shower in the morning does more than wake you up and improve your circulation. The cold and warm stimuli constrict and dilate your blood vessels, which strengthens your immune system, reduces sore muscles and supports recovery after sports…” it’s definitely not for everyone.

When you have no gas hot water the best thing to do is to contact a licensed plumber that specialises in gas hot water repairs, but there are a couple of things you can check before you call.

Four DIY hot water checks to try before calling an expert hot water plumber

1. Has the storage tank just run out of hot water and needs time to re-heat? Excess time in the shower or more people than usual taking showers can drain the tank of hot water meaning it needs time to re-heat.

2. Has the gas supply to the hot water heater been interrupted and the pilot light has gone out? Although not common it does happen that heavy wind can blow the pilot light out on your hot water system meaning the main burner couldn’t light to heat the hot water. Also, if work has been carried out on the main gas line, check that the pilot light has been re-lit.

3. Has the Temperature Pressure Relief Valve (TPR) leaked or failed, emptying the tank of hot water? A leaking TPR valve will partially or fully drain your water tank leaving you with less or no hot water.

4. Has the power gone out to your gas hot water system? Although you may have a gas hot water service some rely on 240V power to light the gas burner that heats your hot water. If the power is off the water will be cold.

What to do when you still have no hot water

If you’ve carried out the 4 DIY checks above but still have no hot water, then it’s time to call in the professionals. A master plumber is an expert in gas hot water systems and will be able to diagnose and have you back in hot water quickly.

Essendon Plumbing Services provide a 24/7, 365 days of the year emergency plumbing service in Melbourne and have done for more than 30 years. We know that hot water services don’t just fail during business hours Monday to Friday so it’s important we’re there for you when you need us most, 365 days and nights of the year.

What to do if you suspect your gas hot water system is leaking

Whether it be a leaking hot tap or a burst hot water service the first thing to do is to turn the cold water supply off. The easiest way to do this is to turn the main cold water isolation valve off to the property, which will turn the water off to all taps in the home. Hot water systems are fed by cold water so when you isolate the cold water supplying them it stops the hot water flow out to the hot taps and into the tank.

The only problem in doing this is it turns off the water to the whole house. If you still want to have cold water to the home but need to isolate the water to the gas water heater then you need to turn the cold water isolation valve off to your gas hot water system only. Each gas hot water heater has an individual water isolation valve, usually with a black or green handle or sometimes an older style T tap handle that you can turn off to stop the leak.
Check the leak to make sure it's not running. You will now have cold water only at your taps until your expert plumber arrives.

There is no need to turn the gas supply off to your hot water service unless you suspect a gas leak. Hot water systems have a flame failure device fitted that isolates the gas supply to the main burner when a fault is detected. If you are concerned though you can turn the gas supply off to the property at the gas meter.

Call an expert plumber in hot water systems

A quick response is the key to a positive outcome. Hot water systems usually fail at the most inconvenient of times. When you notice your hot water system leaking pick up the phone and call your licensed emergency plumber at Essendon Plumbing Services immediately to prevent further damage and limit the cost of repairs. If left, problems can become major and costly. For all your hot water system needs contact Essendon Plumbing Services 24/7.