My shower is taking forever to heat up, what can I do?

What are the options if your hot water is taking forever to heat up?

If you’re standing in the shower waiting for the hot water to arrive then your pouring 100s of litres of good quality drinking water down the drain, not to mention money. In this blog we share 7 reasons why you may be waiting so long, and what you can do to fix the issue.

7 Reasons You Could Be Waiting So Long for Hot Water

1. Your Hot Water System is located too far away from the outlets

   The further hot water has to travel, the longer it takes to get there and the greater the heat loss is. If your bathroom is located a long way from your hot water system, then you will have a problem with heat loss.
   Remedy: This can sometimes be remedied by simply increasing the thermostat temperature.

2. Your Hot Water Service is undersized

   Often when hot water systems are sized, they are sized for the amount of people in the home at the time (with no allowance for an increase in users). An example might be that a couple start to have children, now 4 people are in the home and the demand for hot water has increased, meaning the hot water system has become too small.
   Remedy: Upgrade to a larger unit or change to a different type of hot water system may be your answer.

3. There is a build-up of sediment

   Sediment accumulates in your storage hot water heater when dissolved minerals, such as calcium and magnesium, settle on the bottom of the tank. The burner on your gas hot water system is located directly beneath the bottom of the tank. The layer of sediment blocks the amount of heat transfer from the burner to the water, causing it to take longer to heat up or not heat up to temperature.
   Remedy: Cleaning out your hot water system by flushing out the sediment will improve its performance. Be sure to only engage a licensed plumber to service your hot water system in Melbourne. DIY is not recommended as you could cause serious damage to yourself or loved ones.

4. You have Water Saving Restrictors

   It’s possible you have a low volume water restrictor installed on your shower outlet; these restrictors can delay the delivery of water to your outlet.
   Remedy: They are generally located behind the shower rose and can be removed to increase the volume of hot water to your shower, keep in mind you will use more water without it.

5. Your water heater is failing

   Depending on the type of hot water system you have, history tells us they generally start to fail at around 10 years. Some budget types even start to fail at 5 years. This can mean they lose efficiency; parts start to fail, or they burst and fail completely.
   Remedy: By regularly servicing your hot water system, you’ll limit the possibility of being left with no hot water at all. Our expert team of hot water specialists in Melbourne can guide you on the best options and whether now is the time to replace your hot water system or fix it. Learn more by reading our blog: ‘When to replace your Hot Water System?’

6. Your thermostat may be set too low

   Each hot water system will have a thermostat to set the outgoing water temperature. If this is set too low and water needs to travel a fair distance, then the two combined could be the reason why it takes so long for hot water to arrive.
   Remedy: It may be a simple process of raising the temperature on your hot water service.

7. You have a Faulty Hot Water Tempering Valve

   Tempering valves are used to reduce the hot water temperature to predominantly prevent your bathroom taps from scolding. Tempering valves must be set by your licensed plumber to a max of 50 deg Celsius. If your tempering valve is delivering water less than 50 deg Celsius, then it may cause hot water to take so long to get to your shower. Another cause may be that the Tempering valve is located at your water heater, if the distance is too long from your water heater to your shower the heat loss along the way could be your problem.
   Remedy: You will need to engage an experienced Melbourne Master hot water Plumber to test, repair or replace your faulty tempering valve. 

Need Help with Your Hot Water Supply in Melbourne?

For all your hot water system needs, contact Essendon Plumbing Services 1300 231 976 or book online.