Hot water cylinder repairs – Auckland
If you use a gas or electric hot water cylinder to supply the hot water to your property, it’s not an appliance in the home that should give you many problems. They’re very durable and long-lasting, particularly if you look after your hot water cylinder with regular maintenance checks.
From time to time, however, you may experience an issue that needs repairing. There are a few common hot water cylinder problems, and what you can do about them:
- Strange sounds coming from your hot water cylinder
If you hear any unusual sounds – banging, hissing, knocking – coming from your hot water cylinder, give us a call straight away. It’s definitely not normal to hear those types of sounds, and it’s probably a sign that something isn’t working properly. There may be debris in the tank or an issue with a valve or other component. This is perhaps not the type of repair job you can fix yourself. Take note, however, of when you hear the sounds. Is there something you hear at all times, or just when the tap is turned on? Are there specific noises you hear once a few showers and the water are heating up again? Anything like this that you observe will be very helpful for us in diagnosing what might be the cause of the sounds you hear.
- Water leaking from your hot water cylinder
There shouldn’t be any water leaking from your hot water cylinder. Note, however, that there may be a trickle of water coming from the cylinder valve. That is normal. But a water leak is not.
If you have water leaking from your hot water cylinder, there may be a leak in the inner tank. This is not something you can repair yourself – in fact; a cracked cylinder will need to be replaced. Give us a call, and we can provide you with a quote for replacing your hot water cylinder.
If you do have water leaking from your hot water cylinder, you should tend to the problem straight away. Not only will you be paying for hot water you’re not using, but the leak may cause damage to your property.
- The water is discoloured or smells unusual
The way to tell whether the cause of discoloured or unusual smelling water has something to do with your hot water cylinder is by running the cold and hot water separately. Run the cold water tap and see if it comes out clean and clear; then do the same with the hot water. If the hot water is discoloured or smelly, but the cold water is clean and clear, then there is probably something amiss with your hot water cylinder. If both the cold and the hot water are either discoloured or smelly, there may be something wrong with the pipes. In either case, you’ll want to talk to a plumber first before trying to fix the problem yourself. Give us a call right away, and we’ll see if we can diagnose what’s going on over the phone.
- Water not heating up properly
If you don’t have hot water when you think you should – that is, there haven’t been a number of hot showers that have emptied the tank – then there may be something wrong with your hot water cylinder. If you have an electric water heater, first check whether there is a power cut to your property. If there is no issue with your power, then the next thing to check is the thermostat of your hot water cylinder. Check the thermostat settings and make sure they’re set as they should be.
If you have a gas hot water cylinder, check that the boiler is working. If you see an error code on either the thermostat or the boiler code, that will cause the problem. If you can reset the thermostat or boiler, that will be the first thing to try. If that still doesn’t fix the problem, give us a call at Regency Plumbing, and we can come out to repair it. We have an emergency team available 24/7, so if you can’t wait for hot water, we’ll get one of our on-call team to come out and see you.
- The water is too hot
If all of a sudden your water temperature is too hot or is hotter than usual, have a look at the hot water cylinder thermostat. Have the settings been changed?
Water that is too hot may also be a sign that there is something wrong with the pressure relief valve. Perhaps it’s not shutting off properly. This can be extremely dangerous as water that is too hot coming out of your shower or taps could scald or seriously burn someone.
Give us a call right away, and we’ll book a time to come out and see you.
How do I know if my hot water cylinder needs repairing or replacing?
Most hot water cylinders come with a manufacturer’s warranty of 10 years but are designed to last longer. We often come across hot water cylinders that are around 15 years old and still functioning well. If you look after your hot water cylinder by having regular maintenance checks and repairs when needed, you’ll get more years out of it.
If your hot water cylinder is less than ten years old, we’ll always aim to repair it rather than replace it. Even a hot water cylinder between 10 and 15 years old should have a few more years of use left.
If you have an older model that is a low pressure hot water cylinder, you may want to consider upgrading to a mains pressure hot water cylinder. The team at Regency Plumbing Auckland can help you with a Low Pressure to Mains Pressure Hot Water Cylinder upgrade in Auckland – from just $2687 including GST.
If you suspect there may be something wrong with your hot water cylinder, feel free to give us a call for a quick chat … or get in touch with us to book a hot water cylinder repair. We’d love to help.