5 Signs it's Time for a New Hot Water System

Discover 5 tell-tale signs it may be time to replace your hot water unit, and then give our friendly team at MC2 Plumbing a call to lock it in, Eddie!

Having fresh hot flowing water at the twist of a tap is something we all tend to take for granted. Often times we don’t even think twice when we run a lovely steaming shower after a hard days’ work, or fill the sink with hot suds to scrub the dishes.

Yet when the hot water unit starts to fail, that’s when we really start to realise how much we rely upon hot water!

Your Hot Water System in the Home

You’d be surprised how much hot water actually gets used in your home, more so if you’re a family (bonus points for two or more kids!). Before we look at reasons your hot water system could be ready for replacement, let’s see the various zones in the home that require hot water and how they compare.

Bathroom

Unsurprisingly, around 67% of household hot water is used in the bathroom. Hot showers and baths, as well as washing the face with warm water all contribute to the hot water usage, so it’s important to keep your hot water unit in check if you want to continue your bathroom rituals.

Kitchen

You may be surprised that only around 10% of your household water is taken up by the kitchen. That’s because dishwashers actually have their own heat pump within the appliance, and only run cold water through which it heats to clean your dishes. So the only other hot water you’d use would be to scrub some pots or pans (or the rest of the dishes if you don’t have a dishwasher) and maybe wash your hands during food prep. Otherwise, usage here is pretty low!

Laundry

While we are very environmentally friendly at MC2 Plumbing, and encourage the use of cold water washing machine cycles, we understand that sometimes there are circumstances where only the hot water cycle will do the trick. That being said, laundry hot water usage accounts for around 23% of the hot water used in homes, which indicates a fair amount of families use hot water as their preferred washing temperature.

Now we understand how various parts of the home weigh up against each other in terms of hot water usage, let’s look at what signs to look out for that indicate a new hot water system may be required.

You have no hot water

If you have no hot water, this, of course could be the first indicator that there might be something wrong with your hot water unit, although not necessarily.

If you have a gas hot water system, an absence of hot water could be the result of a blown-out pilot light out due to intense winds, the property’s gas being turned off for any reason or a faulty pilot light. If it’s an electric hot water unit, it could be due to a power outage.

If these factors are ruled out, perhaps your hot water unit needs replacing after all.

Your hot water fluctuates

You get in the shower after a hard day, and all you want is a steady, reliable hot shower. What you get instead is cool/lukewarm water, so you increase the heat a little, but instead are scorched with terribly hot water. You just can’t seem to find that “sweet spot” temperature anymore and the hot/cold jumps around like nobody’s business.

A few things can contribute to fluctuating hot water. One could be that there is a flow restrictor in your shower head, or something (eg sediment) interrupting the flow in your shower head. In Layman's terms, this sends mixed signals to the hot water unit, resulting in confusing messages being relayed back to you in the form of arctic waterfall/hellish firewater.

Another reason could be that your hot water system is actually on the verge of packing it in altogether and needs replacing ASAP!

You have a leaking hot water unit

Detect water leaking out the bottom of your hot water unit? Your hot water system has probably ruptured/split and needs replacing.

You have low water pressure

If the water pressure is low coming out of your tap, your hot water unit may be malfunctioning and restricting the flow of water. Low water pressure could also be a result of many other issues, so it’s important to call your plumber and have them visit to diagnose the cause.

It’s not heating up like it used to

You may still have hot water… but it just doesn’t get to that lovely hot you enjoy in the shower, or its simply “warmish”. If that’s the case, it may be time for a new hot water system.

It’s really, really, freaking old

The lifespan of a hot water unit is around 8 to 12 years, so anything 12 years or more and it’s probably time to move that dinosaur on. Even if all seems to be going well, your hot water system may not be working as efficiently or as effectively as it once did, drawing more gas/electricity to heat the water or taking longer to heat your water, thus wasting precious cold water down the drain.

To service or replace your hot water system?

As with any plumbing issue, it’s important to get your local Perth plumber onto it to diagnose the problem and get things fixed. Your plumber may propose to simply service your hot water unit, if it is a relatively young system and a simple service is required.

 However do keep in mind servicing is not always the best option long term and your plumber may recommend replacing the whole hot water system completely. Why? Simply put, the cost of servicing a hot water system may not be significantly less than the cost of purchasing a whole new hot water unit, and if your system is older to begin with, it simply may be worth replacing instead of repairing, as other problems could start to arise anyway.

Be sure to check with your local Perth plumber, or give us a call at MC2 Plumbing – we’d be happy to assist you with all your hot water system needs!

How to fix a dripping tap from leaking

Now you know what could be causing your tap to leak, we get to the fun part on how to actually change a tap washer. Get your tools ready!

Step 1.  Empty/drain the pipes

Always, always, always remember to turn the water off at the mains and empty/drain the pipes before attempting a tap service. This is the first rule of thumb to avoid an unplanned shower! To empty the pipes simply turn the water at the mains off, then turn the affected tap on to bleed any excess water out.

Step 2.  Remove handle

Gently remove the tap button by popping it off with a screwdriver, or grabbing a spanner to help if needed, then slide or unscrew the tap handle. This may not always be possible as there are other handle securing methods which require specialist tools.

Step 3.  Remove tap skirt

Sometimes secured with sealant by the previous plumber, you may need some pliers to remove this part. Be careful not to damage the surface of your tap with your tools.

Step 4.  Remove tap body

Using a spanner, unscrew the tap body to reveal the jumper valve inside. You may need a specialist tube spanner.

Step 5.  Replace washer

Remove the old, damaged washer with a pair of needle nose pliers and take it, along with the jumper valve, straight to the hardware store to replace it like for like.

Step 6.  Clear debris

Make sure you clear all debris and sediment from inside the tap seat in the wall.

Step 7.  Reseat if necessary

Check tap seat for wear by shining a torch in and checking with your finger. If wear is detected, such as a small channel in the brass, it must be reseated. This will require a special tool.

Step 8.  Replace O-ring

There may be two O-rings, so again as with the washers, remove and take to your hardware store to replace like for like. Then replace them onto the tap spindle.

Step 9.  Replace fibre gasket

While at the hardware, grab a new fibre gasket to replace too.

Step 10.  Regrease

Regrease the tap spindle and insert back into tap body.

Step 11.  Reassemble

Put the tap back together in the same order you disassembled it and voila! Your newly serviced tap is ready to go. Just remember to turn the water back on at the mains…

What to Check if Your Hot Water Service is Not Working Properly?

You could give it a go yourself or alternatively call your trusty plumber at MC2 Plumbing and we’ll get a hot water system replacement in Perth sorted for you on the double.

Now you know how to fix your leaking tap, either go ahead and give it a try, or give your local Perth plumber at MC2 Plumbing a call to get it done right for you. After all, some things like haircuts and tap leaks you technically CAN attempt yourself, but are really best left to the professionals!

The face of MC2 Plumbing, Lee is your friendly, nice-guy-next-door type bloke. Once a professional tap dancer, Lee went from dancing on taps around the world to fixing taps in Perth (with over 20 years in the trade).

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