Unless you follow some kind of personal health regime that includes taking cold showers in winter, there are few things in everyday life more exasperating than running out of hot water at just the wrong time.
Like when you’ve been looking forward to a nice relaxing hot bath after work. Or you wake up early on a chilly morning only to get icy water when you turn on the hot tap. When this happens you want to get it fixed fast. The question is, do you call a plumber or an electrician for hot water system repair?
Let’s look at the ways your hot water system can fail and which are electrical problems that need an electrician.
The two-step hot water system repair test
Here’s a quick way to tell whether a lack of hot water is related to some kind of electrical fault or whether it’s a plumbing issue. There are two things to check. The first thing to do is open your switchboard and see if one of your switches or your circuit breaker has tripped.
The second might involve a bit more effort, depending on where your hot water unit is located in your home. Find the little lever at the top and lift it. This will activate and test the pressure relief valve. If your valve is working properly you’ll only see a small amount of water running through the overflow pipe.
If you discover tripped switches, you can confidently assume that you need to call for electrical hot water system repair. If water gushes out when you lift the pressure relief valve, it’s a job for a plumber.
Other ways to troubleshoot for hot water repairs
There are some other, more dramatic signs that something is amiss with the electrical components of your hot water system. These aren’t hard to detect, and some of them are signs of an emergency situation that requires an electrician as soon as possible.
If you hear any unusual electrical noises like crackling or buzzing, this could indicate arcing within your circuit. This can be extremely dangerous, and it’s a common cause of electrical fires. The culprits could be anything from corroded contact points to frayed wiring – get an electrician in asap to fully inspect all the components of your hot water system.
If your lights flicker when you activate your hot water unit, this probably means that there is a fault in your home’s electrical circuitry. Once again, take this seriously and call in a qualified electrician.
Any kind of burning smell is a big warning sign. If you smell anything like burning plastic, you have an emergency on your hands. Turn off your household power at your mains switchboard, go outside, and contact an electrician immediately.
All of this underscores the importance of an electrical safety check – it’s a good idea to have it done at least once a year.
Common types of hot water repairs
The most common electrical faults causing your water unit to not heat properly are far less noticeable. Particularly when compared with signs of plumbing damage, where you’ll often see things like leaks, water discolouration or a split water tank.
Electrical hot water repairs are usually required to one of four areas in your water heating system:
- Thermostat
Your thermostat controls the heating level of your hot water unit. If you notice a drop-off in temperature, but the water is still lukewarm, a faulty thermostat is the most likely cause. You’ll probably have to replace it, which is an everyday hot water system repair job for an electrician. - Booster and relay switch
There could also be a fault with your booster or your hot water system’s off-peak relay switch. If you’ve installed a solar system, there’s a good chance that the booster is to blame. Once again, an electrician will be able to quickly diagnose it. - Cylinder
If you need a new cylinder because of structural damage like leakage, you’ll also need an electrician to disconnect and reconnect the wiring so that a plumber has installed your new unit. - Mains circuit
Tripped switches or circuit breakers in your switchboard could indicate a more general electrical problem that’s also affecting the power supply to your hot water unit. This could be anything from a blown fuse to degraded wiring. It’s essential to have an electrician inspect the circuitry in your home, especially if your circuit breaker won’t stay on when you try to reset it.
Prevention is always better than cure
The best way pre-empt or avoid hot water system repairs is to carry out regular maintenance. You don’t need to be much of a DIY person to do this – there are some simple checks and inspections that are easy to perform.
- Check your thermostat temperature setting
Setting your thermostat at too high a temperature might give you wonderfully hot water, but this can really waste power and reduce your hot water unit’s lifespan. The optimal setting is between about 49 and 60 degrees Celsius, depending on the time of year. This will give you the best energy efficiency and plenty of hot water. - Test your water unit’s pressure relief valve
As explained above, to test the pressure relief valve, lift the lever and see how much water flows out. It shouldn’t be more than a mug full. - Look for leaks or corrosion
Give your hot water unit a regular once-over, to make sure you don’t see any leakage or rusting. - Inspect the anode
Your unit contains what’s known as a “sacrificial” anode, which is just a short rod, usually made from aluminium. It gets its name from the fact that it’s designed to rust over time, a chemical process that helps prevent corrosion in the rest of the tank. To access it, open the base cap of your hot water unit and you’ll see it quite easily. Check to see how corroded it is, and if this is significant, have it replaced.
What to do when you need Melbourne hot water repairs
If you live anywhere in the Melbourne region, you can trust STL Electrical for any kind of electrical hot water system repair. Contact us immediately if you run into an emergency situation, or when you need quick repairs to get your hot water flowing again. Our highly-qualified and experienced electricians are all fully certified, and they’ve been serving the city for many years.
We’re available 24 hours a day, so you won’t need to take an involuntary cold shower if there’s an electrical problem in your hot water system.
