Hot water is essential to modern life. From bathing to washing dishes to cleaning up around the home, you’ll need hot water readily available from the tap. There’s nothing quite like turning on the hot tap and waiting, and waiting some more, only to realise that the water is not warming. Your first reaction will likely be frustration, followed by confusion, followed by the decision to call in professional assistance, such as an EasyFlow technician.

However, while we’re more than happy to provide any help needed to troubleshoot, repair or replace a hot water heater, there are a few quick and easy steps you can take on your own to save time and money. These checks are related to the electrical supply to the boiler, and are safe for the average homeowner to carry out, providing you bear a few basics in mind relating to electrical safety. The self-help checks detailed within this guide are relatively basic, but essential, and can spare you the need to call EasyFlow for more in-depth assistance.

With that being said, if you’re unsure how to complete these checks safely, or have any qualms about your ability to complete them yourself, call for assistance or book a call-out with an EasyFlow technician.

Essential Things to Remember Before Beginning

• Isolate supplies before working near electricity.
• Do not touch any exposed conductors.
• If an electrical switch, isolator, mini-circuit breaker or RCD is turning itself off, leave it in the off position and call EasyFlow immediately.
• If you see or smell signs of burning, turn off the electrical supply and call EasyFlow.
• Keep children away from electricity.

Bearing in mind the essential things to remember listed above, it is time to delve into the steps needed for self-help in determining the cause of your lack of hot water. There are several potential culprits here, but these steps will help ensure that you’re able to fix most minor issues without having to call for professional help.

Locate your breaker box and find the mini-circuit breaker for the water heater. Is it in the on or off position? Note that some water heaters actually have two circuit breakers. One operates the boost immersion heater and the other operates the main immersion heater at the bottom of the cylinder. If the breaker is in the off position, turn it to on. If it will not remain in the on position, do not attempt to force it. Leave it in the off position and call EasyFlow for professional help. This means there is a serious electrical fault, possibly caused by a damaged immersion heater. If the breaker stays in the on position, allow the unit to heat the water and check the flow at the tap.

Is the electrical supply to the boiler RCD protected? In addition to the breaker, the electrical circuit connected to the hot water heater may be RCD protected. If this is the case, try turning it back on. If the RCD does not stay in the on position, leave it in the off position. Then, follow these steps:

• Turn off all breakers protected by the RCD.
• Try to turn the RCD on.
• If it remains in the on position, move to the next step. If it does not remain on, call an electrician.
• Switch each breaker on one by one to identify which one is tripping the RCD.
• If it is the water heater circuit causing the RCD to trip, the problem is likely a fault within the water heater. If so, call EasyFlow for hot water heater repair.
• If the problem is with another circuit, unplug all appliances in that area.
• Turn the RCD and breaker back on and then plug in each appliance one by one. There may be a fault in something as simple as your kettle causing the RCD to trip.
• If you have identified a faulty appliance, have it repaired or replaced.
• If the fault is connected to an electrical circuit, call a qualified electrician for repairs.

Is the water heater controller or programmer switched on and set correctly? It may have been inadvertently knocked and turned the hot water system off. Alternatively, summer settings might not be adequate for wintertime temperatures when incoming water from the mains is much colder and requires more time to heat.

Has the water heater fuse blown? There is a 13-amp fuse located in the water heater fuse spur. Check this and replace it if needed. If the replacement fuse also blows, there may be a loose wire causing a short circuit. If you notice any moisture on or near the fuse, do not touch it and call EasyFlow for water heater repairs.

Another possible cause of no hot water is higher than normal hot water use. Has the household been taking more baths or longer showers than normal? Hot water cylinders vary in capacity from 120 litres upward. The average cylinder holds between 160 and 210 litres. The problem might not be a water heater fault’s simple high demand might be the culprit. You can address this in the short-term by pressing the boost function. If the higher demand is more permanent in nature, you can adjust the time clock on the water heater to suit your new usage situation.

If the steps listed above do not help, you’ll need to call EasyFlow for professional assistance. If you need assistance with any hot water heater repairs, to schedule hot water heater maintenance, or to install a new hot water heater, call EasyFlow at 0800 433 4043

Our maintenance plans are designed to ensure our customers enjoy peace of mind, and constant hot water. We keep your hot water flowing while minimising your costs and eliminating stress. Let our experts identify and correct water heater faults, while you enjoy low monthly payments.