Fix No Hot Water Issues

Getting Started

Finding out that you have no hot water from the taps or shower is a major inconvenience. There are possibly many reasons for it, some you can fix yourself and others need professional expertise.

What to Do If You Have No Hot Water?

Don't panic! Whilst it can be frustrating, there may be a simple fix. Take a look through the checklist below to diagnose the problem before calling a Home Expert. There could be a quick and simple fix to get hot water running from your shower and taps again.

• Check the boiler is working.
• Check the water, gas and electricity supply.
• Check the boiler settings.
• Check the diverter valve.
• Check the boiler pressure.
• Check for leaks.
• Check for frozen pipes.
• Check the radiators.
• Check the radiators.

How Do I Check to See if I Have a Broken Boiler?

Noticing a lack of heat or hot water within your home can be alarming, but there are some initial boiler troubleshooting issues to look out for, including:
• Unusual whistling, banging, or tapping noises.
• Higher than average gas usage indicates the boiler is not performing efficiently.
• The pilot light or flames are orange/yellow in colour, which should normally be blue.
• It will show a high system water pressure instead of continuing at a steady pressure.
• A leak has developed around your system's pipes.
• Your boiler won't turn on.

Things to Check if Your Boiler Breaks Down

If you discover that your boiler has stopped working, locate it and check for any alerts or lights emanating from it. Most modern boilers will display an error code when something has gone wrong. Write down its error number before switching it off, and check if any other gas appliances such as ovens or hobs are working as normal. If not, this may indicate a problem with the gas supply.

Follow this checklist to diagnose the problem with your broken boiler:
• Check the electricity supply
• Check gas (or oil) supply
• Check the water supply
• Check the boiler pressure
• Check the thermostat and programmer
| • Check for frozen pipes
• Check the pilot light
• Check for boiler fault codes

Check to See Whether Your Boiler is Working

The first thing to check when you have no hot water from your shower or taps, is whether or not your boiler is actually working. Here are a few simple things to look out for. If you need more help, give us a call for complimentary information on troubleshooting the issue.

Check the Display Panel

The display panel of your boiler should be lit up with no error codes (if working correctly). If no lights are flickering on the panel, your boiler might be switched off or has a compromised power supply. However, if your boiler is on, has the display panel changed colour or does it show an error code? If it does, call out a professional to reset the boiler if possible. An Emergency Plumber might be able to assist on: +(44) 7415 375 875.

Is Your Boiler Set Correctly?

The settings on boilers can vary. Older models may only have a thermostat, while more modern boilers will have more options. If some of these controls aren't on the boiler, they will be on your programmer instead.

Run through the list below to check everything is set up correctly for hot water:
• Check the boiler or programmer is set to the 'on' position for hot water.
• Check the thermostat is turned up high enough to produce hot water.
• Check the boiler or programmer is set to 'heating and water' rather than 'heating only'.
• Try resetting your boiler. Press the reset button if there is one, or turn it off, wait a few minutes, then switch it on again.

Is Your Boiler Timer On or Off?

Power cuts, failed batteries and the clocks changing can put your timer out of sync. Check the time on the display and adjust it if it is incorrect. The user manual will tell you how if you're not sure. Also, check when the hot water is set to go on and off. Ensure it's on for long enough to heat the water adequately and supply enough for your needs. If there's no hot water in the shower, you may have used it all before the boiler's set to come on again.

Check the Diverter Valve

A diverter valve is found inside combi boilers. It opens and closes to provide hot water in both the radiators and the taps.

The valve should prioritise hot water over the heating. So, when you turn on a hot tap, it switches the flow from the radiators to the tap until you turn the tap off.

If you have heating but no hot water, the diverter valve could be faulty or stuck in the heating position. Are the radiators cold when the heating's on, or are there cold spots?

If there are, there could be a build-up of matter inside the radiators, restricting water flow. A heating engineer can fix this issue by conducting a system Powerflush.

Contact Bristol Plumber 24/7

Hopefully, this checklist has helped you diagnose why you have no hot water. You may have been able to rectify some of the simpler causes yourself.

If you diagnosed a fault with your boiler, it's crucial you don't attempt to fix it yourself as this could be extremely dangerous. We recommend you contact us immediately if you presume it to be an emergency.