Why do I have no hot water?

Hot water is one of those things that we take for granted in our daily lives; it’s always there when we need it, so it can be a little distressing to learn that you suddenly have no hot water. Our guide will help you to determine why you don’t have any hot water, potential home fixes, and when it’s time to call in the professionals.

Why would I have no hot water?

There are a few things that could be causing a lack of hot water, but before you panic and call out an engineer, it could be useful to check what type of boiler you have. It might just be a case of your tank running out of hot water, and waiting for more to be heated up.

If that isn’t the case, take a look at these other potential causes of having no hot water:

Boiler pressure

If your boiler pressure is too low, chances are you won’t have any hot water. Your boiler needs to be appropriately pressurised to pump hot water through your home. Check the gauge on the front of your boiler; when it’s not active it should be in the green zone, between 1-2 bars. When your boiler is in use, normal pressure will be between 2-2.5 bars. Read our post on how to repressurise your boiler for more information.

Leaking tank

A visibly leaking tank is an obvious problem, but you might not always notice small leaks. However, boiler leaks can be indicated by low boiler pressure. Call out a qualified engineer to take a look at the problem.

Electric boiler malfunction

If you have an electric boiler system, your problem of having no hot water may be a result of the system malfunctioning. You might be able to fix this problem yourself by first turning off the boiler, then checking the fuse box. Flip the switch if the fuse shorted. If this was the problem, you should have hot water again soon after. If not, call out a professional; it can be dangerous to mess around with your boiler.

Gas supply problem

If you have a gas boiler there could be a couple of things that are affecting your hot water supply:

Gas leak:

If you suspect a gas leak, call your gas supply company immediately. This is a bigger problem than having no hot water. They won’t be able to fix your lack of hot water, so you’ll need to call out a boiler engineer afterwards.

Failing gas valve:

If you’re confident that there isn’t a leak, there may be a problem with the gas valve, it needs to be secure and in the correct position. The gas valve controls the flow of gas to the pilot light, which ignites the burner and heats up your water. Don’t be tempted to try to fix gas related boiler problems yourself as it can be dangerous. Call out a Gas Safe engineer to take a look.

Internal boiler faults

It may not be obvious, but if you don’t have any hot water, and repressurising didn’t work, there may be internal boiler faults. Don’t be tempted to take a look inside as this can be dangerous. Call out a qualified engineer to take a look.

Broken thermostat

If you have an electric heating system and your thermostat is faulty, your water may not be able to heat up to the right temperature. However, first check that the batteries are still working and your settings are correct. If it still doesn’t work, you’ll probably need to have a professional take a look at it.

The weather

Cold winter temperatures can affect how quickly your water is heated, the temperature of your hot water supply and can cause your pipes to freeze. If you live in an area that experiences extreme temperatures, it might be worth investing in having your system upgraded to suit the environment.

Power cut

If you’ve experienced a power cut recently, your boiler could have reverted to factory settings. Check your settings and alter them accordingly.

Why would I have heating but no hot water?

If your central heating is working but you don’t have any hot water, there might be an issue with the diverter valve. This is what allows the combi boiler to switch between heating your radiators and heating your water. You’ll need to call out an engineer to take a look at the problem.

When it’s time to call a qualified engineer

There are some boiler problems that you might be able to fix yourself, changing your thermostat settings or repressuring your boiler, but there are a few instances when you’ll definitely need to call out a professional:

• If your problem is gas-related, never try to fix this yourself, it can be very dangerous. Call out a Gas Safe engineer.

• If you can see an obvious leak, or signs point towards a leak, it’s best to call out an engineer. Don’t remove the boiler cover to take a look; this can be dangerous.

• If you think your boiler has an internal fault, you’ll definitely need to call a professional to fix the problem. Again, don’t be tempted to take a look inside. This can be dangerous and you could make the problem worse.

Home Assist’s engineers are fully qualified and can have your boiler back up and running in no time. We have a team of friendly and reliable experts serving the North of England, and can often be there on the same day for boiler repairs, servicing and installations.

Call us today on 0191 406 0888 for more information. Alternatively, you can request a callback here.