Five Reasons Why Your Hot Water Has Stopped Working

After a long day at work, the last thing you want is to turn your shower on only to find that there is no hot water. A cold shower might sound tempting to some, but for others, they couldn’t think of anything worse. 

The reason for you having no hot water can differ. It could be a serious problem that requires an engineer, or a simple flick of a switch to ensure that your thermostat is on the correct setting.

To give you a helping hand, Joshua Houston, Boiler Expert at GreenMatch, has revealed below five reasons why your hot water has stopped working.

1: Thermostat setting

If your water isn’t very hot or doesn’t get warm at all, then this could be down to a wrong thermostat setting. Combi boilers, water heaters, and hot water tanks all have temperature controls. Give these controls a look, and increase the temperature if need be. If this doesn’t work, then it’s likely that your thermostat is faulty, which would require an engineer.

2: Pilot light out

Gas boilers have a pilot light which needs to be lit for water to be heated. The pilot light is usually located at the front of the boiler, towards the bottom. If it is out, then you shouldn’t try and fix it yourself. Doing so can be dangerous and is illegal. Instead, ring a Gas Safe registered engineer who is properly trained to deal with the gas and electrical components. This typically costs between £100 and £200, depending on your location and time of year.

3: Sediment build-up

Over time, metal components inside your boiler can corrode, causing sediment buildup. This blockage of water flow decreases boiler efficiency and can even cause overheating. In the worst-case scenario, you might find that you have no water due to the flow of hot water being completely obstructed. This can be fixed by opening the drain valve for a few seconds to allow the sediment to be pushed out.

4: Low water pressure

If little or no water is flowing at all, then this could be a sign of low water pressure. It can be caused by several reasons, including faulty valves, clogged pipes, leaking pipes, and low boiler pressure. To sort this, you will need to call out a Gas Safe Engineer who will be able to identify and then rectify the problem. The cost of this depends on the issue, but the base price of a call-out is typically between £100 and £200.

5: Recent power cut

If there has been a recent power cut in your area, then your boiler might’ve been reset to factory settings without your knowledge. This can affect its ability to heat water. For example, some boilers have timers for when hot water can and can’t be used, which might be activated if there’s a power cut. To check this, verify that the timer and clock are set correctly so that water can be heated when you require it.

Joshua Houston, Boiler Expert at GreenMatch:

‘’Having no hot water is an annoyance, but unfortunately, it is quite a common occurrence. So it’s important you know what the problem is. Having this knowledge could prevent engineers from being called out, saving you hundreds of pounds.

But if your hot water does stop working during the warmer months, do give a cold shower a try. It will cool you down, as well as reduce your bills at the end of the month.’’