Hot water systems in Armadale

Age and what has failed. An element, thermostat, valve or thermocouple on a unit under about ten years old is usually worth fixing. A tank that has rusted through and is leaking from the body cannot be repaired at any price — that is the end of its life, and anybody telling you otherwise is stringing it out.

Not necessarily. Storage units are meant to discharge a small amount from the relief valve as the water expands while heating. A constant stream or a steady flow is a fault. Water coming from the bottom of the unit itself usually means the tank has gone.

Often, yes. We carry the common sizes and types, so a lot of failures get replaced the day you ring. Less common units or a change of system type may mean ordering in, and we’ll tell you which on the phone.

It depends on the household. Continuous flow never runs out and takes up less space, which suits people who shower at staggered times. Large families running two showers at once need a properly sized unit or they’ll be disappointed. We size it on how the house actually uses water rather than on what is easiest to fit.

It mixes cold into the hot supply so water reaching bathroom outlets is delivered at a safe temperature, which matters most with children and older people in the house. It is a standard part of a compliant installation and it does eventually wear out and need replacing.

Sometimes. It comes down to where the water and gas can run, where the relief line can discharge and what clearances the unit needs. We’ll work out what’s possible on site before quoting rather than after.

Have the sacrificial anode checked every few years on a storage unit. It is a cheap part designed to corrode instead of the tank, and replacing it can add years. Almost nobody does it, which is why so many tanks fail early.