Hot water is an essential part of every home, especially in the winter months. It is a huge letdown to discover a large puddle of water around your hot water system. Not only is this bothersome and a timely fix, but it can also be quite costly.
How Does A Hot Water System Work?
There are two types of water heaters on the Gold Coast that are most commonly used: Gas or Electric.
A Gold Coast Gas Heater requires either natural gas mains in your street or LPG gas bottles. A gas system operates through a burner assembly which ignites the gas as it enters the system. A gas heater also needs a flue to remove combustion gases from the system. Once the water is heated, it is ready to be dispersed throughout the home.
A Gold Coast Electric Heater works by passing water through a copper pipe which is usually coiled within a heat exchanger. This is heated by an electric system that warms the cold-water in the tank and is then distributed once a hot water tap is turned on.
In comparison, a gas system is cheaper to run and is more efficient compared to an electric system. A gas system is usually more expensive to purchase so it is wise to think about what would work best for you and your home.
What To Do If You Find Your Hot Water System Leaking?
1. Investigate whether the moisture is from a leak rather than condensation. You can find this by wiping dry your water tank, watching if any spots become evident with a water leak.
2. If a leak is to be found, it’s important to check it’s not from surrounding appliances such as the HVAC system or the air conditioning system.
3. Use towels to dry the ground and turn off the water supply.
4. It is recommended to call a professional from Queensland Coastal Plumbing to get one of our friendly team members to sort out this inconvenience. Our team can assist you with 24/7 availability – our Rapid Response team is available around the clock for emergency plumbing services throughout the Gold Coast.
3 Reasons Why Your Hot Water System Might Be Leaking?
- Drain Valve Leak
When completing maintenance or repairs on your hot water system, use the drain valve to empty the water from the tank. Water will escape from the drain valve if it is not entirely closed, loose, or broken. Although this appears to be a tank leak, it is fairly simple and inexpensive to repair.
- Faulty Temperature & Pressure Relief Valve/Excessive Pressure
It’s an important preventive measure for water heating tanks to contain a T&P valve (temperature and pressure safety valve). Its purpose is to alleviate pressure once a storage tank becomes too hot or once an excessive amount of pressure builds up within the tank. Fixing a T & P valve can become quite costly but our local Gold Coast plumbers from QCP will be able to help you.
- Internal Tank Leak
If water is seeping from the tank’s bottom, this is a negative sign. When the internal tank is broken or rusted, it loses structural integrity and is unable to manage internal pressure and can lead to a high volume of water leakage.
If water is dripping out consistently, call a plumber as soon as possible. Queensland Coastal Plumbing is available 24/7, call us on 1800 367 727 and our emergency Rapid Response team will gladly offer assistance.