No hot water is usually an electrical problem rather than a plumbing one. Some causes take two minutes to check. Others need a professional.
Check these first
- The geyser breaker in your distribution board. If it has tripped, switch it on once. If it trips again, leave it off: there's a fault, often a failed element.
- The geyser timer or smart switch. A power cut can reset timers, so check the clock and schedule. If you have a geyser controller app, check it isn't switched off.
- The isolator switch near the geyser, if you have one.
- Give it time. After a power cut, a full geyser takes several hours to heat up again.
Lukewarm water
- The thermostat may be set too low, or failing. Many are set to about 60 °C.
- A failing element, or one covered in scale, heats slowly. Benoni's municipal water is moderately hard, so scale builds up over the years.
- A tap mixing cold into the hot line, such as a faulty mixer, can make hot water seem lukewarm at one tap only.
Signs it's more than the element
- Water dripping from the ceiling, or a constantly running overflow pipe outside.
- A rusty or bulging geyser tank, or brown hot water.
- The geyser is more than about 10–15 years old.
These mean the geyser may need replacing rather than repairing. Geyser replacements usually go through home insurance if the geyser burst, so phone your insurer before you appoint anyone. See what to do when your geyser bursts.
Who to call
Elements and thermostats are often replaced by plumbers who specialise in geysers, and some electricians do it too. The geyser installation must comply with the regulations and come with a certificate of compliance. Compare geyser repair and replacement in Benoni and typical plumber prices.