Service continuous gas hot water system

Discussion in 'Repairs & Maintenance' started by FrivolousPanda, 2nd May, 2018.

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  1. FrivolousPanda

    FrivolousPanda Well-Known Member

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    Hi everyone,

    Tenants have mentioned that their hot water is intermittent and PM has suggested servicing the HWS. Is this usual or useful to do? Or is it a case of just replace it like dishwashers.

    I've never had a HWS serviced before in any of the places I've owned or lived in. I read that storage HWS may need the sacrificial cathode replaced but haven't found anything on these continuos flow gas types.

    Also grateful for any recommendations for a repairers or installers in Perth?

    Thanks
     
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  2. hobartchic

    hobartchic Well-Known Member

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    I would listen to the PM. Be better to spend a couple of hundred rather than full replacement. In either case you need to do something quickly for your tenants. Your PM will have a list of trusted repairers, ask them.
     
  3. Perthguy

    Perthguy Well-Known Member

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    I am having the same problem. My plumber is looking at mine tomorrow. I will let you know what he says
     
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  4. FrivolousPanda

    FrivolousPanda Well-Known Member

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    Thanks @Perthguy. One thing the internet said was to make sure the hot water tap is running quite strongly as the HWS turns off automatically if the water flow is low. I guess if it's in the middle it could cause intermittent heating.
     
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  5. Perthguy

    Perthguy Well-Known Member

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    I was wondering about that too. I have not had time to run a full test. Mine is a Bosch Water Wizard 10p.
     
  6. FrivolousPanda

    FrivolousPanda Well-Known Member

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    @Perthguy did you manage to get any answers from your plumber? My PM has obtained a quote for $180 to service the HWS. I'm trying to work out if it's better just to replace or service considering the unit is definitely older than 5 years, looked like 10-15 years old.

    @hobartchic have you had a gas HWS serviced before? It's not that I don't trust my PM, it's just they sometimes don't work out the economics and may be a false economy to service just because less cost in the short term.
     
  7. Scott No Mates

    Scott No Mates Well-Known Member

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    Ours is close to 20 yrs on ppor but I have identified the issue as low flow CD other option of insufficient gas supply (should be 5/8"or 20mm). Newer units are better on low flow technology (we overcome ours by turning on a hot tap)
     
  8. Westminster

    Westminster Tigress at Tiger Developments Business Member

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    The most common problem with continuous or instantaneous gas hot water systems is water saving devices/tapware being installed.

    On a number of occassions newly built villas which use high WELS rated shower heads have reduced the flow so that it doesn't allow the hot water system to work properly.

    The answer was to take out any water restrictors in the shower heads.
     
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  9. FrivolousPanda

    FrivolousPanda Well-Known Member

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    Thanks for the replies. Good point @Westminster I forgot the shower head had to be fixed or replaced. Will look into that as I haven't had this issue with previous tenants.
     
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  10. Scott No Mates

    Scott No Mates Well-Known Member

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    Shhhhhh! o_O
     
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  11. Westminster

    Westminster Tigress at Tiger Developments Business Member

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    If the issue is only when showering and doesn't happen when running the kitchen tap for example then most likely it's the new shower head.
     
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  12. Scott No Mates

    Scott No Mates Well-Known Member

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    Or the tenant:
    1. has high expectations; or
    2. is too soft, toughen up.
    :p
     
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  13. Perthguy

    Perthguy Well-Known Member

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    I didn't get my plumber to look at it when he was there. Completely forgot :(

    Mine is more than 20 years old and works fine. I suspect something else is going on. See below.

    The shower head was replaced with a water saving shower head around the time the issue started.

    Currently:

    - shower is hot
    - tenant starts to shower
    - shower goes cold
    - tenant turns off all water
    - tenant turns on hot water
    - water is hot

    To me that seems like the shower, not the heater. I suspect the shower is getting too hot so the tenant is turning down the hot water instead of turning up the cold water. It could be as simple as that.
     
  14. Scott No Mates

    Scott No Mates Well-Known Member

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    @Perthguy - how fortunate are you? You've got a hot tenant. :oops: Could be worse, pouring cold water on the situation is the cure for other issues.
     
  15. hobartchic

    hobartchic Well-Known Member

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    No, I have not used a gas HWS.
     
  16. Perthguy

    Perthguy Well-Known Member

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    Hmm. Seems I said "water is hot", not "tenant is hot" ;)
     
  17. Something_Wrong

    Something_Wrong Well-Known Member

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    Boom

    Solved our issue in our current rental villa, When I shower the water comes and goes as hot / warm unless I have the shower on full throttle.
    I usually have the flick mixer on 3/4 and I get warm and hot, turn it to full and I can turn the temp down a bit as it is hot more often.
    Kids and Wife never complain as they always have it on full throttle.

    It also explain why we get extra hot water in the shower if someone else is filling the sink or using other hot water taps.

    Thanks Westminster & others
     
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  18. bunkai

    bunkai Well-Known Member

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    Nice to get an answer!

    With regard to servicing them - I have quite a bit of unfortunate experience and once they leak the electronic damage makes them uneconomic to repair very quickly. For the most part, unless the plumber looking at them is a Rinnai (or other) certified repairer then they essentially can't do anything with the unit other than replace it. There are limited numbers of authorised repairers.

    I think that in a domestic situation it is normally a replace job but get it done by an authorised repairer just in case servicing is an option.