Luke warm water in bathrooms, scalding in kitchen

[Waikikamukau]

Hi all - looking for some troubleshooting tips before I bite the bullet and call out a plumber. Our hot water system is about 10yrs old; in recent months we’ve noticed a drop in temperature in both bathrooms while the kitchen and laundry remain fine. It used to be that we’d have near scalding temperatures out of all outlets across the house - the kitchen annd laundry are physically closer to the HWS with exception of one of the bathrooms, which also has had a drop in temperature. It’s a gas-heated unit with an electric booster.

Ideas on what could be causing the disparity or that I - with zero plumbing experience aside from replacing washers - could check?

[rambunctious]

Hi all - looking for some troubleshooting tips before I bite the bullet and call out a plumber. Our hot water system is about 10yrs old; in recent months we’ve noticed a drop in temperature in both bathrooms while the kitchen and laundry remain fine. It used to be that we’d have near scalding temperatures out of all outlets across the house - the kitchen annd laundry are physically closer to the HWS with exception of one of the bathrooms, which also has had a drop in temperature. It’s a gas-heated unit with an electric booster.

Ideas on what could be causing the disparity or that I - with zero plumbing experience aside from replacing washers - could check?

Without a pic of the water heater and associated valves I can only assume you have untempered hot water feeding kitchen and laundry, with tempered water feeding bathrooms, and the tempering valve needs attention/replacement.

[droog]

Without a pic of the water heater and associated valves I can only assume you have untempered hot water feeding kitchen and laundry, with tempered water feeding bathrooms, and the tempering valve needs attention/replacement.

:whs:
Pictures will help, suspect there is a tempering valve that is playing up.

[Waikikamukau]

I'm assuming this shows the tempering valve and that the bottom two are tempered and supply each of the bathrooms while the top is untempered and supplies the laundry and kitchen?

537600

537601 537602

[r3nov8or]

I did this recently... In the first picture, the device down low with the yellow cap is the tempering valve, and I'm assuming it has a triangle 'tool' moulded into the top of the yellow cap. Pry off the yellow cap, turn it over and use it to turn the value anti-clockwise to set it hotter. It could be stiff, so give it a good old go, turn it clockwise to test it turns at all, but if it can't be turned anti-clockwise it's max'ed out and it could be faulty

[rambunctious]

For you and your family's safety you need to have a good read of all of this link before you take advice/information on a forum about adjusting the tempering valve.

While it is from a Queensland Company it applies Australia wide.

https://www.indeepplumbing.com.au/hot-water-tempering-valve/

My advice, send the pics to Plumbers and ask for quotes to replace the valve.

[Waikikamukau]

For you and your family's safety you need to have a good read of all of this link before you take advice/information on a forum about adjusting the tempering valve.

...

My advice, send the pics to Plumbers and ask for quotes to replace the valve.

Yeah, based on replies so far it seems clear to me that I'll need to get the valve replaced/looked at; no-one's touched it so recent fluctuations in temperature suggests a replacement is needed.

Thanks everyone :)

[havabeer69]

with out hijacking the thread, how does that hot water system work?


so the gas is used for the storage unit... but all the water flows through the elect but it only kicks in if you switch it on?

[droog]

with out hijacking the thread, how does that hot water system work?


so the gas is used for the storage unit... but all the water flows through the elect but it only kicks in if you switch it on?

Wait for the OP but looks like solar with gas boost. But solar disconnected?

[Waikikamukau]

Wait for the OP but looks like solar with gas boost. But solar disconnected?

Yes - keen eyes! We had the solar disconnected about a year ago. Was causing more problems than it was worth and given the age of the unit seemed to make more sense to eventually replace the whole setup rather than try and rectify the issues we had (which was primarily a noise / pump issue).

[Uncle Bob]

Yes - keen eyes! We had the solar disconnected about a year ago. Was causing more problems than it was worth and given the age of the unit seemed to make more sense to eventually replace the whole setup rather than try and rectify the issues we had (which was primarily a noise / pump issue).

It may be easier and more reliable to just use solar power to run a heat pump water heater, if you have solar power already.

[Waikikamukau]

Plumber diagnosed the tempering valve as being the issue. At a parts cost of $900+, we decided that - given the age of the existing unit and its inefficiencies - to replace the entire system.

Three days in and we couldn't be happier. Hopefully will see some reduction in gas consumption, too.

Thanks everyone for your input.

537626

[rambunctious]

Plumber diagnosed the tempering valve as being the issue. At a parts cost of $900+, we decided that - given the age of the existing unit and its inefficiencies - to replace the entire system.

Three days in and we couldn't be happier. Hopefully will see some reduction in gas consumption, too.

Thanks everyone for your input.

537626

Assuming the new unit was $900+ (and not the tempering valve) it is a good choice.