Home inspectors reckon that badly installed or faulty warm water geysers are easily the most common issue they come across when doing home inspections. Here are some geyser issues which you the home owner might come across.
Dripping geyser overflow
Geysers often leakage (drip) through the pressure control valve overflow pipeline. This is normal as the water in the geyser warms and cools. Nevertheless, anything more than a couple of litres a day usually suggests that the pressure control valve is malfunctioning. This valve must be changed if there is a continuous stable drip from the overflow pipe. An occasional dripping after water has been drawn from the geyser is fine.
Getting too hot: Steam or hot water leaving from the overflow
Geyser thermostats are specifically made to fault outdoors or “off” position. If the thermostat does this the water in the geyser undoubtedly stops to heat. However, often the thermostat faults in the “on” position, in which case the water will eventually boil and the geyser may explode.
An indication that this is happening is when warm water and steam is observed coming out of an overflow pipeline. This leaving hot water and steam reveals that the temperature level and pressure valve (TP valve) is launching warm water since extreme temperature level and pressure is building up in the geyser. The most common cause of getting too hot is a faulty thermostat. This is possibly extremely harmful and should be seen to immediately. Turn off the geyser and call a plumber.
Water leaking through the ceiling
This shows that the geyser has either burst, or a major leak has actually established, and the drip [tray and overflow system (if there is one) is not coping. Right away switch off the power supply and the cold water supply to the geyser. Switch of the geyser power at the primary circulation board. Call a plumber.
No hot water
Check whether the geyser circuit breaker on the primary circulation board has actually tripped. Only reset the breaker once or twice. If it continues to trip, then call an electrical contractor. If the power supply is OKAY, however there is no warm water – then this suggests that either the thermostat or the heating element which has actually failed. The thermostat and the heating element must always be changed together. Call a plumber to do this.
Water not hot enough
This shows that the setting on the thermostat is too low, or that the thermostat and/element is malfunctioning. Set the thermostat to 65 deg. C – a greater temperature level setting is not recommended. If the geyser is old it might have ended up being calcified and inefficient. In this case think about replacing the geyser.
Poor warm water pressure
A number of things can cause low warm water pressure. These include old, blocked galvanised pipes, or a filthy or obstructed valve. Some houses still have old low pressure geysers – just 100 kPa – rather than modern-day high pressure geysers – up to 600 kPa. Low pressure geysers generally have spherical “Lacto” valves in place of the modern-day pressure balancing valves. A pressure balancing valve, fitted on the cold water supply to the geyser, makes sure that both the hot and cold water supply to the restrooms are at the very same pressure rating as the high pressure geyser.