Why is my hot water not hot anymore???

Why is my hot water not hot anymore???

In the late ’90s, regulators made fitting tempering valves on new or replacement hot water systems mandatory.

This was a great idea as it helped stop kids from being scalded by hot water. Young skin can be burnt by water at 60 degrees in a couple of seconds; however, water at 50 degrees would take minutes to inflict a severe burn.

The following points from the Plumbing Code are worth mentioning about hot water supply and storage.

1. The temperature of the hot water storage tank must be kept at 60 degrees or higher. This prevents the growth of legionella bacteria (the cause of legionnaires disease) in the storage tank.
2. The water supply for personal hygiene (primarily bathroom fixtures) is not to exceed 50 degrees.

Tempering valves can be installed on a bathroom’s hot water supply or the whole house. The valve works by blending the hot and cold water at an adjustable ratio and then piped to the toilets or home.

Tempering valves, like any mechanical item, are prone to failure. Signs to look for are;

• complete loss of hot water supply
• lack of pressure of hot water supply
• a drop of temperature of hot water supply

If your hot water has failed or shows any signs of the failure modes mentioned in this article, then contact us to get your hot water working again.

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