The house has no hot water, but you have cold water due to electric or gas power issues?
There’re a few reasons why you’ll experience such disappointment. As you read on, we’ll give you a handy checklist to help you troubleshoot when no water comes out of hot taps.
From there, you will know whether or not you’ll need professional help. Without any delay, let’s get on with our discussion.
No Hot Not Working But Cold Water Is? Find Solutions
Is hot water not coming out of the faucet, but cold is?
It’s frustrating to wake up on a chilly morning and discover no hot water. You’ll be forced to shower, wash dishes, or do laundry with cold water.
Exposure to cold water can cause chill shock and hypothermia, among other health implications. Of course, that’s different from the situation you’d like to find yourself or your family in.
Below is why you have cold water but no hot water.
Different Types of Water Heater Exist
This is the first factor to consider before troubleshooting your heating unit.
Several classes of water boilers are commonly used in homes. You must check for possible faults or damage in the type of heater you have.
Typically, there’re three types of water boilers. We have traditional gas and electric heaters. There’s also the tankless water heater for both gas and electric.
We’ll outline the problems with these categories of heating units. Whichever one you have in your home, you can analyze the situation successfully.
Common Issues with Gas Water Heaters (Traditional or Tankless)
For homeowners with gas-supported heaters, several unexpected issues can cause no hot water but cold water.
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Pilot Light Issues
The pilot light ignites the burner to heat the water in the tank. For traditional gas heaters, the pilot light remains on at all times. It ignites when it becomes necessary to heat the water in the tank.
However, the latest water heater model uses glow plugs or spark igniters. With a simple push of a button, it will ignite.
Now, the pilot light can get blown out.
When this happens, the water won’t be able to heat up and will go cold. Therefore, you must open the panel and check if the pilot burner has gone out.
If yes, you need to relight it following the user’s manual. But if the pilot is blown, you must replace it with a new one.
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Defective Thermocouple
This is a critical component in a gas-water heating unit. It’s designed to cut the gas supply if the pilot gets blown out.
Otherwise, the gas will flow and fill your home, creating a severe risk of an explosion.
So if anything goes wrong with your thermocouple, it will automatically shut off the gas supply, even when it shouldn’t.
Once it stops the gas supply, the heater won’t be able to fire up and heat your water. That’s when you’ll experience no hot water in the house but cold water.
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Gas Leakage
Do you know that a leaking gas line can cause the house to have no hot water forever?
Apart from the gas not reaching the burner, it will also disappear from the cylinder. The escaped gas can cause a severe risk of explosion on time.
Therefore, it’s essential to regularly check all connections for leaking gas.
One precautionary measure you can take is to shut off the main valve. Others include letting the faucet drip, feeling the supply lines for wetness, smelling unusual odors, and more.
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Clogged Burner
A clogged burner can also be why you won’t get hot water from your heating unit.
When soot slowly builds up on the burner over time, it will hinder or prevent its optimal function. Therefore, you should regularly check your burner for such issues.
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Issues With Gas Valve
If your gas valve isn’t in the correct position, it can deny you hot water. That’s because it will restrict the flow of gas to the burner.
When this happens, the burner won’t be able to heat the cold water in the tank. You must ensure your gas inlet and supply tube are in perfect condition. Also, investigate if your gas is turned on.
There’re other issues you can face with your gas water heater aside from the ones listed above.
They include possible gas leakage, ignitor problems, gas-to-air ratio issues, leaking water tanks, faulty thermostats, sediment buildup, etc.
Possible Problems with Electric Water Heaters (Traditional or Tankless)
If you have an electric heating system, the following aspects must be examined: They can cause no hot water in the house but have cold water.
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Defective Heating Element
When you fall victim to no hot water, this could be the reason. Electric heaters generally use immersion heating elements to heat water properly.
Most electric heaters are built with two components; one at the top and one at the bottom. If these elements get short or break, it’ll impact the temperature and amount of water the boiler can provide.
Age is another factor that can cause the heating elements to malfunction. These components are typically designed to last up to 10–13 years.
After using your unit for some years, consider swapping the parts.
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Tripped Circuit Breaker
Like other appliances, electric water heaters use a circuit breaker for power regulation. This component can be shorted for many reasons, including excess current and power surges.
When it trips, your heater will no longer receive current to boil water. That’s when you’ll experience no hot water in the house but have cold water.
Identifying a tripped circuit breaker is simple, as It will not align with others. To rectify this problem, you’ll need to flip it to the off position and turn it back on.
The power will be restored, and your heater will start heating again.
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High-Temperature Cutoff Switch
Electric boilers are also designed with high-temperature cutoff switches.
This is to prevent the system from overheating. Whenever the water temperature reaches 180⁰F, it will automatically shut down the power to your heater.
Some common reasons will cause a high-temperature cutoff switch to trip. They include malfunctioning thermostats, faulty heating elements, loose electrical connections, and faulty cutoff switches.
Whenever you discover no hot water in the house but have cold water, these are the possible causes.
While some are minor cases that can be handled at the individual level, others will require professional assistance.
Therefore, if you need to gain knowledge or experience with gas or electric heating units, refrain from attempting any repairs. You can put your life and that of your family at risk.