Hot water problems tend to arrive at the worst moment, usually mid-shower on a cold Wellington morning. This page covers repairs to the system you already have, replacing a cylinder that has reached the end, moving to continuous flow, heat pump or gas, and the servicing and valve work that keeps any system safe to use.
If the water is lukewarm, running out early or far too hot, start with a repair. If water is coming from the cylinder body, or it has been patched more than once, replacement is usually the honest answer. If your power bill is the worry, compare heat pump and gas options before you settle on a like-for-like swap.
Our Hot Water Services
Hot Water Cylinder Repairs
For no hot water, water that runs out too soon or comes out scalding, usually traced to an element, thermostat or valve fault.
View serviceHot Water Cylinders
When the tank itself is leaking or worn out, swapping in a new low pressure or mains pressure cylinder, often the same day.
View serviceContinuous Flow Hot Water
Gas units that heat water only as it passes through, suiting busy households that keep running a cylinder dry.
View serviceHeat Pump Hot Water
An electric option that draws heat from the air, worth pricing if your current cylinder is a big slice of the power bill.
View serviceHot Water Servicing
A check of the valves, element and pressure settings to keep an existing cylinder running safely and for longer.
View serviceGas Hot Water
Gas storage cylinders fitted inside or outside, older gas units replaced, and electric systems converted where gas is available.
View serviceTempering Valves
For bathroom taps that run too hot or too cool, testing and replacing the valve that blends stored water down to a safe temperature.
View serviceRepair, replace or upgrade?
A cylinder that has gone cold or tepid often just needs hot water repairs, such as a new element, thermostat or valve. Constant dripping from the relief valve drain can be a valve fault too. Water pooling from the tank body is different, and that means hot water cylinder replacement.
When you are replacing anyway, it is the cheapest moment to change technology. A heat pump unit has a higher upfront price but, for most households, the lowest running cost. Continuous flow and gas storage suit homes with natural gas or LPG. Piped natural gas is common in city, Hutt and Porirua suburbs, whereas Kāpiti homes that want gas rely on LPG bottles.
What hot water work costs
Continuous flow, heat pump and gas hot water systems depend on the unit, the location and the pipe runs, so we quote those free.
Earthquake straps and safe temperatures
In Wellington, how a cylinder is held in place matters as much as how it heats. The Building Code requires a storage cylinder to be restrained against earthquake movement, and the acceptable solution uses tensioned steel straps fixed into the wall framing near the top and bottom. A cylinder held up only by its pipes can tip over in a quake and flood the house.
Temperature is the other balancing act. The cylinder has to heat its water past 60°C daily to keep Legionella in check, yet water at the bathroom basin has to be far cooler to avoid scalds, which is the job of the tempering valve. We check both whenever we work on a system.
- Look for two straps around your cylinder, one high and one low
- Watch the relief valve drain for constant dripping
- Read the install date on the cylinder label so you can plan ahead
- Remember a full cylinder is stored water you can use after a quake
Hot Water Questions
How long will I be without hot water?
Most repairs are finished on the first visit because the common parts travel in the van. For a straight cylinder swap we aim to have you back on hot water the same day. A move to a different technology takes longer and is planned with you.
Is gas or a heat pump cheaper to run?
For most homes a heat pump water heater is the cheapest to run, while gas sits between a heat pump and a standard electric cylinder. The right choice also depends on whether you already have gas and how many people share the hot water.
Does my cylinder need earthquake straps?
Yes. Storage hot water cylinders must be restrained under the Building Code. If yours has no straps, or only one, we can fit proper restraints during any visit, and every cylinder we install is strapped.
Why is my hot water suddenly too hot?
A failed thermostat or a faulty tempering valve are the usual culprits. Both can cause scalding at the tap, so switch the cylinder off and book a repair rather than living with it.
Other Services
Hot Water Across Wellington
We send hot water specialists to every suburb. Find your area: Central Wellington, the Eastern and Southern Suburbs, the Western and Northern Suburbs, the Hutt Valley, Porirua, the Kāpiti Coast.
