What are the most common parts on a hot water heater?
There is a vast array of hot water systems commonly used in Canberra, Queanbeyan and surrounding regions. There are a range of brands and heating styles – each with a number of different valves and parts to keep the system running efficiently and safely.
Here, we will explain what they look like, what they do, how they do it, what can go wrong with them, and what to look out for.
While there will be variation between different installations, most of the valves and components mentioned below, should be standard across the majority of installations and should be applicable to the following hot water systems:
Electric storage hot water systems:
- Aquamax electric storage hot water system
- Dux electric storage hot water system
- Everhot electric storage hot water system
- Rheem electric storage hot water system
- Rinnai electric storage hot water system
- Thermann electric storage hot water system
- Vulcan electric storage hot water system
Gas storage Hot water systems:
- Aquamax gas storage hot water system
- Dux gas storage hot water system
- Everhot gas storage hot water system
- Rheem gas storage hot water system
- Rinnai gas storage hot water system
- Thermann gas storage hot water system
- Vulcan gas storage hot water system
Electric-boosted solar hot water systems:
- Apricus electric-boosted solar hot water system
- Beasley electric-boosted solar hot water system
- Chromagen electric-boosted solar hot water system
- Dux electric-boosted solar hot water system
- Edwards electric-boosted solar hot water system
- Hills electric-boosted solar hot water system
- Kelvinator electric-boosted solar hot water system
- Rheem electric-boosted solar hot water system
- Rinnai electric-boosted solar hot water system
- Solahart electric-boosted solar hot water system
- SolarArk electric-boosted solar hot water system
- Thermann electric-boosted solar hot water system
Heat pump hot water systems:
- Chromagen heat pump hot water system
- Dux heat pump hot water system
- EvoHeat heat pump hot water system
- iStore heat pump hot water system
- Quantum heat pump hot water system
- Rheem heat pump hot water system
- Rinnai heat pump hot water system
- Stiebel Eltron heat pump hot water system
- Therman heat pump hot water system
Important valves found on hot water heater systems.
These are the most common valves found on hot water heating systems.
The picture shows how the valves on your hot water system are likely to be installed.
Please be mindful that there are a lot of creative installations out there, so yours may not look like this.
Click each valve to find out what they do and what can go wrong with them.
Anodes
Anodes are located inside the hot water storage tank and usually look like a plug or bolt in the centre of the top of the hot water storage tank. Find out more about the Hot Water System Anode.
Temperature pressure relief valves
Temperature pressure relief (TPR) valves are fitted to all storage hot water tanks, solar hot water systems and heat pumps. They are a brass valve found near the top of the storage tank and have a small lever or ring-pull on them. Find out more about TPR.
Tempering valves
Tempering valves are a T-shaped valve that usually has a red, orange, yellow or blue plastic cap. They are found on newer hot water systems and some older hot water systems, usually near the storage tank. Find out more information about Tempering valves.
Duo (non-return isolating) valves
Duo (non-return isolating) valves should be installed on all hot water systems on the cold inlet side of the tank, usually towards the bottom. They can have a blue or green quarter-turn handle, black circular handle or a brass T-head handle that looks similar to a garden tap. Read more about Duo (non-return isolating) valves.
Pressure limiting and pressure reduction valves
Pressure limiting and pressure reduction valves can be found on the cold water inlet side of the hot water storage tank, usually towards the bottom of the tank. They are made from brass and can be shaped like a barrel, a capital letter T, or kind of Y-shapedwith a coloured plastic cap. Find out more information about pressure limiting and pressure reduction valves.
Heating elements and thermostats
Heating elements and thermostats are found on electric storage, electric boosted solar hot water and some heat pump hot water systems. They are usually housed under a metal or plastic panel located on the bottom half of the storage tank. If you have a twin element electric hot water system you will find an additional panel of the same size towards the top of storage tank directly above the lower panel. Find out more about Heating elements and thermostats.
The below parts are not found on all hot water systems, but are common enough to worth mentioning.
Cold water expansion or expansion control valves
Cold water expansion or expansion control valves are not found on many hot water systems in Canberra. They look similar to a TPR valve – made of brass, with a small lever, but are installed on the cold water inlet side of the hot water storage tank. For more information about Cold water expansion or expansion control valves.
Thermocouples
Thermocouples are only found in gas hot water systems. They can look like a thin copper pipe or corkscrew shape and are found behind a cover at the bottom of the storage tank with the pilot light under the hot water storage tank on a gas hot water system, along with the rest of the heating components. Find out more about Thermocouples.
What are the names of the parts of a hot water heater?
Most hot water heaters will have an isolation valve, temperature pressure relief valve, and an anode. Some hot water system installations may also have a tempering valve, pressure limiting or pressure reduction valve or a cold water expansion valve. Electric storage hot water heaters have an element and thermostat and gas storage hot water heaters will have a thermocouple instead. Solar hot water heaters and heat pumps also have their own extra parts.
Can you replace parts on a hot water heater?
Yes. Most parts and valves on a hot water heater can be replaced and it is recommended to change some of these parts every 5 years. Plumbing parts must be replaced by a licenced plumber and electrical parts must be replaced by an electrician or plumber with electrical qualifications
What are the parts of a hot water heater for?
Each part on a hot water system has a specific job. These are related to safety and efficiency. Check out our handy guide above for in-depth detail on each part’s function.
What is the life expectancy of a valve?
Some valves may only last a few years, and some may last over 20 years, but most manufacturers recommend replacing valves every 5 years.
For more information on common hot water system parts, electric and gas storage hot water heaters, hot water heater valves and replacements in Canberra and Queanbeyan,
call us on 0448844911.