It sounds like hot water uses heat from central heating instead of having a separate heater or uses central heat when on, to reduce fuel for water heater and water heater has failed. You say hot water taps only work with central heat on.

Can’t get hot water unless heating is on?

Check the thermostat is turned up high enough to produce hot water. Check the boiler or programmer is set to ‘heating and water’ rather than ‘heating only’. Try resetting your boiler. Press the reset button if there is one, or turn it off, wait a few minutes, then switch it on again.

Why do I have to turn the heat on to get hot water?





If your central heating comes on with the hot water



The valve is not sealing off the central heating port correctly. Hot water flows through your radiators when it should flow through the cylinder coil instead.

Why does my boiler heat the radiators but not the water?

This is is a valve that opens and closes to provide heat to the radiators or to heat your water. If your heating is working but you have heating but no hot water or vice versa, it is likely to have become stuck. You will need to contact a Gas Safe engineer to solve a problem with your diverter valve.

Why is hot water not working but cold is?

If you have good water flow (“pressure”) at hot water faucets, but it’s cold, then the water supply piping is not blocked and the problem is in the water heater itself, or in a mixing valve.

How do I know if my diverter valve is faulty?

If you find yourself with no hot water when you first turn on your tap, turn on the heating and wait a few minutes before trying your hot tap again. If hot water starts to come out, this suggests that it is likely your diverter valve is faulty.

Does central heating need to be on for hot water?





This is a very common myth. But in fact, you really don’t need to be heating your water all the time. Your immersion heater or boiler will heat up hot water which is stored in a tank. As long as the tank has a good insulating jacket, it will keep the water hot all day, without needing to be constantly reheated.

How do I fix No hot water?

No Hot Water? Here’s How to Fix It

  1. Check the circuit breaker. …
  2. Reset your water heater. …
  3. Find out if other people in your household were using hot water. …
  4. Look for leaking water around your tank. …
  5. Check for water in the compartments on your water heater. …
  6. Turn the gas on. …
  7. Check the pilot light.


How do you unblock a hot water pipe?

Turn on the cold water at the plugged faucet and let it run for 40 minutes. Check the faucet and the water heater for leaks during this time. The cold water will be forced into the hot pipes at high pressure and flush the sediments out through the garden hose. Turn off the water after 40 minutes.

Why has my hot water gone cold?



Hot Water Goes Cold Quickly Because Of A Burned out heating element. Faulty or burned out heating elements is one of the main reasons why your hot water goes cold quickly. Old or burned out elements account for the reduction of hot water and will cause your hot water to go cold quickly or not have any hot water at all.

Does central heating pump effect hot water?

Central heating pumps are responsible for the pumping of hot water around your central heating system. These pumps will deliver hot water around your building from the boiler, to the radiators, and back to the boiler again.

How do you check if a circulating pump is working?

If the circulator pump is on the RETURN side of the heating piping loop (the usual and better location) then you can feel the pipe at the circulator pump – doesn’t matter which side – in or out flow – since if the pump is running the pipe will get warm, then hot if it is successfully moving hot water out of the boiler …

How does central heating work with hot water tank?



The boiler heats the water and sends it to a cylinder, and then on to the central heating. On its way it heats, in the cylinder, via a very efficient heat exchanger, the mains fed water for the taps. An integral feed and expansion tank can be incorporated on top of the main tank.

What are the symptoms of a faulty central heating pump?

You may notice:

  • The water flow pipe isn’t hot despite the pump running.
  • A water leak coming from the pump.
  • The pump is making unusual noises.
  • The pump casing feels hot.
  • Some or all of your radiators aren’t heating up.
  • You have no hot water.


Why is my hot water pump not working?

If the shaft turns easily, turn the power back on. If you can see the shaft spinning but you’re still not getting heat, then it’s likely the problem is air in the system or the impeller has broken. If you suspect the problem is air in the system you will need to bleed the pump.

Why is my boiler working but radiators are cold?



If your boiler works but the radiators are not heating up, then likely cause could be a faulty boiler pump or your central heating controls. If your boiler works but the radiators are cold, check that the thermostat or timer is working correctly.