Troubleshooting Issues Concerning Your Heat Pump Hot Water System (1)
                     Troubleshooting Issues 
Concerning Your Heat 
Pump Hot Water 
System
Introduction:
● A lot of things could go wrong with a faulty heat pump water heater system 
in Bowral. Winters get colder, summers get hotter. Even worse, taking a late-
night shower becomes something you frown at. You probably followed all the 
rules there is to proper water heater maintenance - making sure you don’t 
tamper with what makes it work.
● Unfortunately, as with all machines, your water heater can sometimes prove 
unresponsive to preventive maintenance. However, what do you do when your 
heater acts funny? Call in the pros?
● Why not try troubleshooting the root of the problem? Troubleshooting doesn’t 
mean opening up delicate parts. You just need to know where to look. Down 
below are the various methods professionals use to troubleshoot problems with 
water heaters. Master them well enough and see yourself spending less on 
service costs in the future.
What are the most common issues 
you’re likely to face?
01 Heater icing up 04 Discoloured water
Water keeps 
02 dripping 05 A noisy heater
03 Water gets too hot for comfort. 06 Faulty compressor
Heater icing up
This is a pretty typical occurrence in those 
cold Australian winter months. When this 
happens, your unit goes into defrosting 
mode to remove all the thin ice on the 
sides and top. However, the real problem 
comes in when the entire body is 
covered with a thick layer of ice. Your 
machine would have to do a lot of work 
to thaw the ice. The best thing to do is to 
use high-pressure from a hose to defrost 
the ice. NEVER use a sharp object to 
remove the ice. You’d be damaging the 
delicate fan in the process.
Water keeps dripping
If you observe water dripping on the outside 
of your heat pump, then there's a 
problem. This could be traced to a 
clogged condensate drain. It's advisable 
to always inspect for loose joints in the 
system. Once found, waste no time in 
repairing or replacing them. Proper 
maintenance should keep you off this 
problem in the future. If you haven't had 
your heat pump installed yet, ensure your 
installation technician installs a drain pan 
under the unit. Doing this makes it hard 
for condensate to damage your property. 
If you have a few extra bucks to spend, 
install an automatic leak detector 
alongside the drain pan.
Water gets too 
hot for comfort.
        Extreme water temperatures are 
caused by a broken thermostat or a 
damaged heating element. It could as 
well be caused by setting the 
thermostat to high. Whatever the case 
may be, you shouldn't resort to DIY 
repair. No matter how good you are. 
Since you're dealing with super hot 
temperatures, it's best to leave things 
to the professionals. 
Discoloured water
If your water gets milky in colour, 
chances are, there are trapped gases 
in the heating system. To correct this, 
install aerated faucets to aid oxidation 
of these gaseous build-ups. If your 
water is brown, check the anode rod 
for rust. Or, you could try switching to 
an electrically powered one (this one 
seldom corrodes). 
A noisy heater
Low-pitched noise from the fans and compressor is expected. 
The real noise problem comes when you hear rumbling, 
gurgling, or popping sounds in the heater. This is usually 
caused by sediment build-up on the heating elements. So, 
you might want to start there. To fix this issue, try cleaning 
your element (that is if there's still hope). To correct 
pounding sounds, install a water hammer arrestor.
Faulty compressor
A faulty compressor is usually traced to a 
refrigerant leak. At times, replacement is the 
only option. But, if you’re using an AO smith 
heat pump, check the capacitor for damages on 
the housing. Also, try measuring your 
resistance. If the value’s indefinite, then you’d 
need to change the heating element.
● Water shortage is rampant in 
heat pump hot water systems in Bowral. 
Some things could contribute to this issue. 
● Either the thermostat temperature is set too low 
or too high. This could affect the flow of water 
into the outlets depending on the kind of heat 
pump in use.
● The water heater hasn’t been used for a long 
time (could be two weeks to a month). This 
causes hydrogen gas build-up in the tank. Tread 
very carefully with this (the Hydrogen gas is very 
flammable). Open the hot water tap for a little 
over thirty minutes to let out all the dangerous 
gases.
● A dirty air filter. If this is the case, just clean it 
and you should be fine.
● Water shortages could also be caused by 
increased demand (you could be having kids or 
long-term visitors). To adjust to the change, 
consult your technician for installing a more 
efficient heat pump hot water system.
Can proper maintenance prevent 
these problems?
Of course, it can! Follow these tips to better maintenance for your heat system.
Check your filters monthly.
Check for sediments regularly.
Keep all coils clean and free of debris.
Keep your heater space sacred (no foreign degradative agents).
Call the technician when things get too tedious for you.
There you have it! Expert-approved solutions to your common heat pump problems. Contact 
us today for issues relating to your heat pump hot water system in Bowral, Australia.
Disclaimer: This is a generic Information & post; content about the services can be changed from time to time as per your requirements 
and contract. To get the latest and updated information, contact us today or visit our website.