Replace your hot water tempering valve

All hot water tempering valves should be checked annually and replaced every 5 years. Did you know that at 60°C, it may take just a couple of seconds to get a serious burn? So here’s the dilemma. Australian law requires you that any stored hot water is kept at a minimum of 60°C.

This is the minimum temperature required to kill off harmful bacteria like Legionella bacteria that may cause a pneumonia-type illness (Legionnaires’ disease) and Pontiac fever, a mild flu-like illness.

However, for safety reasons and especially if you have kids or elderly or infirmed family members, the temperature at the tap should be no hotter than 50°C. Can you see the dilemma? This is why you need a hot water tempering valve. Its job is to mix water to keep it hot in the tank and a bit cooler at the taps.

Like all things with parts in it, they need to be replaced, and here’s how we do that:

  Replace hot water tempering valve on hot water gas or electric storage heater

  Shut down cold water duo valve at inlet to heater

  Drain heater as necessary

  Remove existing tempering valve at water heater

  Supply and fit new hot water tempering valve to suit

  Modify water connections between the cold water supply line, water heater and tempering valve

  Reinstate cold-water duo valve at inlet to heater

  Check and test function and operation of new hot water tempering valve

  Demonstrate to client

  Test and fit compliance label (new water heater only).

Our professional plumbers are qualified to perform works in accord with the Plumbing Code of Australia (PCA) – so you can rest assured in knowing that we can fix it right.

Inclusions: Supply 15mm hot water tempering valve. Pipeline modifications up to 300mm to suit new tempering valve. Temperature setting of valve. Labelling of valve, as per Australian Standard (AS 3500).
Exclusions: Drain and disconnect water heater in kitchen cupboard, linen press or similar to allow the existing tempering valve to be replaced. Shutdown of solar water systems or hot water circulating pump systems. 20mm tempering valves and pipe works. Modifying pipes or existing installations that do not comply with AS 3500.