Immersion Heater Replacement & Repair
No hot water? Immersion heater tripping the electrics? We diagnose and fix immersion heater faults across Thanet.
Immersion Heater Not Working?
If your immersion heater has stopped heating water, is only producing lukewarm water, or keeps tripping your fuse board, the problem is usually a failed element or a faulty thermostat. Both are straightforward repairs for a qualified electrician.
We carry out immersion heater repairs and replacements across Thanet and East Kent. Most faults are diagnosed and fixed in a single visit.
Common Immersion Heater Faults
- No hot water at all - usually a burnt-out element or failed thermostat
- Tripping the electrics (RCD trips) - element insulation has broken down, causing earth leakage
- Lukewarm water only - thermostat set too low, thermostat fault, or heavy limescale on the element
- Water too hot or overheating - thermostat stuck closed or safety cutout failed
- Burnt smell from the airing cupboard - overheating connections or failing element
- Immersion heater light on but no hot water - element has failed but the circuit is still live
How We Fix It
We test the element, thermostat, and wiring to find the exact fault before recommending any repair. If the element needs replacing, we isolate the supply, drain the cylinder, swap the element and thermostat, refill, and test. Most jobs take 1-2 hours.
We always recommend replacing the thermostat at the same time as the element - most elements come with a thermostat included, and fitting a new thermostat on an old element (or vice versa) is a false economy.
Guide Prices
- Element replacement - from £150 labour
- Thermostat-only swap - from £80 labour
- Fault diagnosis - £95 first hour
- Timer / boost switch - from £80 labour
Typical Parts Costs
Most elements come with a thermostat included. Prices vary depending on the length, wattage, and material:
- Copper element with thermostat - from £25
- Titanium element with thermostat - from £45
Parts are quoted at trade prices for your specific cylinder. We recommend titanium elements in Thanet - the hard water here causes limescale buildup that shortens copper element life.
Get a QuoteCopper or Titanium Element?
Copper
- Cheaper upfront (from £25 with thermostat)
- Good thermal conductivity
- Shorter lifespan in hard water areas
- Limescale bonds tightly to copper, causing the element to overheat and fail
- Typical lifespan in Thanet: 2-5 years
Titanium
- More expensive (from £45 with thermostat)
- Resists corrosion and limescale buildup
- Limescale forms loosely and flakes off
- Much longer lifespan in hard water
- Typical lifespan in Thanet: 5-10+ years
Thanet has hard water from the chalk aquifer. We recommend titanium elements for most customers here - they cost more upfront but last significantly longer.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need an electrician or a plumber for my immersion heater?
An immersion heater is an electrical element inside your hot water cylinder, so it's an electrical job. The element, thermostat, and wiring are all electrical components. We diagnose and replace faulty elements, thermostats, and wiring without needing a plumber involved. If the cylinder itself is leaking, that's a plumber job - but the heater inside it is ours.
Why does my immersion heater keep tripping the electrics?
The most common cause is a failed element where the insulation has broken down, allowing current to leak to earth and trip the RCD. Other causes include a faulty thermostat, moisture getting into the wiring connections, or limescale buildup causing the element to overheat. We test the element, thermostat, and wiring to find the exact fault.
How long does an immersion heater replacement take?
Most element replacements take 1-2 hours. This includes isolating the supply, draining the cylinder, removing the old element, fitting the new one, refilling, and testing. A thermostat-only swap is quicker - usually 30-45 minutes with no need to drain anything.
How do I know if my element or thermostat has failed?
If you have no hot water at all and the immersion switch is on, it's usually the element. If the water is lukewarm or the heater keeps tripping, it could be either. We test both with a meter to confirm before replacing anything - no guesswork.
Immersion Heater Problems?
Call us for same-day or next-day availability across Thanet. We'll diagnose the fault and give you a clear price before starting any work.