Hello.
Last week, we noticed that our water heater was leaking a little around the base. In a rare attempt to be pro-active about such things, and realizing that the thing was at least 12 years old, we had it replaced today. The new WH is the same size as the old one (50 gallon, gas) and they didn't do anything beyond unhooking the old and hooking up the new. So, they didn't screw anything up, BUT I have no hot water.
They noticed that we had cold water pressure in our hot water line. Indeed, if I feel the pipes, the line from the hot water heater is hot, but as soon as it splits to wander off to the sinks, etc. the pipes become at best room temperature and often cold.
When we had a contractor finish our basement in 2002, he did SOMETHING to make it so we got hot water on our second floor (master bath) faster. At the time, I was just happy and didn't worry about it. Now, from what I've read, I believe he set up a passive loop using the return line.
Could this be the source of the cold water? Why on earth would I have hot water with the old (leaking) WH, but not the new one? What are odds of this breaking on the same day they replacement my WH.
The WH installers (who made it pretty clear that that is all they do... serves me right for calling a specialty shop, I guess) suggested that the source could be a mixing valve somewhere. If I cut all water to the washer, no change, so that's out. The shower in the basement (only 6 years old) DOES have a single handle control, but when I cut all water to that bathroom nothing changes. Would a dishwasher have a mixing valve?
I did find the return line and it connects to the cold water line as it leads into the WH. But when I closed the valve on the return line, again, there was no change.
I am at my wit's end. My poor kids had to take a room temperature bath tonight. I don't even know how I would find a decent enough plumber to solve this riddle (we've had bad luck with plumbers in the past).
Any ideas would be incredible.
-John.
Last week, we noticed that our water heater was leaking a little around the base. In a rare attempt to be pro-active about such things, and realizing that the thing was at least 12 years old, we had it replaced today. The new WH is the same size as the old one (50 gallon, gas) and they didn't do anything beyond unhooking the old and hooking up the new. So, they didn't screw anything up, BUT I have no hot water.
They noticed that we had cold water pressure in our hot water line. Indeed, if I feel the pipes, the line from the hot water heater is hot, but as soon as it splits to wander off to the sinks, etc. the pipes become at best room temperature and often cold.
When we had a contractor finish our basement in 2002, he did SOMETHING to make it so we got hot water on our second floor (master bath) faster. At the time, I was just happy and didn't worry about it. Now, from what I've read, I believe he set up a passive loop using the return line.
Could this be the source of the cold water? Why on earth would I have hot water with the old (leaking) WH, but not the new one? What are odds of this breaking on the same day they replacement my WH.
The WH installers (who made it pretty clear that that is all they do... serves me right for calling a specialty shop, I guess) suggested that the source could be a mixing valve somewhere. If I cut all water to the washer, no change, so that's out. The shower in the basement (only 6 years old) DOES have a single handle control, but when I cut all water to that bathroom nothing changes. Would a dishwasher have a mixing valve?
I did find the return line and it connects to the cold water line as it leads into the WH. But when I closed the valve on the return line, again, there was no change.
I am at my wit's end. My poor kids had to take a room temperature bath tonight. I don't even know how I would find a decent enough plumber to solve this riddle (we've had bad luck with plumbers in the past).
Any ideas would be incredible.
-John.