Hot water not as hot. Now what?

[sqzdog]

Recently when taking a bath, we run out of hot water quicker than before. I have checked both elements in the HW heater and they check out fine. We are on public water where I live so it should be cleaner than that of a well. What are my other options?

 

[Cass]

How did you check the elements?

 

[Sponsor]

 

[sqzdog]

I used an ohm meter. What is the best way to check them?

 

[FloridaOrange]

What is recently? Since winter began? How long before you run out of hot water?

 

[hj]

elements

First I check them with a voltmeter to see if they should be heating, and then with an ammeter to see if they are actually working.

 

[sqzdog]

Recently= past 2 months

Tub almost fills to the overflow but usually cools down about an inch before it gets there. Usually it would fill to the over flow and there still by HW left to add a little bit later.

 

[Cass]

Here is something you can do. Let the heater sit for 2 hrs. with out using any HW. Turn off the power to the heater. Open the lower access cover to the lower element. With the power off feel the tank and if the lower element is working the tank will be hot not just warm.

 

[sqzdog]

Update!

This weekend, I noticed a substantial decrease in water pressure in my master bath shower and sink. I removed the shower head and sink faucet screen and noticed a whole lot of white mineral grains. I am guessing its calcium, but not sure.

Is there a reason for this? Could this have something to do with my hot water heater not putting out as much?

 

[sqzdog]

ok, I found my original problem but created another. There was alot of calcium build-up in my lines and that caused the screen at the end of the faucet to clog up with those deposits.

I drained my hot water heater and after doing so now have very low hot water pressure in the kitchen sink. This is the only place in the house. I removed the screen thing and it was fine. I removed the cartridge and replaced it and that didn't fix it. I completely disassembled the kitchen faucet and cleaned out the insides, still have low pressure. I connected a flexible line to the hot water valve under the sink and let it run. It had pressure but it was hard for me to tell whether it was the right amount since it wasn't coming out of the faucet.

I obviously feel like the draining of the heater caused this. Any ideas on how to open this line back up? The pipes are made out of the gray defective stuff from the 80's.

Help!!

 

[Master Plumber Mark]

back flush the lines

simply turn off the water to the water heater....


open the drain on teh bottom of the heater and let it drain out


go to the kitchen faucet and stop up the areator with
someting like tissue paper ,,,

then turn on the cold water and hot water at the same time

if you have plugged up the faucet well
the cold water will flush back through the hot
pipes and blow back the junk into the water heater.....

turn it off and on a few times,

possibly bang the hot pipes under the sink


and after a few minutes it should be back flushed out ok....


then put everything back the way it was and see what happens...

 

[Cass]

You may have a failed dip tube. Take some of the white peices and see if they will dissolve in vinegar. If they don't it is your dip tube.

They gray stuff is called Quest.

 

[sqzdog]

What/where is the dip tube?

 

[Cass]

It is inside the heater and brings cold water from the top of the heater to the bottom of the heater. Do the vinegar test and let us know.

 

[sqzdog]

Mark, your suggestion worked like a charm. Cass, I haven't found anymore of those deposits like you mentioned, but when I do I'll do the vinegar test. Thanks to everyone for your help.

 

[sqzdog]

I did the vinegar test and the white particles did not dissolve. After months, this stuff is still clogging up my faucet screens. What now??

 

[Cass]

If your still getting them I would consider having the heater replaced. You could also try flushing 1 more time.

 

[sqzdog]

I will. Just got off the phone with Ruud and this thing was made in 1996 so it is due.

I have never bought one before so will I be able to get one the same height with the hot/cold holes in the same place? I can install it, I just don't want to go through a whole bunch of pipefitting.

 

[Cass]

The height should be the same, the diameter may be different due to more insulation.

 

[JK60]

I have never bought one before so will I be able to get one the same height with the hot/cold holes in the same place? I can install it, I just don't want to go through a whole bunch of pipefitting.

If the hot and cold nipples of the new water heater don't precisely line up with existing supply pipes, you can use flexible copper pipes for attachment. The flex pipes come in different lengths. Just cut the supply pipes back to allow for enough space to fit the flex pipes, and attach them to the supply pipes using compression fittings. The other end of the flex pipe will screw into the water heater nipples.