Hot, hot, hot, not, not, not
April 19, 2007 7:52 AM Subscribe
Noob house owner: The water heater is now only putting out lukewarm water, not hot.
We noticed the water was cooler over the winter, but just chalked it up to an older house and the long distance the water had to travel through cold pipes.
But it's warmer now, and no hot water is happening, just warm water you can barely take a shower with. It doesn't heat up if we let it run for a few minutes. This is our first house and haven't even been in it a year yet.
Is there something we can adjust or change or inspect to get it hotter or see if something is wrong? It's an electric one, with no manual and I can't find dial or anything on it.
We noticed the water was cooler over the winter, but just chalked it up to an older house and the long distance the water had to travel through cold pipes.
But it's warmer now, and no hot water is happening, just warm water you can barely take a shower with. It doesn't heat up if we let it run for a few minutes. This is our first house and haven't even been in it a year yet.
Is there something we can adjust or change or inspect to get it hotter or see if something is wrong? It's an electric one, with no manual and I can't find dial or anything on it.
There is usually a screw-off plate on the side with a temperature control inside.
posted by StickyCarpet at 8:04 AM on April 19, 2007
posted by StickyCarpet at 8:04 AM on April 19, 2007
The water heater tank has undoubtedly filled with lime and sediment, it's time for a new one.
posted by IronLizard at 8:12 AM on April 19, 2007
posted by IronLizard at 8:12 AM on April 19, 2007
The water heater tank has undoubtedly filled with lime and sediment...
If that's the case, be aware of the drainage path because the next step is for the glass liner to crack and it starts leaking.
posted by StickyCarpet at 8:21 AM on April 19, 2007
If that's the case, be aware of the drainage path because the next step is for the glass liner to crack and it starts leaking.
posted by StickyCarpet at 8:21 AM on April 19, 2007
Maybe one of the elements is burnt out inside? I forget what you'd have to look for, but if you take a multimeter to each element (one at the bottom and the other 2/3rds of the way up) you should be able to tell if it's toasted.
You should also be able to judge which one might be toasted by the type of hot water supply you are getting. Some hot water indicates that the at least one element is working. Try googling replacing hot water heater element.
posted by smcniven at 8:28 AM on April 19, 2007
You should also be able to judge which one might be toasted by the type of hot water supply you are getting. Some hot water indicates that the at least one element is working. Try googling replacing hot water heater element.
posted by smcniven at 8:28 AM on April 19, 2007
It sounds to me that your water heater is toast - the cheap ones don't last more than about 10 years. And as already said, the next step will be a leak. Call in the professionals!
posted by bluesky43 at 8:30 AM on April 19, 2007
posted by bluesky43 at 8:30 AM on April 19, 2007
Very probably the standpipe inside the heater has corroded away and the heater must be replaced.
The standpipe comes in at the top of the heater and runs down the length of it to near the bottom, carrying the cold water in to replace the hot water you take out, so that when you turn on the hot water, hot water is taken from the top of the the tank and cold water is added at the bottom. Since cold water is denser than hot, the cold water stays at the bottom, separate from the hot. As you run the hot water, the sharp dividing line between cold and hot water slowly moves up the tank, and when it gets to the top, you suddenly get cold water in your shower.
When the standpipe corrodes, cold and hot water mix at the top of the tank and the water never gets above lukewarm.
This is a long-standing (sorry) problem of water heaters. Can any of our more knowledgeable mefites tell me why standpipes are not made replaceable with a simple screw fitting? Or why the cold water inlet is not put at the bottom of the tank in the first place? And when this does happen, why couldn't you solve the problem by connecting the cold water inlet to the drain valve at the bottom of the tank?
posted by jamjam at 8:47 AM on April 19, 2007
The standpipe comes in at the top of the heater and runs down the length of it to near the bottom, carrying the cold water in to replace the hot water you take out, so that when you turn on the hot water, hot water is taken from the top of the the tank and cold water is added at the bottom. Since cold water is denser than hot, the cold water stays at the bottom, separate from the hot. As you run the hot water, the sharp dividing line between cold and hot water slowly moves up the tank, and when it gets to the top, you suddenly get cold water in your shower.
When the standpipe corrodes, cold and hot water mix at the top of the tank and the water never gets above lukewarm.
This is a long-standing (sorry) problem of water heaters. Can any of our more knowledgeable mefites tell me why standpipes are not made replaceable with a simple screw fitting? Or why the cold water inlet is not put at the bottom of the tank in the first place? And when this does happen, why couldn't you solve the problem by connecting the cold water inlet to the drain valve at the bottom of the tank?
posted by jamjam at 8:47 AM on April 19, 2007
The Reader's Digest Fix-It-Yourself book is a lifesaver for noob homeowners. I love this thing. There are pictures of how to do everything (fix a disposal, light a pilot light, etc.) It has saved us more than once. The Do-It-Yourself book in this series is great too.
posted by selfmedicating at 8:54 AM on April 19, 2007
posted by selfmedicating at 8:54 AM on April 19, 2007
Oh, and it does sound like possibly the element. When my brother-in-law fixed this he said it was quite obvious which of the 2 elements was toast, it looked fried. The RD book would have pictures.
posted by selfmedicating at 8:55 AM on April 19, 2007
posted by selfmedicating at 8:55 AM on April 19, 2007
What StickyCarpet said, although on the water heater in our last house it was a snap-off panel. When we moved in, the house had been vacant for awhile and the previous owner had left the water heater on a low setting to save energy. There has to be a temperature control there somewhere. Find it and adjust it.
You should probably be able to find a sticker or a metal plate with some information about the manufacturer, model number, serial number, etc. With that, you can (a) search for a manual on the manufacturer's web site; (b) determine if it's an older water heater. If it's an older water heater, it's probably time to replace it to save energy and ensure reliability.
posted by Robert Angelo at 8:59 AM on April 19, 2007
You should probably be able to find a sticker or a metal plate with some information about the manufacturer, model number, serial number, etc. With that, you can (a) search for a manual on the manufacturer's web site; (b) determine if it's an older water heater. If it's an older water heater, it's probably time to replace it to save energy and ensure reliability.
posted by Robert Angelo at 8:59 AM on April 19, 2007
Check the heating element - easiest and cheapest fix if that's the case. It should screw right out after removing a side panel.
posted by chundo at 9:13 AM on April 19, 2007
posted by chundo at 9:13 AM on April 19, 2007
A bad standpipe would manifest itself more by the water being hot when you first pull some from the heater but almost immediately cooling again. A bad element and you'll never get hot water, period.
So, don't pull any hot water for an hour and turn a tap on close to the heater. Piping hot? Standpipe.
Changing an element isn't too hard if you're marginally competent and patient. Assuming it's electric here's a troubleshooting & replacement guide at Bob Villa's site.
posted by phearlez at 9:16 AM on April 19, 2007
So, don't pull any hot water for an hour and turn a tap on close to the heater. Piping hot? Standpipe.
Changing an element isn't too hard if you're marginally competent and patient. Assuming it's electric here's a troubleshooting & replacement guide at Bob Villa's site.
posted by phearlez at 9:16 AM on April 19, 2007
Very probably the standpipe inside the heater has corroded away and the heater must be replaced.
a/k/a the "dip tube." Most web references seem to use that second name.
It sounds like you have a temperature problem rather than a quantity problem, no? A water heater with one bad element or a shot dip tube would still give you HOT water after a good rest, just not very much of it. If the water's always lukewarm, even after you let the tank rest for a couple hours, the prime candidate(s) is/are the thermostat(s). Use the Bob Vila link and look at that first.
Flushing the heater periodically is always a good idea (but if the valve's stuck don't force it or you're definitely buying a new heater.) Again, I think lots of sediment would affect how quickly you get hot water rather than the temperature, though. Look to the thermostat.
posted by Opposite George at 9:57 AM on April 19, 2007
a/k/a the "dip tube." Most web references seem to use that second name.
It sounds like you have a temperature problem rather than a quantity problem, no? A water heater with one bad element or a shot dip tube would still give you HOT water after a good rest, just not very much of it. If the water's always lukewarm, even after you let the tank rest for a couple hours, the prime candidate(s) is/are the thermostat(s). Use the Bob Vila link and look at that first.
Flushing the heater periodically is always a good idea (but if the valve's stuck don't force it or you're definitely buying a new heater.) Again, I think lots of sediment would affect how quickly you get hot water rather than the temperature, though. Look to the thermostat.
posted by Opposite George at 9:57 AM on April 19, 2007
Response by poster: Ok, it's a 12 year old Bradford White hot water heater. I unscrewed the two covers on the front, but they both continue wires and insulationthat I'm not comfortable dealing with. No obvious (to me) temp control.
Just to be clear, we do get SOME hot water, just not the really hot kind that we got when we first moved in.
So, it's time to call the professionals.
posted by The Behatted Wild Man of Greenfield at 10:01 AM on April 19, 2007
Just to be clear, we do get SOME hot water, just not the really hot kind that we got when we first moved in.
So, it's time to call the professionals.
posted by The Behatted Wild Man of Greenfield at 10:01 AM on April 19, 2007
Electric water heaters have an upper and lower thermostat. It's very possible that one of them has failed (thus, the lukewarm water) rather than the entire element.
They aren't hard to replace.
posted by Thorzdad at 10:47 AM on April 19, 2007
They aren't hard to replace.
posted by Thorzdad at 10:47 AM on April 19, 2007
Best answer: it's time to call the professionals.
At 12 years old it's probably near the end of its useful life (it's electric, no?) Don't sink too much money into it - if it isn't a cheap fix a good plumber will probably steer you in the direction of a full replacement anyway.
For purposes of comparison, last year a 40-gallon, 12-year electric unit cost me under $700 installed, including tax/delivery/disposal and ~$100 for a warranty upgrade from parts-only after year 3 to parts-and-labor through year 12. I got it from Lowe's.
posted by Opposite George at 10:50 AM on April 19, 2007
At 12 years old it's probably near the end of its useful life (it's electric, no?) Don't sink too much money into it - if it isn't a cheap fix a good plumber will probably steer you in the direction of a full replacement anyway.
For purposes of comparison, last year a 40-gallon, 12-year electric unit cost me under $700 installed, including tax/delivery/disposal and ~$100 for a warranty upgrade from parts-only after year 3 to parts-and-labor through year 12. I got it from Lowe's.
posted by Opposite George at 10:50 AM on April 19, 2007
By any chance, did you get a home warranty when you bought? Our seller paid for the warranty -- when our hot water heater started leaking we had a new one as soon as the plumber came in, for the cost of the deductible.
posted by sugarfish at 3:36 PM on April 19, 2007
posted by sugarfish at 3:36 PM on April 19, 2007
Our experience was a bad lower element. We had hot water for 5-10 minutes. The upper element heated the incoming water, the lower element kept it warm. The landlord replaced the lower element (simple, quick) and all was well.
posted by lhauser at 9:00 PM on April 19, 2007
posted by lhauser at 9:00 PM on April 19, 2007
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posted by jerseygirl at 8:01 AM on April 19, 2007