The lukewarm shower in the morning that never heats up enough to feel comfortable. It may not be as bad as no hot water at all, but it’s not something you want to deal with. And you shouldn’t have to! When you can call up our team of experts in all things water heaters in Braselton, GA, you can have the trouble fixed, whether it takes a repair or a system replacement.
To help you understand what may be going on with your water heater and what steps our technicians may need to take, we’ll go over a list of five common reasons for a water heater losing its volume of hot water.
#1. The aquastat is set too low
We’ll start with the simplest explanation: the aquastat (a.k.a. the thermostat for your water heater) is set too low for comfort. Normally it’s set between 120°F to 140°F. (It should never be over 140°F as it may create a scalding hazard.) Check the aquastat to see if, for some reason, it was set too low. Don’t raise it if it’s at a standard setting.
#2. A broken lower heating element
This only applies to electric water heaters. The tank of a water heater contains two heating elements to warm up the water. The lower element does most of the work as it heatest the coldest water and moves it upward to the second element. This makes the lower element more likely to burn out. If it does, you’ll abruptly find yourself with much colder water.
#3. Broken dip tube
The dip tube is the inlet pipe that pushes cold water down into the water heater tank and to the tank bottom where it receives heat from the heat exchanger, then rises to the top of the tank where it’s then pumped out into the plumbing. If the tube breaks, it will deposit cold water at the top of the tank, mix with the hot water, and lower the heat of the water sent to the taps. Plumbers will need to replace the dip tube.
#4. Sediment build-up
Sediment in the freshwater will start to settle along the bottom of the tank, and this will block the transfer of heat from the heat exchanger. Most tanks will have some sediment, but it won’t interfere with the water heater’s operation. If there’s too much build-up, however, not only will it block heat, it will lower the volume of hot water available in the tank, so the water temperature will drop and you’ll run out of hot water faster.
#5. Age
A storage tank water heater can last from 12 to 15 years effectively. When it gets older than this, however, it will begin to struggle to provide the same capacity of hot water and water temperature. If you experience a drop in water temperature for an older system, this often means you need to get a new water heater.
We have certified technicians on all major brands and can help you get to the bottom of your water heater troubles.
At Snellville Heating, Air and Plumbing, Your Comfort Is OUR Business. Call us for water heater service when you need it.
