If you’ve had your current tank water heater for a few years already—or maybe over a decade—you know how much hot water you can expect to receive from it, and how long the water supply in the tank will last before the water starts to turn lukewarm from too much demand. If the water heater was correctly sized and installed by professionals, you’ll rarely experience times when you run out of hot water.
However, if you do notice a drop in the hot water volume and run into situations where members of your family are racing to shower earlier in the morning before the hot water runs out, then there’s a problem with the water heater. It either needs professional repairs or replacements. Let’s look at the possible reasons for this decline in water heater performance:
- Broken dip tube: The dip tube carries cold water down to the bottom of the tank where the heat exchanger heats it up so it rises to the top of the tank. If the dip tube breaks, cold water will start to mix with the hot water at the top the tank, and this is the water that the circulator pump will send into the hot water pipes. Fortunately, this is an easy repair for water heater professionals.
- Sediment in the tank: Over time, sediment will start to gather at the bottom of the water heater tank, and it will make it harder for the heat exchanger to send heat into the tank. The will make the amount of hot water available drop noticeably. Call professionals to flush the tank. (And make sure to have regular maintenance that will eliminate early build-up of sediment.)
- Age: Sometimes the problem is simple a water heater that has aged past the point where it can do its job effectively. If you have a water heater over 20 years old, a drop in water volume is a warning sign that it’s time for a new system. Call our plumbers for an opinion on the best course.
Modern Plumbing Industries, Inc. offers full water heater services in Winter Springs, FL.