Water Heater Running Out of Hot Water

[Frannie]

I bought a house 2 yeas ago, and we were able to take 2 showers at once with plenty of hot water. In the last 6 months only one shower can happen at a time and all the hot water is gone within 20 min. Does anyone have any ideas whats wrong? Is this a major problem? Any help would be greatly appreciated.C.L. Pomato

[C.L. PomatoParticipant]

: I bought a house 2 yeas ago, and we were able to take 2 showers at once with plenty of hot water. In the last 6 months only one shower can happen at a time and all the hot water is gone within 20 min. Does anyone have any ideas whats wrong? Is this a major problem? Any help would be greatly appreciated.: C.L. Pomato Sounds like a rather simple (and frequent) problem to me. The dip tube takes the incoming cold water to the bottom of the tank where it is heated. The hot water then rises to the tanks top and exits out the hot water supply pipe. These very CHEAP PLASTIC tubes are easily cracked/broken off. When that happens, the cold water will short cycle from the cold water inlet to the hot water outlet (about 8 – 10). Water will be very hot only for a minute or so, then lukewarm, then cold. This will probably occur within 5 – 10 gallons of usage if the tube is totally broken off. The replacement of this CHEAP tube is not costly, only requiring removal of the inlet fitting to access it.GOOD LUCK!!!!!

[C.L. PomatoParticipant]

: : I bought a house 2 yeas ago, and we were able to take 2 showers at once with plenty of hot water. In the last 6 months only one shower can happen at a time and all the hot water is gone within 20 min. Does anyone have any ideas whats wrong? Is this a major problem? Any help would be greatly appreciated.: : C.L. Pomato : Sounds like a rather simple (and frequent) problem to me. The dip tube takes the incoming cold water to the bottom of the tank where it is heated. The hot water then rises to the tanks top and exits out the hot water supply pipe. These very CHEAP PLASTIC tubes are easily cracked/broken off. When that happens, the cold water will short cycle from the cold water inlet to the hot water outlet (about 8 – 10). Water will be very hot only for a minute or so, then lukewarm, then cold. This will probably occur within 5 – 10 gallons of usage if the tube is totally broken off. The replacement of this CHEAP tube is not costly, only requiring removal of the inlet fitting to access it.: : GOOD LUCK!!!!!HAVE YOU ADDED ANY PLUMBING LATELY IE. SHOWER HEADS ETC OR INCREASED WATER PRESSURE. IN THE CASE OF A DUAL ELEMENT MY BET IS LOWER ELEMENT IS SHOT. 20.00 BUCKS

[C.L. PomatoParticipant]

Right on, C. L. Pomato, Using primitive tools I made my Dip Tube out of a length of copper pipe. It otta out live the whole neighborhood.

[C.L. PomatoParticipant]

John Thomas is a sweet lil boi

[C.L. PomatoParticipant]

: : : I bought a house 2 yeas ago, and we were able to take 2 showers at once with plenty of hot water. In the last 6 months only one shower can happen at a time and all the hot water is gone within 20 min. Does anyone have any ideas whats wrong? Is this a major problem? Any help would be greatly appreciated.: : : C.L. Pomato : : Sounds like a rather simple (and frequent) problem to me. The dip tube takes the incoming cold water to the bottom of the tank where it is heated. The hot water then rises to the tanks top and exits out the hot water supply pipe. These very CHEAP PLASTIC tubes are easily cracked/broken off. When that happens, the cold water will short cycle from the cold water inlet to the hot water outlet (about 8 – 10). Water will be very hot only for a minute or so, then lukewarm, then cold. This will probably occur within 5 – 10 gallons of usage if the tube is totally broken off. The replacement of this CHEAP tube is not costly, only requiring removal of the inlet fitting to access it.: : : : GOOD LUCK!!!!!: HAVE YOU ADDED ANY PLUMBING LATELY IE. SHOWER HEADS ETC OR INCREASED WATER PRESSURE. : IN THE CASE OF A DUAL ELEMENT MY BET IS LOWER ELEMENT IS SHOT. 20.00 BUCKS

[C.L. PomatoParticipant]

were able to take 2 showers at once with : : : : I bought a house 2 yeas ago, and we plenty of hot water. In the last 6 months only one shower can happen at a time and all the hot water is gone within 20 min. Does anyone have any ideas whats wrong? Is this a major problem? Any help would be greatly appreciated.: : : : C.L. Pomato : : : Sounds like a rather simple (and frequent) problem to me. The dip tube takes the incoming cold water to the bottom of the tank where it is heated. The hot water then rises to the tanks top and exits out the hot water supply pipe. These very CHEAP PLASTIC tubes are easily cracked/broken off. When that happens, the cold water will short cycle from the cold water inlet to the hot water outlet (about 8 – 10). Water will be very hot only for a minute or so, then lukewarm, then cold. This will probably occur within 5 – 10 gallons of usage if the tube is totally broken off. The replacement of this CHEAP tube is not costly, only requiring removal of the inlet fitting to access it.: : : : : : GOOD LUCK!!!!!: : HAVE YOU ADDED ANY PLUMBING LATELY IE. SHOWER HEADS ETC OR INCREASED WATER PRESSURE. : : IN THE CASE OF A DUAL ELEMENT MY BET IS LOWER ELEMENT IS SHOT. 20.00 BUCKS

[C.L. PomatoParticipant]

did you realize there is a class action suit taking place against some of the water heater manufacturers? check out this web site to see if your hot water heater model is one that has been named. (the site is http://www.diptubesettlement.com, just in case the url link doesnt work)

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