water heater

[MasterPlumbersKeymaster]

HI, I AM HAVING TROUBLE WITH MY WATER HEATER,
IT STARTS WITH HOT WATER AND IN THE MIDDLE OF THE
SHOWER THE WATER SUDDENLY TURNS FREEZING COLD,
WHAT DO YOU SUGGEST FOR THIS TYPE OF PROBLEM, DO
YOU THINK IT CAN BE REPAIRED OR DO YOU THINK I
HAVE TO BUY A NEW ONE. PLEASE LET ME KNOW AS SOON
AS POSSIBLENY ADVISE WILL BE APPRECIATED,
THANK YOU, OLGA GIRALDEZ
[email protected]

[GuestParticipant]

OLGA, I TOO HAVE EXPERIENCED THE SAME PROBLEM THAT YOU ARE HAVING
SUGGESTION: FIRST OF ALL I WOULD CAUTION YOU NOT TO TRY DOING THE FOLLOWING
ITEMS YOURSELF. NATURALLY THE BEST ADVICE WOULD BE TO OBTAIN THE SERVICES OF
A LICENSED PLUMBER. 2ND, YOU MIGHT SEEK THE ADVICE OF A “JACK OF ALL TRADES–TYPE
OFHANDYMAN”. IF YOUR WATER HEATER IS OVER, LET’S SAY, 5 YEARS OLD, THERE IS A POSSIBILITY
THAT YOU HAVE A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF LIME BUILD-UP ON THE HEATING
ELEMENTS (MOST WATER HEATERS HAVE 2 “ELEMENTS”. I SUPPOSE THAT SOME
ONLY HAVE ONE. ANYHOW, ONCE YOU GET A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF LIME
BUILD-UP ON THE HEATING ELEMENT(S), THE EFFICIENCY OF THE ELEMENT(S)
IS/ARE GREATLY REDUCED.
HEATING ELEMENTS ARE RELATIVELY INEXPENSIVE WHEN COMPARED TO THE COST
OF A NEW HOT WATER HEATER (COUPLED WITH THE INSTALLATION COSTS)…DEPENDING
ON WHAT AREA OF THE COUNTRY YOU LIVE—-THAT COULD COST YOU BETWEEN $350 TO
$500 TO REPLACE.
HOWEVER, MOST HEATING ELEMENTS COST ANYWHERE BETWEEN $8.00 AND $20.00, SO
EVEN IF YOU NEEDED 2 OF THEM THE MAXIMUM COST SHOULD NOT BE OVER $40.00.
INSTALLING THEM IS A VERY SIMPLE AND VERY EASY PROCEDURE AND ANY HANDYMAN
SHOULD NOT CHARGE OVER $10 TO $15 TO $20 (FOR THE TOTAL JOB)–WHICH WOULD
MAKE YOUR TOTAL OUTLAY PERHAPS BETWEEN $30 TO $60 FOR BOTH MATERIALS AND
LABOR. AGAIN, EVEN THOUGH THIS IS A VERY SAFE AND VERY EASY “JOB TO DO”,
I CAUTION YOU …….A G A I N…..NOT TO TRY DOING IT YOURSELF. YOU ARE
DEALING WITH HIGH VOLTAGE ELECTRICTY, PLUS HOT WATER, PLUS A LOT OF BUILT
UP TANK PRESSURE WHICH COULD CAUSE EXTREME BODILY HARM. NOW AS DANGEROUS
AS THAT SOUNDS, IT IS STILL A VERY EASY AND SIMPLE JOB TO PERFORM.
ANOTHER SUGGESTION::: HOT WATER HEATING ELEMENTS HAVE ADJUSTING SCREWS ON
THEM. NORMALLY THEY ARE ADJUSTED AT A “SAFE” LEVEL WHICH INSURES THAT
YOUR WATER WILL GET HOT—BUT NOT HOT ENOUGH TO EXPLODE YOUR TANK. (PS:
AS FAR AS “EXPLOSION” IS CONCERNED, DON’T LET THAT ALARM YOU TOO MUCH….
SIMPLY BECAUSE ALL WATER HEATERS SHOULD HAVE A RELEASE VALVE ON THEM THAT
WILL ALLOW THE EXTREME BUILDUP OF PRESSURE (SHOULD THAT HAPPEN) TO EXCAPE.
BASICALLY IT IS A VALVE THAT IS WATER TIGHT AND DOESN’T ALLOW ANY LEAKING
OF WATER OUT OF THE TANK. HOWEVER, IF YOU GET A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF
HEAT (VISA VISA “EXTREMELY HOT WATER”) THEN THAT VALVE WILL REACT TO THE
HEAT AND OPEN UP, THUS LETTING THE EXCESS WATER DRAIN OUT OF THE TANK.
YOU SHOULD HAVE A METAL WATER PIPE THAT IS ON THE OUTSIDE OF YOUR TANK
WHICH RUNS DOWN TO THE FLOOR….THIS IS THE PIPE THROUGH WHICH THE EXCESS
WATER WOULD EXIT YOUR TANK.
OK…BACK TO THE “ADJUSTING” THAT YOU CAN DO ON THE HEATING ELEMENT. THEY
USUALLY HAVE A SMALL ADJUSTMENT “ARROW/SLOT OR WHATEVER” THAT CAN BE TURNED
…NORMALLY CLOCKWISE…TO INCREASE THE HEAT PUT OUT BY YOUR ELEMENT. HAVE
SOMEONE — WHO KNOWS WHAT THEY ARE DOING–TO TURN THIS LITTLE ADJUSTMENT
SCREW/ARROW/SLOT…TO THE RIGHT…PERHAPS 1/8TH OF A TURN. IF THAT DOESN’T
HELP THEN PERHAPS THEY MAY TRY 1/7TH OR 1/6TH OF A TURN.
THIS PROCEDURE ONLY TAKES A COUPLE SECONDS TO DO, EXTREMELY SIMPLE…””DON’T
DO IT YOURSELF!!!”
BY THE WAY—WHERE ARE THESE SO-CALLED HEATING ELEMENTS??” VERY SIMPLE, YOU
WILL SEE A SMALL METAL PLATE ON THE SIDE OF YOUR HOT WATER HEATER WHICH IS
PERHAPS 6 INCHES WIDE AND 12 INCHES HIGH (THE SIZE COULD EASILY VARY), WITH A
SIMPLE SCREW AT THE TOP AND ONE AT THE BOTTOM. IF YOU HAVE ONE HEATING ELEMENT
THERE MAY ONLY BE ONE COVER PLATE. IF YOU HAVE 2 HEATING ELEMENTS THEN YOU
WOULD PROBABLY HAVE ONE OF THESE REMOVABLE PLATES AT THE TOP AND ALSO ONE AT
THE BOTTOM. WHEN THE 2 SCREWS, HOLD THEM IN PLACE, ARE REMOVED, THE ELEMENTS
WILL BE…..RIGHT THERE IN FRONT OF YOU.
TRY (NOT YOU–SOMEONE ELSE) THE ABOVE AND LET ME KNOW IF EITHER THE ADJUSTMENT
(ONLY) WORKED, AND IF NOT, WHETHER OR NOT YOU HAD A NEW ELEMENT(S) INSTALLED.
GOOD LUCK ! texas [email protected]

[GuestParticipant]

Our water heater is starting to whistle loudly at times
like a foghorn. Can anyone suggest what might be
happening and is it something I should worry about?

Trish

[GuestParticipant]

My wife and I noticed that our water heater had been leaking. It wasn’t profuse, but it has us concerned. What should we do? Thanks.

Mitch

[GuestParticipant]

Mitch Johnson wrote:

My wife and I noticed that our water heater had been leaking. It wasn’t profuse, but it has us concerned. What should we do? Thanks.

Mitch

I would check the recovery tank i belive its called
that is the tank that holds and heats your water.
Is it a gas or electric water heater?

Is it old, is the tank leaking or is it the pipes
going into it. Thats what I would check.

Now for my question:
I have a Bradfod-white old gas water heater that
doesn’t seem to keep the water hot enough.
The pilot is lit, but it doesn’t go into a big flame
except when I turn it down, then when it cools
off, I can turn the thermostat back to HOT all
the way and a big flame comes out to heat the tank.

Could this be the thermocoupler ??
I bought a new line (thermocoupler) but
not sure how to disconnect the pilot part of the
line.

Greg Borden
[email protected]
Philadelphia PA
8/18/97

[GuestParticipant]

Trish Harich wrote:

Our water heater is starting to whistle loudly at times
like a foghorn. Can anyone suggest what might be
happening and is it something I should worry about?

There is a web site being developed(by me) where you can find answers to these
kinds of questions. This problem could be caused by a faulty temperature&pressure
relief valve. If it is you would notice some leakage. It could also be a heating element
that is caked with lime deposits. In that case the noise would only be present during
the heating cycle. If it only happens while running hot water it could be as simple as a water
valve not being open far enough. For other home repair advice try http://www.fromalldirections.com/wil-dew
(soon to be simply handyman.net)

Dale
[email protected]

The Wil-Dew House

[Author]

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