water heater

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    • #279981
      Avatar photoMasterPlumbers
      Keymaster

        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]

      • #302047
        Avatar photoGuest
        Participant

          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]

        • #302048
          Avatar photoGuest
          Participant

            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

          • #302050
            Avatar photoGuest
            Participant

              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

            • #302051
              Avatar photoGuest
              Participant
                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

              • #302049
                Avatar photoGuest
                Participant
                  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

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