Running out of hot water any time of the year can be a drag, but it’s especially disastrous during the winter, when you may find yourself shivering in the shower. There are many reasons why this may happen, from minor fixes to more serious, heavy issues. Once you determine the problem, you can figure out the correct route to go about fixing it. An experienced plumber can best help you diagnose your issue, but if you’re starting to notice your hot water running out, use these indicators to determine what the problem may be.
Alternating Spurts
Unable to control the temperature of your water? This is likely due to sediment building up in your water heater. This can be caused by old pipes, a worn-out anode rod, or hard water. You can try flushing and draining your hot water tank to see if it helps give you more reliable hot water.
Brief Periods
Your hot water heater has two heating elements, one at the top and one at the bottom. That top element is meant to reheat the water over and over, whereas the bottom component is supposed to keep all of the water at a consistently warm temperature. If you find yourself with water suddenly turning cold, you may need to replace that bottom heater element.
Never Gets Hot Enough
Waiting and waiting and waiting just for your water to heat up? This could be due to your heater’s dip tube. It’s supposed to push cold water to the bottom of the tank so it can get heated up again, but if that breaks, all that cold water can just get added to the hot water. The result? Lukewarm water just isn’t doing the job.
Can’t Handle Usage
If you have a big family and you’re finding that not everyone can get a hot shower, there’s likely a simple answer: your water heater isn’t big enough. A bigger water heater holds more hot water. It’s that easy.
No Hot Water At All
You might not have any hot water, period. Even so, it’s not necessarily a sign that your whole heater is shot. It could be the case that the thermostat on your water heater is non-functional. It’s worth checking beforehand, and it just requires the click of a button, so check your owner’s manual.
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Give Master Plumbing a call at (301) 650-9100 or contact us online to get more information on how our expert plumbers can help you with just about anything plumbing-related! We have received Angie’s List Super Service Award recognition for plumbing and drain cleaning every year since 2007, in addition to the Best Plumber award from Best of Bethesda. We are fully licensed, bonded, and insured, and our service is unparalleled. Give us a call today—you won’t regret it! To see examples of our projects, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest.