Hot Water Goes Cold Quickly After One Shower We have to wait 30 minutes before someone else can take a shower. As a Master Plumber, I know 7 reasons why this happens and what you can do to fix them.
A simple answer for hot water going cold quickly is listed below. These are things you can check out and perhaps fix yourself before you call a plumber
- Burned Out Heating element
- Water Heater To Small For Demand
- Accumulation Of Sediment
- Broken Dip Tube
- Thermostat Not Working
- Pilot Light Goes Out If A Gas Heater
- Water Tank Is old And Worn Out
Table of Contents
Hot Water Goes Cold Quickly? What You Need To Know
Taking a hot shower is always soothing and relaxing. There is nothing as frustrating as running out of hot water when you are right at the middle of it.
When this happens, you need to find out why the hot water keeps on running out so fast. Several reasons contribute to running out of hot water too soon. Essentially, the causes of running out of hot water too soon vary depending on hot water usage levels, maintenance habits, age of the heating unit among others.
To understand why this happens, we are going to take a deeper look at reasons why this happens.
Hot Water Goes Cold Quickly Because Of A Burned out heating element
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Faulty or burned out heating elements is one of the main reasons why your hot water goes cold quickly. Old or burned out elements account for the reduction of hot water and will cause your hot water to go cold quickly or not have any hot water at all.
There are cases where the heating element loses its functionality because it cannot heat water held in the tanks. Sediment build up is one of the reasons why this occurs. As such, it is advisable to check the heating element voltage using a continuity tester to establish if this is the case.
If you do not know how to perform this simple check, get in touch with a professional who will assess the problem and establish what changes to make. If you live in the Baytown TX area you can call Alfa Plumbing Services. I will personally come out and check out your hot water tank
Overuse Of The System To Many People Using Hot Water
If you are not using an instant water heater or tankless water heater, chances are high that you may be overusing hot water. This happens if you have guests over the house and there are a lot more people taking showers. The reality is that some hot water tanks are small and they can only hold a particular quantity of hot water at a time.
This tends to happen when the number of people showering at the same time increases. Of course, this leaves the last person exposed to running out of hot water fast. Taking long showers also causes you to run out of water supply sooner than expected.
Furthermore, hot water runs out when running various machines in the house at the same time. This occurs because the usage of water in the household outpaces the hot water heater’s capacity.
If this is your situation give Alfa plumbing services Baytown TX a call. I will come out and evaluate your hot water needs and give you options.
Accumulation of sediment or building up of minerals
As water travels down the pipes into various locations of your home, it carries with it solid material. This solid material forms settles at the bottom of the hot water tank as sediment causing an unprecedented accumulation of minerals.
Calcium carbonate is the most common mineral that settles alongside the sediment in the hot water tank. In spite of having filters to get rid of impurities, minerals like calcium, iron and magnesium always find a way to get in to the heater.
Over time, these minerals build up at the bottom of the tank taking up space, which leaves little space for hot water. In the end, hot water tanks lose the capacity to hold required amounts of water. Additionally, the water heater becomes loses heating efficiency leading to loss of hot water quickly.
As you can see above draining your water heater thus getting rid of sediment is easy to do. I have a step by step tutorial called “Water Heater Knocking 5 Min Fix” This guide will show you how to drain your water heater safely.
If you don’t feel comfortable doing this by yourself and live in the Baytown TX area give Alfa Plumbing Services a call and I will be glad to come out there and give you a hand.
Small hot water tanks Could Be The Cause Of why Your Hot Water Goes Cold Quickly
When getting into a new house, in most cases, people rarely think about checking the size of the hot water tanks. Essentially, as the number of people in a particular household continues to grow, you may realize that water is running out faster than anticipated. This arises because of the inadequate size of the water tank to match the growing demand for hot water in the house.
Before purchasing a home or renting it is important that you check to see if the hot water tank is big enough to support your needs. If you need help and live in the Baytown TX area give Alfa Plumbing Services a call and I will be glad to come out there and give you some guidance.
Broken dip tube
A dip tube is a plastic pipe designed to travel and connect the cold-water inlet with the bottom of the tank. The tube’s primary function is to deposit on coming cold water at the bottom of the heater where heating is taking place.
As the heating process takes place, hot water rises to the top where it is supposed to exit the tank via a hot water outlet. When this tube breaks down, cold water fills at the top of the tank and starts flowing right alongside the hot water.
This makes the cold water not to heat. Some of the signs associated with this problem include the presence of plastic in filters of various appliances, clogging of the strainers, and showerheads.
It is easy to change out your water heaters dip tube. If you need help and live in the Baytown TX area give Alfa Plumbing Services a call and I will be glad to come out there and give you some guidance.
Non-functional thermostat
Water heaters come with thermostats. These electric devices relay information on when heating elements should turn on. Essentially, most of the hot water heating tanks come with two elements alongside two thermostats.
These elements do not heat up at the same time. This allows top elements to heat first followed by the bottom ones. The upper thermostat is the primary coordinator of the two elements.
For instance, in the event, it detects that water on the top part is not hot enough, it relays information to the lower senses to adjust the settings. This automatic process at times breaks down. This breakdown often leads to the loss of hot water and thus your hot water goes cold quickly.
These thermostats can be change out. If you need help and live in the Baytown TX area give Alfa Plumbing Services a call and I will be glad to come out there and give you some guidance
Poor maintenance routines could Be Why Your Hot Water Goes Cold Quickly
Just like any other appliances in the home, hot water heaters require regular inspection. As the water heaters age, sediment tends to build up and this is where you need to set aside time for regular inspection. Especially if your hot water goes cold quickly.
The regular and timed inspection ensures that you fix faulty systems and reducing any problems that may arise. However, if you are not careful, you increase the chances of running out of hot water because you did not check out the system in time.
If you need help and live in the Baytown TX area give Alfa Plumbing Services a call and I will be glad to come out there and give you a hand.
Faulty tankless hot water system
When it comes to hot water needs, most homeowners always go for longevity and durability. For this reason, people prefer tankless hot water systems. Even though they are long-lasting options, lack of proper installation leads to a reduction of hot water. This hot water heating system does not have a heating tank.
Its operations are on demand. As such, there is no need to store up hot water. While tankless water heaters come with a set of benefits, lack of adequate monitoring of the systems often leads to fast loss of hot water. Poorly sized units lead to a reduction of hot water supply in the home.
Old Heating System
Every good appliance has a shelf life. With this in mind, you cannot forget to mention the hot water heater. In most cases, changes brought about by old age are often gradual. Meaning, if your heater is too old, chances are high that you will start to notice changes in amounts of hot water. It is important to ensure that you know the life span of your water heater and make necessary plans to avoid breakdowns.
Unsteady Source of Power
Whether you are using solar powered energy or electricity, at times, the source of problems associated with running out of hot water is power. Since water-heating systems depend on power, faulty and unsteady systems can cause hot water to run out fast. If you live in a region with unsteady power supply, you need to find alternative sources of heat to keep the hot water system running.
Running Out of Pilot Light
Gas storage hot water heaters function by using gas burners. These burners have a small flame, called the pilot light that burns to light the main burners required to heat the water. This implies that if the pilot light goes out, you will not be in a position to get hot water. Faulty burners will in turn increase the chances of running out of hot water much faster.
Faulty Piping System
Hot water systems rely on water passing through pipes. As such, efficient piping systems enhance water flow into the heating tanks. In light of this, faulty piping systems pose a challenge to heating systems. For example, poor pipe fittings at the top or bottom of the hot water heating system interferes with the smooth flow of heated water. It affects the efficiency of plumbing system by failing to provide water in time. In the end, you will experience loss of hot water faster than expected.
Leaking Hot Water Tanks
Faulty installation of hot water tanks often lead to premature leakages. Loose drainage valves slowly begin to leak. And over time, this increases pressure to the tank interfering with the heating system. In essence, high incoming pressure to the water heater alongside bad pressure relief valve interferes with heating water system.
In conclusion, depending on the reason why you are running out of hot water so fast, you need to consider several options to help you in handling the situation. Some of the tips to help you in maintaining a hot water system include, knowing the lifespan of your system, set aside to clean the hot water tank to flush any sediments, set-aside time to check the thermostat and let the household occupants to know the challenges associated with the hot water system.
In this case, you may consider reducing the amount of water you are using at a particular period. Secondly, schedule showers in a manner that brings a balance between heated water and the need in the house. Thirdly, it is advisable to wash clothes using cold water and consider upgrading your unit if it was small. Lastly, if it is a faulty system, ensure you contact a professional plumber in your area to help you in handling the situation.
Call Alfa Plumbing Services For any Questions 713-992-9257
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