4 Reasons Your Hot Water Heater May Not Be Providing as Much Hot Water as It Once Did

Is there anything more frustrating than being in the middle of a warm, lovely shower only to have the water start turning cold much sooner than it should have? There are a number of reasons this could be happening but they all point back to your hot water heater. Read on to learn about four reasons this could happen and then contact Econo West Heating Air & Plumbing at (661) 947-2653 if you need help from the professionals.

1. Sediment Has Built Up Inside Your Hot Water Tank
   When water is heated, any natural minerals within it (such as magnesium and calcium) are transformed into sediment particles. They can settle to the bottom of your water heater tank and overtime cause issues. This can result in losing the hot water you need and can result in vast temperature fluctuations. The answer to this issue is a hot water flush, which your local plumber can handle for you.
2. You Have a Tank That Cannot Handle the Pressure
   A single heater can only heat a certain amount of water at a time. If you find that you are regularly running out of hot water, it may be due to a water heater that is too small. You will need to consider the square footage of your home as well as how many people live in your home to determine the right-sized water heater.
3. The Water Heater’s Dip Tube is Broken
   This happens more commonly in older water heaters, which is part of the reason we recommend replacing your water heater every ten or twelve years. If you have a water heater that was manufactured between 1993 and 1997, it could be that the dip tube is faulty. The purpose of the dip tube is to move cold water to the bottom of the tank – if it is not working correctly, then cold water could be coming from your heater even when there is still hot water in it.
4. Your Water Heater’s Lower Element is Bad
   The above examples involve water heaters that have slowly started losing heat. If your water heater seems to have gone cold all of a sudden, then it is most likely an issue with the lower heating element. While there are actually a few elements that can go bad, the lower element generally goes first. This is a situation that you will need an experienced plumber to help with.

If you need more hot water on demand then there are many options available to you. It may be that the solution is as easy as flushing your unit. You may need to upgrade to a tankless water heater, a larger water heater, or several water heaters. Or you may need repairs. No matter what the issue is, your next call should be to Econo West Heating Air & Plumbing at (661) 947-2653.