When you turn it on, you get burning hot water for about 10 minutes and then freezing cold after that
2006-07-12 08:58:09 · 12 answers · asked by chickpea 3 in Home & Garden ➔ Maintenance & Repairs
I checked the hot water heater, and the knob was set to a little higher than the normal mark. It only recently started doing this, so I don't think it's the settings, but I guess i'll just have to call someone out here.
2006-07-12 09:06:38 · update #1
You might have a broken dip tube inside your hot water heater, so you get the hot water until you've run enough out to add a significant quantity of cold make up water back into the heater, with the broken tube, the cold make up water can bypass being heated and flow directly over to the water heater's outlet.
2006-07-12 09:17:50 · answer #1 · answered by Jeffrey S 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
The dip tube
"The dip what?" you might say. In every water heater, there is a plastic tube parked in the cold port that brings cold water to the bottom of the tank to be heated -- and preventing it from mixing with already-heated water in the top of the tank.
If that falls into the tank or splits or breaks, then cold mixes with hot and suddenly your water heater doesn't work nearly as well as before.
There's a ton of Americans out there who know all about this because of a debacle a few years ago. The company that makes most of the dip tubes in this country changed its formula for the plastic. The new plastic was prone to disintegrate in certain conditions. The operative time period was August 1983 to March 1986. Aside from gradually or suddenly having much less hot water, the telltale was finding bits of plastic clogging faucet aerators.
There was a scandal, class-action suit, and settlement. But the terms of that expired several years ago, so if you find you have the problem, all you can do is try to deal with it. Even after replacing the dip tube and flushing the tank, you might still find plastic bits for awhile. But at least the water will again be hot.
Debacles aside, you should also be aware that even good plastic will eventually become brittle with age and hot water. We've found dip tubes in old water heaters that were split and broken. It's entirely possible for a water heater to outlive its dip tube. Simply replacing this inexpensive part can restore your tank's function to new and save you the cost of a new heater. So think about that before you run out and buy a new one if you experience this problem.
Hope it helps.
2006-07-12 14:25:54 · answer #2 · answered by etcher1 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
An element is probably burned out on your water heater. It is common for water to become cooler after a long shower, etc. (a water heater can only work so fast and there are different sized water heaters if need be), but not after ten minutes of running a faucet.
2006-07-13 14:32:16 · answer #3 · answered by MTBikerUSA 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Depends on what kind of water heater, gas or electric. If electric, one of the heating elements has burned out. There are 3 or 4 elements in your tank, which heat ALL the water in the tank. If you dont have all elements working you will have hot and cold spots when the water runs.
If its gas, then I dont know what the problem is. It could be the tank is so corroded it only lets in 10 minutes worth of water to heat.
2006-07-12 09:19:09 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
I use Hot Water for drink and Cold Water for Bath
2016-03-27 02:50:48 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Your bottom element is burned out. Just have them both replaced. When the top element goes it just takes longer for the whole tank to heat up, when the bottom element goes the top one will only heat up the top portion of the tank. All this is assuming you have an electric water heater.
2006-07-12 09:18:08 · answer #6 · answered by dfiler2 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
If your tank is electric , you probably need the bottom element or thermostat replaced. Other than that for electric, and for any gas, you are probably going to need to replace the tank. Call you local well know plumber, or stop by Lowe's and ask for some guidance. Some things are just too big to try yourself. If it is electric and just needs an element or thermostat I would guess about $175. Gas or Electric to replace it between $600 - $900.
2006-07-12 10:13:36 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
your hot water heater has filled with rust and silt over time and now can not hold as much water as it used to,, you get only a small supply of heated water then the cold comes in to refill the tank,,, get a new tank,, you can not fix this,, you might want to add a whole house filter to your supply line
2006-07-12 09:18:33 · answer #8 · answered by fuzzykjun 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Check your actual water heater... there are some nobs on the top around the pipes. Your settings are probably just offset.
2006-07-12 09:03:13 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Chickpea,
You should probably get your hot water heater checked. See if a coil or burner is burned out.
-j.
2006-07-12 09:01:21 · answer #10 · answered by classical123 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋