Just bought a new home. Shower takes a few minutes to get hot and then after only a few minutes it's not hot anymore. Any other tests to do before calling the home warranty company and paying the $50 deductible?
2006-07-15 07:55:58 · 22 answers · asked by msabramo 2 in Home & Garden ➔ Maintenance & Repairs
If it's gas it sounds like a thermostat. Do you have to relight it often? You do have your thermostat turned up, don't you? If the house was for sale, it might just be on the pilot light to save money. Most people do that when no one is there for any length of time. I'd definitely check that first.
If it's electric your heating elements probably need replaced. You can do that yourself, but you need like an inch-and-a-quarter socket to remove the old ones, maybe inch-and-an-eighth. And then you have to use a coat hanger or something to pull all of the old rust out or the new ones will burn up right away, too. This is a very tedious job but it doesn't do any good to only do it halfway.
I'd probably use that $50 deductible.
If the whole shebang needs replaced, don't get a hot water heater, get a cold water heater. Sorry, old Steven Wright joke.
2006-07-15 08:10:50 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Considering the cost of water heater, I would pay the deductible. But the best way to test a water heater (and this is not foolproof) is to try and fill a bathtub with hot water. If you can, than the water heater is probably good. But you might need still need a water heater if you can't get a decent shower and water heater is old. I've been in maintenance and have seen residents with dual shower heads with a thirty gallon water heater, and then complained bitterly that they don't have enough hot water. If this might be you, try a lower use shower head before calling the warranty company. Personally, Again i would just call, as a water heater install is about $600 to a $1000 to have it replaced. Hope this helps.
2006-07-15 18:40:04 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
It really depend on the quality of water, high mineral content like magnessium will cause scaling problems which a easy to fix by yourself, also if the water heater has been idle for a long time then the water tank may be dirty.
I would do a couple of things before I call the technician: First make sure you set the water temperature properly of course.
There is a drain valve or a drain plug somwhere near th bottom of the heater, open it and drain some water you should see clear water coming out of the heater -careful, it may be hot- if the water is not clear then drain the whole water tank, fill it again and drain once again.
If the water looks clear you may be facing a scaling problem. Use a hard wire, insert it trough the hole where the water is cominbg out and scratch the walls, you will see limestones coming out of the heater, once it's clean you will have plenty of hot water.
Hope this helps.
2006-07-15 15:06:39 · answer #3 · answered by Guillermo S 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
You can check the gas valve on the water heater to see if the heat temperature is set high enough.
If you have a basement it's usually cool there ,you could insulate the pipes to reduce heat loss.
If you have a larger home or there is more people in the house you may want a larger than 30 gal water heater.
You can connect a garden hose to the drain valve to bleed out any sediment that has collected in the bottom of the tank.
2006-07-15 15:09:49 · answer #4 · answered by ? 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
That's about it. The $50 deductible is so cheap compared to anything else. You may have one heating element out, or you may need a new water heater. Either way $50 is cheap for it.
2006-07-15 14:58:19 · answer #5 · answered by Blunt Honesty 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
if the water doesn't stay hot or doesn't get very hot sounds like you need a new water heater or at least someone to check it. if you have hard water maybe there is build up on the bottom
2006-07-15 14:59:48 · answer #6 · answered by julie 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
i would rather pay the 50 dollar deductible than paying 2 or 3 hundreds for a new one.
2006-07-15 15:00:52 · answer #7 · answered by corky0906 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
LOOK AT HEATER AND SEE IF IT IS A 5-7 10 12 15 20 YEAR WARRANTY HEATER. THEY GOT WARRANTY FIGURED OUT PREETY CLOSE TO ACTUAL USAGE. FIND DATE INSTALLED
AND COUNT YEARS. IF OVER YEARS OR REAL CLOSE--6 MONTHS OR LESS--REPLACE IT BEFORE THE FLOOD HITS!
2006-07-15 15:03:22 · answer #8 · answered by QUIXDRAW 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
sounds like you need to take the front plate off and use a flat head screwdriver to crank that baby up, mine is cranked so high i have to use thick gloves to wash dishes and we have hot water all day long, even after 2 showers, washer runnin and run the dishwasher, if that dont work then you need to test and see what kind of watage its puttin out, but i have a feelin you dont have one of those meters,,,so get you a plumber out and have them fix it
2006-07-15 15:03:21 · answer #9 · answered by SUNSHINE 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
$50 is a low price to pay for a pro to come fix whatever it takes.
2006-07-16 09:26:20 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋