2007-02-11 02:08:33 · 6 answers · asked by moon_chef 1 in Home & Garden ➔ Maintenance & Repairs
First off, DO NOT TURN UP THE TEMP. OF THE WATER, unless it's only lukewarm now. Turning up the temp. of the water only gives you hotter water, not more hot water. It's a good way for someone to get scalded. Uridiot was on the right track, if you get some hot water, but it runs out fairly quickly, then the lower element of the unit, is burned out. We are assuming that the unit is electric, because gas water heaters all heat from the bottom up, and have no choice but to heat everything in the tank when the burner comes on. Electric heaters, on the other hand, heat the water in the top half of the tank first. When that water reaches the temp. set on the thermostat, then the top element kicks off and the bottom one kicks in, heating the bottom half of the tank water. If both of the elements in an electric unit were to run at the same time it would take about a 50 amp. breaker to hold the electric flow. When the bottom element burns out, the top still heats and when it kicks off and calls for the bottom to run nothing happens. You open the valve to get hot water and the water from the top of the tank comes out and it refills from the bottom with cold water. Change the bottom element or call a repair person to do it and your volume of hot water will go up considerably. Depending on the amount of lime, calcium sediment buildup in the tank when the element is removed,, you may want to consider just having both replaced.
2007-02-11 03:29:07 · answer #1 · answered by Corky R 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
One of three things:
1. You need a bigger hot water heater.
2. You need to take shorter showers.
3. You need to turn up the how water heater so that it makes the water hotter. It will last longer then because you will mix more cold water with it when you shower.
2007-02-11 02:13:40 · answer #2 · answered by Maryfrances 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Get a water conserving shower head. It will make the hot water last longer.
2007-02-11 02:28:20 · answer #3 · answered by morris 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
You may need a larger size water heater or the temperature of the water heater is too low.
2007-02-11 02:14:08 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
if it is electric one of the heating elements may be burned out
thermostat may be defective
2007-02-11 02:16:47 · answer #5 · answered by uridiot 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I think uridiot has a good answer!
2007-02-11 03:03:03 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋