water heater issues........can u help?

Question

i have no hot water preasure coming from the water heater.the water is hot that is in the tank,i am draining it now.i think just that the lines may be clogged with calcium,because so much came out of the drain.is it possible for the lines to be clogged coming from the hot water outlet?and how do i clean the tank out once the water is out of the heater?the only inlet is 3/4" pipe.can i just run a wire into that inlet to clean it out?

Answer 1

Yeah calcium can clog the pipes. If your heater is electric, I pull the lower heating element and use a wooden spoon to scoop out all the sludge at the bottom. If it's gas, I drain it and then try to flush it by turning on the cold water and let that run out. I do this several times to get out as much as I can. Take a look there are anti-back flow devices in the water lines and if they are plugged it will cut down your pressure even further. Running a line through may help I doubt if it will hurt. Good luck.

Answer 2

My first question is, what type heater do you have, gas or electric? Is this the first time you have ever drained the tank? What type of pipes are in your house? Do you have a filter upstream of the heater? Calcium is a byproduct of heating water. The minerals in water settle at the bottom, and should be drained out about 4 times a year. Whether you have gas, electric, tank or tankless, calcium is still a problem. If you are considering a switch from a tank type heater, to a tankless unit, make sure you read, and UNDERSTAND ALL THE MANUFACTURERS RECOMENDATIONS, because if you don't comply with their instructions, you can possibly do some serious damage to the heater, and your house. The gas models especially need to be installed exactly as the manufacturer says, or damage to the unit, or even a fire can be caused, due to the increased amount of gas required, and the flue pipe needing to be replaced. It isn't just a simple swap out, as some people think. I have removed more units than I have installed, because after researching the problem, all the units I removed, had been installed, without regard for the manufacturers recommendations. Most of the time it is an undersized gasline, but sometimes the flue pipe was not changed out, and after pricing the suggested flue pipe, the customers went back to a tank model. If you are thinking of this option, call a professional, and make sure he has done this type of installation, before letting him or her do the job. Good luck to you!

Answer 3

Based on the description of the problem and if the unit itself is older I would consider a replacement. If you look at all the sludge in the bottom that is accumulated you must keep in mind that stuff is coming out in your water when you shower, wash bathe etc. Also they are find now that in tank models bacteria such as Legionaires Disease and others can thrive in a dirty tank that sits for long periods. Not Good!

I have a tankless water heater in my home and it is the best thing ever. It provides endless hot water so you can shower all day if you want and it never runs out. My electric bill went down about 35 dollars a month also as it only turns on when you activate hot water. A tank model turns off and on all day even if you don't use it. The water is also safer as I indicated as it is not stored and heats as you need it.
I did a lot of research and the largest selling unit and one that I use is the Titan Tankless N-120 Water Heater. They invented it and have been in business 20 years.
All of the information on the unit and helpful things to help you decide are on their site at http://www.titantankless.com
Please be careful about gas models as they are DANGEROUS!
I would stick with electric.

Answer 4

you are better off changing the heater. you may have a dip tube that has melted or it could be clogged with sediment. average life of a w/h is 10-15 years. maybe less if you dont have treated water system. if you pipe your cold straight to the hot outlet (bypass water heater) and still dont have pressure it is a problem within your lines in the house.

Answer 5

If it's clogged with sediment then maybe most of your tank is and it's just eating the electricity to keep the sediment hot get a new water heater

Answer 6

Replace the hot water heater, it's done. There's 3 to 4 inches
built up on the burner plate, if you did clean it off the steel has been sacrificed.

So how's your harvick 29 car doing, yea mark martin is washed, NOT.

Answer 7

my vote is the dip tube. they had a real issue with them a while back. the material they used to use started breaking down over time. it is made of white plastic and tends to clog the strainers at the faucets. pull one of them off at a faucet and look for grains of white stuff in the screen. and look closely at that "calcium" from the drain valve. i think you'll find it is plastic.

if you find that and if your tank is over 10 years old you might just change it out. it is not really worth trying to replace the dip tube and clean the tank out.

once you change tank clearing the pipes of the plastic is the next job. pull all the screens, open the hot valves, and flush out the lines.

Answer 8

Use a liquid drain clnr. Be sure to put on protective gear . Or the old way is to mix vinegar(acetic acid) w/ baking soda and when the "fizz" starts pour thru pipe quickly and follow/clean water to remove residue.Hardened calcified material can be tough to remove.