Have you ever been in the shower, just getting all lathered up, when all of a sudden the hot water runs out? It’s the worst! You’re left feeling cold and dirty, with no way to rinse off. So what do you do? Likely, you suffer the frigid water and try to hurry and rinse off any remaining soap- ruining an otherwise enjoyable experience. If this has happened to you before, you know how frustrating it can be. Today we’re going to talk about some of the most common reasons why people run out of hot water in their homes and ways you can avoid it.
Your Dip Tube is Broken
The dip tube increases the efficiency of your water heater by forcing cold water to the bottom of the heater, closer to the heating element. When the dip tube is not working properly, cold water will mix with the heated water and reduce the tank’s overall temperature.
Electric water heaters have helped to alleviate the effects of a faulty dip tube by utilizing the two heating element configuration. Gas heaters, on the other hand, keep the water warm all day. You may notice an increase in your gas bill if your dip tube fails. We recommend replacing it when this happens. It will restore the performance of your water heater if no other problems occur.
Your Lower Heating Element is Bad
Most electric water heaters have two heating elements, as previously stated. The bottom heater in this example tends to do most of the work. Cold water sinks and is heated at the bottom of the tank. As the water heats up, it rises to the top, creating a flow. Because of this, the lower heating element is more likely to cause temperatures to vary than the upper one.
When troubleshooting your water heater, you should check to see if there are any outside conditions that would cause it to fail. Your lower heating element can fail due to a faulty thermostat, an electric short within the wiring, or sediment build-up in the element. Any of these outside factors will cause future heating elements to fail as well.
If you have a gas water heater, you won’t have to worry about your lower heating element being replaced or repaired since you don’t have one. Instead of two heating elements, gas water heaters use a burner and chimney.
If you’re not sure if your heating element is broken, get help from a professional. They will be the greatest source of information for diagnosing and repairing whatever problem may exist.
Sediment Build-Up
Unless you have a filtered water system at point-of-entry, all water going into your water tank will have small amounts of particles in it. Particles like calcium, magnesium, and trace amounts of salt will be present in the water. As the water is heated in the tank, the particles will separate from the water and sink to the bottom of the tank, becoming sediment.
Over time, sediment will create a sizable layer at the bottom of the tank. This layer can get big enough to displace a significant amount of water, which reduces the amount of hot water delivered to your home. For example, a 100-gallon water heater with 20 gallons of sediment build-up will only have 80 gallons of water available to heat.
Layers of sediment at the bottom of the tank can also cause your water heater to be less efficient in heating water. As sediment levels rise, the volume of space between the water and the heat source increases as well. This will result in less water being heated and an overall lower temperature.
By understanding and identifying some of the key sources for water heater failures, you can troubleshoot sooner and hopefully fix the problem before it worsens. Particles found in water are responsible, at least partly, for two of the most common causes of your water heater’s failure. This is because all-natural water sources will have particles floating in them.
Tap water can contain a wide range of things, including lead, pharmaceuticals, zinc, magnesium, chlorine, pesticides, herbicides, and even uranium. This variety of chemicals can be harmful to humans in high quantities. The chlorine used to treat water is deemed safe for adults but may cause irritation in small children, infants, and small pets. A high-quality water filter will prevent you and them from drinking these particles and give you healthier water.
Water filters come in all sizes and applications. Deciding on which filter to get will depend on your personal needs. We sell a wide array of water filters that will make drinking water healthier and more convenient. Head to discountfilters.com to find your filter now!
