When your home’s water heater can no longer deliver the amount of hot water you need on a daily basis, your life will get far more difficult. As long as a water heater was correctly sized when it was installed, it shouldn’t have any difficulty meeting the daily requirements of a household. When the hot water volume starts to drop, it warns that something is wrong that will require either water heater repair in Bensalem, PA or a complete water heater replacement.
We’ll look over several of the more common causes of a drop in the amount of hot water you’re receiving from your water heater.
Faulty aquastat
The aquastat is the name for the thermostat that controls the temperature of the water in a water heater and helps to prevent the water from overheating and creating a scalding danger. For the most part, you won’t need to make any adjustments to the aquastat yourself. However, the aquastat can malfunction, read the water temperature as hotter than it is, and lower the amount of heating. This will result in less hot water. You’ll need professionals to inspect the aquastat and repair it. Don’t raise the aquastat yourself, as you’ll risk scalding.
Broken dip tube
The dip tube is the pipe that carries incoming cold water from the top of the water heater down through the tank to where it’s heated. The dip tube may break, which leads to cold water spilling into the top of the tank and mixing with the rising hot water. This lowers the overall temperature of the water and makes it hard for the water heater to keep up with demand. Technicians will need to put in a new dip tube.
Excess sediment
Sediment inside the water entering the water heater can start to form a layer along the bottom of the tank over time. Regular tank flushes as part of maintenance will help eliminate this. If the sediment continues to build up, it will restrict the heat exchanger at the bottom of the tank from effectively heating up the water. This will result in higher bills as well as less hot water available.
Gas flow issues/broken heating element
If you have a gas-powered water heater, a drop in hot water volume may mean that the burners aren’t receiving enough gas to burn powerfully enough. Any gas line issue needs immediate attention, and only professionals should handle this work. If you have an electric water heater, one of the two heating elements inside the water heater might burn out, which will cut down on the amount of water the system can heat up.
Aging water heater
A water heater that’s over 12 years old can begin to decline in its ability to work effectively. If you notice a drop in hot water volume from a water heater that’s over its service life expectancy, it’s probably time to have it replaced.
When you need service for your water heater, call on Dowd Mechanical Heating & Air Conditioning: A Degree Above the Rest.
