skip to main content

Hot water heater working but sinks not getting hot?

last month

We have a new hot water heater that is working fine. We’ve noticed over the last three days that the water in the sinks, not shower, is not getting hot. We have increased the thermostat on the hot water heater, and it has impacted the showers only. what could it be?

Sort by:Oldest

Comments (7)

klem1
last month
You say heater is new,was everything ok before heater was replaced? Was anything else repaired/replaced same time heater was replaced? You say it started 3 days ago,what if anything was fixed or replaced just before this started?
0
J R
Original Author
last month
The heater was replaced a year ago, so in the grand scheme of time, it’s new. Nothing has been touched since then. No changes. No issues. And the showers are still hot.
0
Related Discussions
How can I get hot water faster on a electric hot water tank
Q
Comments (3)
To where are you targeting the delivery of it? If to a dishwasher or washing machine, a simple method is to run a faucet near the machine until the flow is hot ... such as at the kitchen sink. Otherwise, pretty much the only way is via a recirculation pump on a flow loop from the water heater across all the taps. Some plumbing systems are constructed with a dedicated recirculation loop. There are retrofit pumps that are installed at the furthest usage point from the heater, feeding water from the hot line into the cold to create a flow loop ... usually operated on a timer or on-demand a few mins before hot water is needed. One such product is the Metlund D'MAND System. There are others.
...See More
Hydro Air Unit working off a hot water heater
Q
Comments (1)
The first thing you have to do is check to see if this is a code violation. Meaning if the water tank is used for other than what the U.L. or C.S.A. approval it is not legal. Well not that bad but a code violation. The tank is being used for other than what it was intended. It was intended to heat water for potable use, not heating. That system is an open loop and subject to scale and who knows what. Works fine on paper but a code violation up here. Insurance companies love that sort of thing if there is the remote chance of blaming anything out of the ordinary so they don't have to write the cheque if there is a claim of any kind. Check it out. I don't recommend it. Good luck
...See More
Hot water heater very hot to touch on top
Q
Comments (21)
Argh -- I was hoping that a power vent of the exhaust gas would be sufficient to solve the problem, and that I wouldn't necessarily need a direct vent of outside air for combustion. Just having a power vent of the exhaust gas would be easy to retrofit into our system, and as a big added bonus, the power vent systems seem to be incredibly energy efficient. Having a direct vent for the combustion from outside air would be more difficult to retrofit in, and such systems for whatever reason don't seem to have as high energy factors as the power vent-only designs do. I'm thinking that perhaps I may just permanently disable the exhaust fan. The exhaust fan helps in late spring early fall when the outside temp in Phoenix swings from high to low greatly overnight. In the summer time, it doesn't help that much, since the outside temp stays hot all the time. I already have radiant insulation on the inside of the garage door (we're south facing), which has greatly assisted in rejecting heat from being soaked into the garage. Alternatively, I may look into solving the negative pressure situation. Presumably, I could cut more holes into the walls of the garage, and then verify that the exhaust gases are not being sucked out of the flue. I'm thinking I may just be on the threshold of the negative pressure situation, insofar as the problem does not occur all the time. On the flip side, I don't really want to start cutting holes into the walls of the garage willy nilly unless I know it's going to solve the problem.
...See More
Hot water heater doesn't seem to hold a lot of hot water
Q
Comments (5)
"When you think about it 40 gallons isn't a lot of water." I disagree. That is a lot of HOT water at 140Â°. If you were to draw it all down at 2.5 GPM, it would take 8 minutes. ThatÂs theoretical, because the way you draw it is to push it with COLD water. But thatÂs OK, because you arenÂt going to take too many showers at 140Â° Â one, maybe. So to make it comfortable, you mix in 40 gallons of water at say, room temperature, and now you have 16 minutes at 102Â°. All the time, the fire is burning in the heater. If you have not been drawing a quart of water from the bottom of your heater once a month (And I know you havenÂt.) then you may have a scale at the bottom. This fools the thermostat into thinking you have many gallons of hot water, when all you have is a thin scale of hot deposits. Pinoke
...See More
Related Professionals
Channahon Handyman · Forest Hill Kitchen & Bathroom Remodelers · Auburn Kitchen & Bathroom Remodelers · Beaverton Kitchen & Bathroom Remodelers · Blasdell Kitchen & Bathroom Remodelers · Ewa Beach Kitchen & Bathroom Remodelers · Honolulu Kitchen & Bathroom Remodelers · Payson Kitchen & Bathroom Remodelers · Port Orange Kitchen & Bathroom Remodelers · Rancho Cordova Kitchen & Bathroom Remodelers · Richland Kitchen & Bathroom Remodelers · Sun Valley Kitchen & Bathroom Remodelers · Toledo Kitchen & Bathroom Remodelers · Vienna Kitchen & Bathroom Remodelers · South Jordan Kitchen & Bathroom Remodelers
klem1
last month
last modified: last month
Let's look for "cross-over" between hot and cold water. Turn off either supply valve to washing machine then test sinks. If that doesn't cure the problem do the same to SINGLE HANDLE faucets. Some but not all single handle showers have screws on valve that are exposed when cover plate is removed. In the absence of means for turning shower supply off to single handle shower, try moving handle to various positions in hopes of hitting a sweet spot that stops cross-over. It's necessary to install repair kit in shower valve if it is crossing-over. Replacing fill valve on washing machine is the solution if it's found to be crossing over.
0
wdccruise
last month
Just curious: What happens if you turn off the cold-water line valve underneath a sink and then turn on the faucet?
0
J R
Original Author
last month
WDCCRUISE: two things happened… 1) water pressure barely there, and 2) took an incredibly long time to get hot.

What does that tell us??!!
0
klem1
last month
I see that you did test wd asked for 3 days ago, what is status of test I asked for 7 days ago?
0
woodbutcher_ca
last month
Hi, Just my 2 cents worth. If your sink faucet is connected to the pipe with a flex line shut the hot water angel shut off and remove the flex line from the faucet and put the end in a bucket and turn the hot water on and see which way your problem is, if comes out fast the problem the sink faucet if its slow the problem is back the other way.

Good Luck Woodbutcher
0

Related Stories

GREAT HOME PROJECTS How to Add a Solar Water Heater

By Mariana Pickering (Emu Building Science)

Lower energy bills without a major renovation by putting the sun to work heating your home’s water

REMODELING GUIDES 5 Hot Tips for Home Saunas

By Lisa Frederick

Bask in your very own heated haven, indoors or out. This overview will get you off to a glowing start

MOVING Tips for Winning a Bidding War in a Hot Home Market

By Christine Tusher

Cash isn’t always king in a bidding war. Get the home you want without blowing your budget, using these Realtor-tested strategies

GARDENING AND LANDSCAPING 8 Ways to Beautifully Integrate an Outdoor Hot Tub

By Christine Tusher

Harmonize your hot tub with your landscape for good looks and great relaxation

GARDENING AND LANDSCAPING 13 New Ways to Make a Splash With a Hot Tub

By Amber Hopman

Check out the modern options and custom features that are making outdoor spa tubs hot again

GREAT HOME PROJECTS How to Switch to a Tankless Water Heater

By Mariana Pickering (Emu Building Science)

New project for a new year: Swap your conventional heater for an energy-saving model — and don’t be fooled by misinformation

DECORATING GUIDES How to Cool Down a Room in Hot Weather

By Victoria Harrison

Here are 15 tips for staying cool and comfortable without an air conditioner or a ceiling fan

SAVING WATER Xeriscape Gardens: How to Get a Beautiful Landscape With Less Water

By Jocelyn H. Chilvers

Conserve water and make gardening much easier with the xeriscape approach’s 7 principles

COLOR Room of the Day: Deep Blue Proves a Hot Hue

By Mary Jo Bowling

Navy takes a New Jersey living room from dull to dashing in the flick of a paintbrush

GARDENING GUIDES 10 Sizzling-Hot Summer Container Gardens

By Lauren Dunec Hoang

Use these dramatic combinations to create standout displays for your patio, porch or entryway

Sponsored

More Discussions

Hansgrohe showerhead wall bar experience?

2

Need 10” wide (back to front) undermount bathroom sink

2

Recommendations for a 54" inch 3-wall alcove bathtub for guests, kids

1

Perrin and Rowe faucet

1

Help me find a quality spout

6