Picture it: You’ve just ended a long, grueling day. And all you want is to relax and unwind in a hot shower or bath. You turn on the water heater to let it heat up only to learn that after several seconds, it’s still ice-cold. What gives?
There are several reasons your water heater may fail to produce hot water, many of which you can easily troubleshoot yourself. Read on to find out why your heater may be giving you the cold shoulder and what to do about it.
Tripped Circuit Breaker
The first place to look when you don’t have hot water is the circuit breaker. A tripped breaker means your water heater can’t turn on in the first place, resulting in teeth-chattering cold water. Check your breaker box and if the switch is set to “off”, simply flip the switch and see if the heater kicks in. If the circuit breaker continues to trip, contact a licensed electrician to find the cause.
Wrong Temperature Setting
If you lower the temperature setting in the hotter months to conserve energy, don’t forget to change it back once it starts to get cooler. Keeping the thermostat at 120 degrees not only saves money but prevents scalding, too.
Too Much Demand
If the water coming out of your faucet, showerhead, or tub spout starts off hot then transitions to cold, you might have run out of hot water due to too much demand. If your heater is getting up there in years, it might be a good time to consider upgrading to a larger tank or an on-demand water heater. Otherwise, decrease your hot water usage at the busiest times of the day by running the dishwasher in the morning instead of at night, staggering showers, washing laundry in cold water, and shortening the duration of showers.
Water Heater Is Too Small
As mentioned above, if your household’s demand exceeds your water heater’s supply, the heater tank is too small. This can happen if you’ve added a bathroom to your home, expanded your family, or significantly increased your need for hot water. A standard 50-gallon tank is typically suitable for one to three adults while an 80-gallon tank can serve a three to four person household comfortably. You can either upgrade to a larger tank or go with an on-demand water heater.
Malfunctioning Water Heater
If your water heater is making rattling or popping noises, producing smelly, discolored water, or leaking, it needs attention. If the appliance is over 8 years old and needs frequent repairs, or has trouble keeping up with your home’s hot water needs, it’s time to plan for replacement.
While some water heater problems need a simple DIY fix, others are best left to the pros. Is your water heater on the fritz? Or perhaps it’s time to send that old, barely-functioning heater to the scrap pile and invest in a new, energy-efficient tank-style or tankless model. Either way, contact the plumbing pros at Messmer Mechanical for a job well done, the first time.