I turned on the shower knob expecting hot water to shoot out… instead, the water that hit me was freezing!

Have you ever experienced this? Does it seem like your hot water is running out…? before, it lasted the whole bath time but, now, it only lasts for a few minutes into your bath. What is the meaning of this?

Is Your Hot Water Really Running Out?

Is it possible that hot water can run out? I don’t think hot water can run out, but your water heater can certainly be hindered from heating the water as quickly as water pours out from your shower.

The reason why it seems like your hot water is running out is directly associated with the condition of your water heater since it is the one that produces the hot water.

The Most Common Water Heater Problems and How To Fix It

Sediment Buildup

Water carries a lot of natural minerals with it. And once it enters the water heater, these natural minerals are deposited off in the water heater tank, creating sediments. Over time, these sediments will fill up the tank space, thus making very little room for the hot water. Because the space is so small already, your water heater will have to work double-time, not fast enough to produce constant hot water during your showers. Fortunately, this is an easy problem to fix. You can simply empty the tank of all its sediment buildup with fresh water.

Old Age

You cannot expect your water heater to last forever. At some point, it will start to die on you. Water heaters usually last 6 to 12 years. So if your water heater has been serving you for 10 plus years and it no longer produces constant hot water, then maybe it is time to replace it. This is the only way to fix this problem.

Too Small

The size of your water heater could also be the problem. If you use your shower more than once a day, your water heater might not be able to keep up. You have probably noticed that if many people shower one at a time the first person gets a nice, hot bath while the last one usually has no more hot water left, enduring the cold bite of the water. This is because the hot water produced cannot keep up with the gallons of water used for each person. To fix this, make sure you get the right size determining how many people use it in a day.

 

For more information, contact Vinny’s Jersey Plumbing, located in Wayne, New Jersey.  We also service other towns in New Jersey, such as West Orange, Cedar Grove and East Hanover.