My husband and I have spent a lot of time consulting with an architect. After living in our cramped, starter home for the past 11 years, we were finally ready to make some needed changes to it. We have added an extra 600 square feet of space onto our house. Before the construction began, we finalized the plans for our new heating and air conditioning unit with our HVAC contractor. Because our home was going to be substantially bigger than it is now, we purchased a larger HVAC system. We also installed a new, digital thermostat inside my home. On this blog, I hope you will discover the best types of HVAC units to buy for mid-size homes. Enjoy!
When your plumbing works normally, you have hot and cold water when you need it and none of your pipes are leaking. One of the frustrating plumbing problems you might encounter is when you run out of hot water too fast and you have to take a cool shower. You'll want to call a plumber to help with this problem since it has multiple causes. These are some reasons your water heater can't keep up with your demands for hot water.
Your Hot Water Needs Have Changed
If your kids are older or you've gotten new roommates, you may simply be using more hot water now than your tank can provide. You might need to be careful about doing laundry at the same time you shower. People in your household may need to stagger when they take baths or showers.
This is an inconvenient way to deal with the problem, so if a plumber determines your water heater is fine but just too small to handle your needs, you might want to get a larger tank or add a tankless heater.
The Water Tank Is Clogged With Sediment
Sediment gradually collects on the bottom of the tank. A likely culprit is minerals from hard water. When the mineral scale builds up, your water can't get hot as fast and you may not have a constant supply of hot water.
Rust might accumulate in the tank too, but this is a bad sign. Rust indicates the tank or pipe is getting old and may need to be replaced before rust eats through the metal and starts leaking. If the problem is just sediment, the plumber can flush it out so your water heats properly.
The Dip Tube Is Bad
Hot water tanks have a tube in them that allows cold water to enter the tank toward the bottom. This directs incoming water away from the top of the tank. If cold water were to enter at the top, it would cool off heated water as it's about to exit the tank. This keeps hot water from coming out of your tap.
Instead, cold water is sent to the bottom so it is heated before it rises to the top to enter the exit pipe. When the tube is broken or leaking, the cold water won't go to the bottom to get hot. The plumber can put in a new dip tube when it's needed.
Your plumber may check for these problems and others, such as a malfunctioning thermostat, so your water heater can be repaired and you can resume your hot showers and relaxing baths. When your water heater isn't making enough hot water, call your plumber rather than put up with the problem or you may eventually need to take a cold shower if the heater stops working. A cold shower may wake you up, but it's not much fun.
For more info, contact a local plumbing company.
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