Both cold and Hot water pipes are hot coming out of my water tank

Bradeno

What would cause this?



When I place my hand on both the cold and hot copper pipes coming out of the hot water heater, they are both very warm. Is this just normal due to the hot water sitting in the tank heating a small portion of the cold? I goes away after I run the hot water for a bit.

Thanks!

paintdrying

You may need an expansion tank. How far up from the cold inlet is it hot? Your house may have a recirculater pump. You may have a bad mixing valve. Do you know how old your water meter is?

Javiles

Its normal heat rises, however you should have heat traps on the tank. hot and cold side

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AllanJ

It's due to the hot water sitting in the tank heating up the tank itself and a small portion of the pipe attached to the tank.

I personally would not bother with heat traps with moving parts such as little balls inside. One more thing that could get clogged at the worst possible time and you would have to stop and do homework (repairs). A heat trap with no moving parts is an S curve similar to a drain trap.

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Bradeno

So is it a failure of some kind in the tank or is this normal on most tanks?

Seems like poor design.

TheEplumber

Heat rises, so it's natural. Heat trap nipples are designed to keep the heat in the tank. There are 2 types- Look at this link-
https://www.waterheaterrescue.com/pa...eat-traps.html

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gregzoll

As long as the water is not coming out warm or hot, when you turn on the Cold water tap, I would not worry about it. What I would be worry about, is how hot the water is coming out of the tap, when you turn on the hot water. What I did as soon as we moved in, was go through and place the foam insulation over all hot water piping, so that it would help to keep the water hot, and help conserve more energy when the water heater cycles as needed.

Depending on how cold your area gets where the water heater is located, you can always place a blanket around it, to help hold in the heat, so it does not cycle as much, to keep the water at the set point.

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Bradeno

As far as the tap goes,

It takes a good while (30 seconds or more) for the water to heat up.

And, the cold water is odd, it will get warm first, and then cold. I suppose this is why.

It is strange because it is the same with the hose outside; it takes a good long while for cold water to actually come out of the hose

It is a 15 year old water heater, so I suppose I can't complain; it is still functional

gregzoll

If you are taking 30 min's to get hot water to the taps, yep, time to swap out the water heater.

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Bradeno

30 seconds

Akpsdvan

There was one question that was not getting asked.

How hot is the temp setting on the water heater?

I have seen the in coming or cold side get warm more when the temp is at its highest setting.