Is my Hot Water tank Going

K.M.G · 08-30-2009, 03:51 PM

Hi

I think the Hot Water tank is from 1989 when the home was built

I only seem to have enough Hot water for maybe 10 mins and then even with the cold water turned off its lukewarm now.

It started after some idiot from the Gas Company came to the home

Now I had to have the furnace we lit and at the same time we had a leaky faucet and had to turn the water off to the house because they didn't have shut off valves under the sink.

Anyways the guy took lt upon himself to turn the water on because the Hot Water tank wasn't tuning on when he re-lit the furnace(Don't ask me why)

Since then we only have hot water for maybe 10mins ,I could have a shower for as long as needed before.

I don't know what to look for at the Water Heater,There is a Noob at the front and have turned it but nothing happens.

Any help would be great

Plumber101 · 08-30-2009, 04:03 PM

You might check the temp setting on the water heater. Seems very odd that it starting acting up all at once.

K.M.G · 08-30-2009, 04:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Plumber101

You might check the temp setting on the water heater. Seems very odd that it starting acting up all at once.

What should it be set at

Also it's behind a panel right

Could a valve be stuck

I know since we lived here we never empty-ed the tank

Plumber101 · 08-30-2009, 04:16 PM

Temp should be set at 120 deg

Depending of the valve it could be in deg or letters. If it is letters use setting "B"

K.M.G · 08-30-2009, 05:10 PM

Looks like mine has a Dial

It was set at Warm so I turned it up and it started up

Should I set it to hot

spark plug · 08-30-2009, 05:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by K.M.G

Hi

I think the Hot Water tank is from 1989 when the home was built

I only seem to have enough Hot water for maybe 10 mins and then even with the cold water turned off its lukewarm now.

It started after some idiot from the Gas Company came to the home

Now I had to have the furnace we lit and at the same time we had a leaky faucet and had to turn the water off to the house because they didn't have shut off valves under the sink.

Anyways the guy took lt upon himself to turn the water on because the Hot Water tank wasn't tuning on when he re-lit the furnace(Don't ask me why)

Since then we only have hot water for maybe 10mins ,I could have a shower for as long as needed before.

I don't know what to look for at the Water Heater,There is a Noob at the front and have turned it but nothing happens.

Any help would be great

From my limited (but expensive) experience with hot water tanks. I can tell you that they don't have a life expectancy of more than Ten years. Anything beyond that, they're on borrowed time. As a matter of fact, the (pro-rated) Warranty doesn't run more than Ten years. (Now more than ever)

Don't Drink and Drive!

Plumber101 · 08-30-2009, 05:21 PM

THe first four numbers in the serial number are 1287 which tels me Dec of 1987 is when this was made.

22 years.

I'd replace it

yuri · 08-30-2009, 05:58 PM

It is on borrowed time, you may want to replace it before it bursts and causes a flood/water damage to the flooring. Set it to the large mark but not HOT. HOT will overheat/stress your old tank and that may be the straw that breaks the camels back.

qbert · 08-30-2009, 11:50 PM

22 years it has seen its usefull life. If it is firing when you turn the knob all the way up, you could flush it. Turn off water supply, turn gas to pilot, drain half tank then turn water on blowing out some of the junk inside. then close drain let it fill. turn gas valve to on.

Yamvmax · 08-31-2009, 09:21 AM

WOW 22 yrs on a hot water heater!!! You better replace it before your basement/house is flooded.

AllanJ · 08-31-2009, 03:00 PM

Note: With any water heater -- gas, electric, old, new -- water should be gushing from an open hot water faucet before you turn the burner/electricity on or otherwise fire it up.

It is possible that the gas company guy bumped the tank and something (like the dip tube for entering cold water) broke inside. Or maybe something inside broke more or less by itself.

Normal maintenance of a water heater includes draining some water every year. Not the entire tank contents but perhaps a potful if the water runs clear to begin with. Drain more until the water runs clear if sand or rust comes out to begin with.

You should not have to turn the temperature control up all the way, and also you should not have to use the "very hot" section if the dial has that.

Yoyizit · 08-31-2009, 05:01 PM

Gas WH, 22 yrs, only 1 in 15 lasts that long. It has a 50-50 chance of going another 9 yrs.

K.M.G · 09-01-2009, 12:15 PM

I didn't know a Water Heater didn't last this long

I thought it was just a big tank with a heater

What happens when It dies,just stops working???

I don't think the 2009 Rheem Water Heaters are even built like this now

Maybe I can get money back showing I have a water heater can last this long,like Cars that can go 100,000,00 miles

I can't wait for the Furnace to go ,Hell we don't even have return ducts,Let a Idiot build your house

they say 2009 Homes have problems,Buy a 80's/Early 90's home

AllanJ · 09-01-2009, 01:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by K.M.G

I didn't know a Water Heater didn't last this long

What happens when It dies,just stops working???

Most water heaters "die" by springing a leak in their tanks.

Failure of other components such as dip tubes, thermostats, heating elements if electric, etc. is a separate scenario and unrelated to leaking although it is OK to assume that if more than 10 years have passed and something else fails, chances are the tank is partly rusted through in spots and leaking will happen soon.

Exception: failure (loss due to corroding away or falling off) of an anode rod is normal and will not in itself make the heater stop working instantly. The rod should be promptly replaced without assuming that something else will go wrong soon.

james schroder · 09-02-2009, 03:22 PM

i would agree that the water heater is on borrowed time but the problem as discribed sounds like a broken dip tube that runs the cold water to the bottom of the tank allowing the incomming cold water to mix with the already hot water. it can be replaced either with a plastic replacement or with a piece or 1/2 l soft copper flared on one end and dropped in the cold inlet.

james