For questions generally relating to the hot-water supply system of a typical residential or commercial building, primarily regarding the heating mechanism itself (a traditional hot water heater tank, tankless heaters including "point-of-use", boilers and heat exchangers, etc).
1
vote
1answer
179 views
Replace under warranty Bradford White or get a new Rheem water heater? [closed]
I have a Bradford White water heater that is about 4 years old, still under warranty, and has started leaking. My understanding is that it must be replaced.
The plumber I contacted about this told ...
1
vote
2answers
132 views
Can I replace my oil-based water heater with several electric ones?
I was looking at this question, which is somewhat related to mine but didn't give me a good answer: How to evaluate the suitability of an electric tankless water-heater
Basically, my mom's water ...
4
votes
1answer
2k views
Should water heater thermostats be set to the same temperature?
Should the top and bottom water heater thermostats be set to the same temperature?
I did a quick google search and saw all kinds of differing opinions. for instance, this guy seems like he knows ...
6
votes
1answer
103 views
How to evaluate the suitability of an electric tankless water-heater
I'm trying to evaluate if an electric tankless water-heater would be suitable for my home. There are just too many variables to consider, and I wonder if there is a mathematical approach to it.
I'm ...
3
votes
3answers
963 views
Should we turn our oil hot water heater off every night?
My husband and I are considering shutting off our hot water heater from 8pm to 8am every night to save on energy. Is such a time frame long enough to create a noticeable difference in our oil bill? ...
4
votes
3answers
4k views
Is a gas water heater safe in a bedroom?
My existing water heater is electric and is likely to need replacing soon. The heater is in a converted garage that I use as a guest room.
As the house is piped for gas, I'm considering the purchase ...
3
votes
1answer
392 views
What could cause a clicking noise in an electric water heater?
I get clicking sound from our electric water heater as well. it lasts for a while, then
stops...then starts again, etc. we recently had technician out who said it needed to be
cut back on the setting ...
3
votes
1answer
283 views
Can I reuse cold water copper pipes for hot water?
I have a segment of copper pipe for supplying cold water to my gas heater currently. It runs inside a wall so I don't want to replace it. Now I need to change the piping and want to reuse that ...
4
votes
3answers
410 views
Calculate savings from/cost-effectiveness of installing a tankless hot water heater?
Following up on "Which water heater types do you recommend?" and "Are tankless water heaters worth it in cold climates", is there a way to calculate the point at which installing a tankless water ...
2
votes
2answers
4k views
After installing expansion tank, massive buildup of pressure then a trickle?
I am completely stumped. You guys helped me out a lot with my previous question here: New gas water heater dripping relief valve, have expansion tank, what gives?
Turns out the expansion tank ...
1
vote
1answer
187 views
What could cause the hot water not to work after replacing a water heater?
I replaced my hot water heater and now the hot water doesn't run in any of my faucets. What could be the problem? I did not have to replace any piping from old hot water heater and the water ran fine ...
3
votes
1answer
383 views
How can I prevent water from entering through water heater/furnace exhaust vent?
I have an exhaust vent in my basement (Amerivent Type B) which takes the exhaust from my gas furnace and water heater goes out the basement wall, and up my chimney. A little bit water is coming in to ...
4
votes
1answer
1k views
Are galvanised steel pipes suitable for supplying hot water?
I am living in an old building where the old galvanized steel pipes are still in use indoors.
Rather than upgrading to copper pipes, can I reuse these galvanized steel pipes for hot water (from a ...
1
vote
2answers
259 views
Sizing DHW expansion tank for tankless heater
I have a combined boiler for hydronic heating and DHW. Earlier in the winter, I started insulating as much of the pipes I can easily access.
This has led to hot water coming out of the cold water ...
0
votes
0answers
192 views
Running Shower Faucet After Hot Water Heater's Off
I was awoke by a chemical smell from my electric hot water heater. The past two weeks I noticed my shower was not getting/staying very hot during my 10 minute showers. Thinking not too much about it, ...
2
votes
1answer
353 views
No hot water, but exhaust blower running continuously
This morning I went to take a shower and there was no hot water. I went to the basement to check on the water heater, and found the exhaust blower is running continuously but no hot water is being ...
2
votes
3answers
302 views
Replacing a hot water heater: tank or tankless?
We've lived in this house for 20 years and the hot water heater (tank style) was 2 years old, as was the rest of the house, when we moved in. In the last year or two we've started to have occasions ...
1
vote
1answer
711 views
Is corrosion on top to an otherwise working electric water heater dangerous?
I moved into a house with an electric hot water heater. The heater is old (11 years) but works just fine. However, the top of the tank has extensive corrosion, especially around the connections for ...
4
votes
3answers
382 views
Are hot water returns worth putting in?
Once I saw on an episode of This Old House that they were putting in hot water return lines: pipes that recirculate idle hot water back to the heater so you get hot water right away, instead of ...
4
votes
1answer
1k views
Why won't my water heater stop filling?
I noticed tonight that my water heater appears to be trying to fill with cold water, but it won't stop. I can hear water flowing through the pipe, and the overflow drain pipe (white one just above the ...
2
votes
2answers
2k views
What is causing my gas water heater to squeal?
I have a gas water heater. Starting yesterday, when the flame is on, the unit makes a squealing noise of moderate volume. The noise stops immediately when the flame turns off. This means it is not ...
0
votes
1answer
475 views
Why did my hot water stop?
I have a Rinnai RL94 tankless water heater. Today something went wrong and now I have no more hot water.
The machine is not showing any kind of error code like it has in the past when things went ...
3
votes
1answer
985 views
Water heater builds up excessive pressure only when reheating the tank. What's going on?
The pressure release valve on my water heater will trip predictably after a significant amount of hot water has been used (e.g. dishwasher, laundry, long shower) releasing 16 oz or less of water. It ...
3
votes
2answers
326 views
How can I identify the source of a leak at the hot water heater?
My water heater has a slow leak. From what I can tell so far it is coming from either the cold water inlet or the hot water connection. The cold water inlet seems to be the culprit to me because that ...
3
votes
1answer
247 views
How well would a hydronic furnace work with a gas tankless water heater?
My current heating system (in Ontario) is an oil hot water tank in a closed loop with a hydronic forced-air furnace (Enerzone XAH 68). The water circulates through what is basically a heat exchanger ...
5
votes
4answers
847 views
Why do I have two parallel gas pipes?
I've got a water heater and a hot water radiator furnace sitting next to each other, both on gas. The strange thing is that there are two parallel gas lines feeding each one of these which come from ...
2
votes
2answers
530 views
Hot water stops flowing after clunking noise
When I turn the hot water on in the bathroom faucet, a clunking noise sounds, and the water stops flowing. If I open the faucet quickly, it happens immediately. If I open the faucet slowly, it takes ...
9
votes
2answers
260 views
What type/thickness of drywall should be used in water heater closet?
I have a rental house built in the 70's that had severe water damage in the small room (4x5 feet) that houses the hot water heater. The room is off of the garage. I've had the water heater replaced ...
10
votes
2answers
879 views
What caused a burn mark near my hot water pipes?
I was doing some household cleanup in the storage room where my heat tank is located when I noticed a burn mark on the wall frame near the pipe that goes from the heat tank to the shower next room.
...
4
votes
1answer
656 views
What is the proper way to clean a hot water heater?
I have heard many times that it is good to clean your hot water heater about once a year by flushing it. I went to look online to find the proper way to do so and found many people recommending ...
2
votes
1answer
536 views
What is causing the high limit switch to pop on my electric water heater?
The high limit switch has popped twice on my electric water heater, both times at night. I reset the switch and the water heats and it's ok throughout the day. Wake up in the morning and it's ...
1
vote
1answer
228 views
How do I diagnose a hot water recirculation problem?
We have 2 ganged gas water heaters in a 10-year-old house. Professionals installed them last year to replace the 10-year-old pair. I'm pretty sure they are hooked up to a recirculating pump.
This ...
7
votes
3answers
8k views
Why does my kitchen faucet have low pressure after the water heater was replaced?
I recently replaced my water heater, and since then, the water pressure for my kitchen faucet is really, really, low. None of my other faucets seem to be affected (bathroom, shower, etc.). I can't ...
1
vote
1answer
295 views
A boiler and a hot water tank … what is this configuration? (UK)
I'm a west-coast American living in London. I grew up with baseboard and central forced air heating. I'm currently living in the UK where water radiators are common (if not pretty much the ...
2
votes
1answer
144 views
How do I lower the temperature of an electric boiler in France/Europe?
My electric boiler is delivering VERY hot water: my hands are often burned when I forget to mix it with normal-tempered water.
Do you think there is a way I can make the boiler heating the water ...
3
votes
1answer
260 views
Should I run two gas water heaters if I don't need to?
We purchased a house recently that has two water heaters(configured in series). I just realized that the first one hasn't been running as the thermocouple was defective. For 6 months we had no problem ...
2
votes
1answer
2k views
My hot water stopped working in one bathroom, what can I try in order to fix it?
I have an electric water heater from 2004. The hot water works in all other areas of my house (kitchen, other bathroom and washing machine). The sinks and shower in my master bathroom are not ...
5
votes
3answers
21k views
Why is my hot water running out quickly regardless of other household water usage?
I've noticed that my shower, which used to run hot water for what seemed like forever, now can only produce about 15 minutes of hot water. This doesn't appear to be related to other water usage in the ...
10
votes
4answers
610 views
Which water heater types do you recommend?
I would like to upgrade my current water heater with one that
Is able to produce/store more heated water so I won't run out
Energy efficient
Inexpensive
What are the advantages/disadvantages to ...
6
votes
1answer
1k views
Why won't my water heater blower shut off?
My water heater has a blower attachment that kicks on when the water heater begins to heat water and shuts off when it is done. I'm no water heater expert, but I believe that these actions are ...
4
votes
2answers
559 views
Do I need to replace my hot water tank's pressure release valve?
Recently we had an extended water outage. When water came back, pressure in the lines was much higher. The hot water heater started leaking from the pressure release valve and after flipping it a ...
3
votes
1answer
732 views
Is it OK to have a gas water heater in a bedroom closet?
I have a laundry room with a gas water heater in the closet. I was thinking about taking out the washer and dryer and renting the laundry room as a bedroom because there is a bathroom next to the ...
10
votes
3answers
835 views
Are tankless water heaters worth it in cold climates?
I was thinking of switching over to a tankless water heater, but a friend of mine said they are not good in colder climates since the water coming in is colder and takes longer to heat. Is this a ...
2
votes
1answer
507 views
What failure modes are there for electric water heater elements?
What would be the cause of the elements to go out in my electric water heater?
My wife is convinced that it's because the water heater hasn't been drained/flushed in the past 3 years.
I was also ...
8
votes
3answers
4k views
Why will my pilot light on the gas water heater not stay lit for more than 15 minutes?
The pilot light went out on my gas water heater. I followed the instructions and had it lit three times now for about 15 minutes each time but it wont stay lit. Not sure what to do at this point?
3
votes
3answers
2k views
Is it time to replace my 20 year old water heater?
My water heater (gas) shows a date of 1991 on it, although the house was built in 1993. There is nothing wrong with it. It is a little slow to heat the water up, sometimes taking almost 5 minutes to ...
2
votes
1answer
188 views
Can I use a small propane instant hot water heater for a clothes washer?
I would like to set up a clothes washer in a location that has only cold water. (It will be in a makeshift shed of some kind, with a hose and an extension cord.)
I could just wash everything in cold ...
5
votes
1answer
98 views
Flush a gas powered water heater, not sure if it's ever been done in 15 years. Will it survive a flush?
I'm concerned that there might be seals that are bad, or corrosion keeping things waterproof. It looks great on the outside, But I don't know how efficiently it is working - I've never owned a home ...
4
votes
1answer
380 views
Local “point of use” hot water heater
This question is a follow-up to It takes a minute or more for the water to become hot from any of the faucets in my house -- how can I speed this up?.
I have a tankless water heater, and it takes ...
1
vote
1answer
259 views
How can I monitor the temperature in a hot water heater?
When my hot, water heater runs out of hot water, I have to wait a while until it's hot again. I'd like a way to check the temperature without running water to the faucet every 10 minutes.
Is it ...
