This is very odd, but every time we get a heavy rain, the hot water in our house is lukewarm at best. We have a fairly modern gas-fired hot water heater (GE GG40t06avg01, mfg 2011), and at all other times the water is piping hot, no problem. I can't seem to figure out what the connection could be - is the rain getting into the gas lines, and watering down the gas? Has anyone ever heard of this kind of problem? Any suggestions would be of help.
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1Is there any way the water pipes could get wet?– Harper - Reinstate MonicaCommented Dec 29, 2018 at 4:56
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If you check the heater while you're getting lukewarm water, is the heater running?– Daniel GriscomCommented Dec 29, 2018 at 6:02
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may be somehow related to atmospheric pressure– jsotolaCommented Dec 29, 2018 at 7:23
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@DanielGriscom I've checked the heater during the cold water times, and it does appear that the heater is running. I can see the flame, as normal.– shwanCommented Dec 29, 2018 at 14:27
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Is your house on a slab, basement, crawlspace?– Gary BakCommented Dec 29, 2018 at 17:16
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2 Answers
is the rain getting into the gas lines, and watering down the gas?
No. That isn't possible. Any way for water to get in would be a way for gas to get out. You'd have noticed this - it would be a life-threatening emergency.
Any suggestions
Maybe check the flue and vent?
Maybe call a gas engineer?
answered Dec 29, 2018 at 11:31
Some hot water heaters have a thermodisc at the bottom of the flue, to detect flue gas spillage and shut off the HWH. The rain could be causing a downdraft in the flue, thus pushing hot flue gas back. The HWH shuts off until the thermodisc resets and the heater comes back on. When you check it, the HWH has probably reset and is running normally. But it had been cycling on and off for a while, lowering the water temperature.
One service call involved a HWH shutting off each evening. The house was located on the slope of a small mountain. Cold evening air would move down the slope and into the flue. Roof angles and local terrain can make it worse. The solution was to extend the B-vent up a few more feet.
