Comment posted Our Hot Water Heater Has Been Running Nonstop For About 2 Days, Now We Only Have Luke Warm Water? by Joanne A. W.

Same thing here with an electric water heater and water bill was $200. You guessed it…..water leak under the house! Got it fixed a few days ago. You need to call a plumber now. You might want to turn off your water heater if the plumber cannot come out today. Ask him/her how to turn it off safely.

Joanne A. W also commented

• Part of hot water heater maintenance is draining the bottom of the tank periodically (maybe once a year) to rid it of bits or rust and other sediment. There is a faucet at the bottom of the tank. If you do not have a drain close, the faucet is threaded to handle a garden hose so you can drain farther away. Open the drain, see what comes out. If rusty or discolored, you do have buildup on the bottom of the heater.
  As for lukewarm water, would gather this is a gas heater with a single burner at the bottom? Most electrics have two elements, but a single burner may be having problems with heat transfer from the flame ring to the actual water, having to deal with the sedimentation. One trick, when you are draining, turn a close tap (hot) on and off quickly for a little while. Sometimes this helps roil up the water and get the sediment out better.
  Barring all that, it could be you just need a new hot water heater, although in my experience when they have needed replacement I have gotten leaks from the bottom where they have just worn out.
• check the heating element, or like mine, maybe the calcium has built up on the bottom of the heater making it impossible to heat anything. goodluck.
• if gas you have a leak if electric you have 1 dead (broken) element. any build up would not stop you unit from heating with gas as your heat exchanger goes from the bottom all the way to the top. and if electric, your lowest element is not on the exact bottom of the tank. as for draining your tank who told you this a guy at a hardware store? if he (or she ) knows so much why aren’t they doing plumbing for 4 times the money. my gas water heater is 14 years old and i will have to drain it when i replace it. but not until. what would you do whe you open the drain valve and it won’t close again?
• Since you know it has been running constantly I take it that it is a gas heater rather than an electric.
  My first thought is that you have a leak. Do you have a crawlspace or basement where water leak unnoticed?
• I’d say you have big time scale buildup in the tank which has covered the bottom element causing it to burn out. Right now you’re only operating on the top element. The bottom one is usually the first to go.

Recent comments by Joanne A. W

• Water Heater Issues……..can U Help?
  My first question is, what type heater do you have, gas or electric? Is this the first time you have ever drained the tank? What type of pipes are in your house? Do you have a filter upstream of the heater? Calcium is a byproduct of heating water. The minerals in water settle at the bottom, and should be drained out about 4 times a year. Whether you have gas, electric, tank or tankless, calcium is still a problem. If you are considering a switch from a tank type heater, to a tankless unit, make sure you read, and UNDERSTAND ALL THE MANUFACTURERS RECOMENDATIONS, because if you don’t comply with their instructions, you can possibly do some serious damage to the heater, and your house. The gas models especially need to be installed exactly as the manufacturer says, or damage to the unit, or even a fire can be caused, due to the increased amount of gas required, and the flue pipe needing to be replaced. It isn’t just a simple swap out, as some people think. I have removed more units than I have installed, because after researching the problem, all the units I removed, had been installed, without regard for the manufacturers recommendations. Most of the time it is an undersized gasline, but sometimes the flue pipe was not changed out, and after pricing the suggested flue pipe, the customers went back to a tank model. If you are thinking of this option, call a professional, and make sure he has done this type of installation, before letting him or her do the job. Good luck to you!
• Water Heater Issues……..can U Help?
  If it’s clogged with sediment then maybe most of your tank is and it’s just eating the electricity to keep the sediment hot get a new water heater
• Water Heater Issues……..can U Help?
  Based on the description of the problem and if the unit itself is older I would consider a replacement. If you look at all the sludge in the bottom that is accumulated you must keep in mind that stuff is coming out in your water when you shower, wash bathe etc. Also they are find now that in tank models bacteria such as Legionaires Disease and others can thrive in a dirty tank that sits for long periods. Not Good!
  I have a tankless water heater in my home and it is the best thing ever. It provides endless hot water so you can shower all day if you want and it never runs out. My electric bill went down about 35 dollars a month also as it only turns on when you activate hot water. A tank model turns off and on all day even if you don’t use it. The water is also safer as I indicated as it is not stored and heats as you need it.
  I did a lot of research and the largest selling unit and one that I use is the Titan Tankless N-120 Water Heater. They invented it and have been in business 20 years.
  All of the information on the unit and helpful things to help you decide are on their site at http://www.titantankless.com
  Please be careful about gas models as they are DANGEROUS!
  I would stick with electric.
• Water Heater Issues……..can U Help?
  Replace the hot water heater, it’s done. There’s 3 to 4 inches
  built up on the burner plate, if you did clean it off the steel has been sacrificed.
  So how’s your harvick 29 car doing, yea mark martin is washed, NOT.
• Replacing Element In Electric Water Heater.?
  BUT is the wire feeding the htr lg enuf to handle the larger load????????????????????

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