October, 2022 - Blue Ribbon Plumbing

Nobody wants to wait when it comes to hot water in the house. There are things you can do if your hot water isn’t heating up quickly. Here are some hot water heater tips you need to know.

Hot Water Heater Tips

5 Reasons Your Waiting For Hot Water

Distance: Hot water will take longer to reach your desired location if it is farther from the shower or faucet where it should flow.

Low volume restrictor: A low volume restrictor can be installed on fixtures like your shower to delay water delivery.

End of Service Life: A failing hot water heater is a heater that has reached the end of its service life. They can fail quickly or be less efficient at heating water. Blue Ribbon Plumbing LLC is a professional plumber who can inspect and repair your water heater. They will also determine whether it’s time to replace it.

Sediment buildup. When dissolved minerals like calcium and magnesium settle on the tank’s bottom, it can cause a blockage of heat transfer. The tank won’t be able to produce hot water as fast as it once could due to a thick crust of sediment that blocks heat transfer. A plumbing contractor can flush the hot water heater and remove sediment to improve performance and efficiency.

A small water heater: You may have installed a heater years ago, when there were only two of you living in the house. Your family may have grown over the years and your water heater might not be able to keep up with your needs. You might be able to solve your problem by upgrading to a bigger unit.

How Long Will It Take To Get Hot Water?

Storage water heaters have a specific recovery time. This time is how long it takes for hot water to be delivered again from the tank after it has been used up. There are factors that can have an impact on the recovery time:

Tank size: Larger tanks will have longer recovery time.

Rating for the first hour: The faster the FHR is, the quicker the water heater will recover.

Type of fuel: It takes twice as long for electric water heaters to heat up than gas models.

Temperature rise: It takes more time to heat cold water than warm water.

It takes an average 80-gallon gas heater approximately an hour to recover.

HOW DO I GET HOT WATER FASTER?

Hot Water Recirculation Systems

Hot water recirculation systems can help reduce water waste while you wait for the water to heat up at the tap. Recirculating systems:

Water moves faster from the hot water heater to your desired tap

You can recirculate your water back to the heater, and keep hot water close by the faucets.

It is activated by a thermostat or a timer

You can mount the recirculation system near your faucet, or attach it to your water heater. Attached to the water heater, this version includes a pump and timer to circulate hot water.

Install a tankless water heater

Another option is a tankless water heater, which can provide hot water on demand. Tankless water heaters provide an unlimited supply of hot water. They don’t require tanks to heat or store water. Instead, the water is heated by heating elements and passed through them.

This results in instant hot water access and lower heating costs. The tank doesn’t heat unused water.

There are point-of-use and whole-house tankless water heating units as well as tankless water heaters. These units can be mounted in a closet or sink cabinet and provide hot water for individual faucets. These units are an excellent option for homes where a hot water heater is not sufficient.

Learn if a tankless water heating system is right for you.

It is vital to choose an efficient water heater system that will also provide hot water. Water heaters can make up as much as 25% of homes’ energy consumption. Blue Ribbon Plumbing LLC will help you find the right water heater for your needs.

RESTORE YOUR HOT WATER SUPPLY IN YOUR HOME RIGHT NOW!

Blue Ribbon Plumbing LLC offers a wide range of water heater services. Our plumbers are available to help you with any water heater repair or tune-up.

Call Blue Ribbon Plumbing LLC now if you need the help of a professional plumber.

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Blue Ribbon Plumbing LLC
4201 Carolina Exchange Drive Suite 202
Myrtle Beach, SC 29579
(843) 267-9733

Home – Myrtle Beach Plumber

Serving all of Horry County including Myrtle Beach, North Myrtle Beach, Little River, Murrells Inlet/Garden City, Surfside Beach, Carolina Forest/Forestbrook, Conway/Aynor

If you take care of your hot water heater, electric or gas, they will last between 8 and 12 years.

There is always the possibility that your water heater might leak. The good news is that most water heater leaks are small and can be fixed quickly.

The best part?

To make the process even simpler, there are several things you can do prior to calling a plumber.

Reasons For A Broken Hot Water Heater

Hot water heater leaks are most commonly due to the following:

Broken drain valves could trigger the water to leak from the bottom of the tank. You can easily fix them by replacing the damaged drain valve.

The buildup of sediment can cause cracking and corrosion in the tank’s bottom. It’s time to replace your water heater when this happens.

Leakage can be caused by loose water line connections. The problem can be corrected by replacing or tightening the worn water lines.

Broken pressure/temperature valves: These valves, as their name implies, monitor and regulate water heaters’ temperature and pressure. They can break and cause water leakage from the tank’s sides.

Water heater leaks can be caused by many other factors. Contacting a professional like Blue Ribbon Plumbing LLC is the best way to find out what’s causing your leaky water heater and how to fix it.

WHAT TO DO IF A WATER HEATER ELECTRIC LEAK IS FOUND

According to expert plumbing contractors, here are the steps to take if your water heater leaks:

If you discover a hot water leak, you must immediately cut off the power. Turn off the power source that is causing the hot water leakage

Locate your gas water heater thermostat. There should be a small knob with three settings: OFF, ON, and PILOT. To turn off the gas, switch it to OFF/PILOT. This will make the heater safe for use.

Electric water heater: Look at your breaker panel for the breaker marked “water heater”. To turn off the unit’s power, switch it off.

Shut off the water. Locate the cold water line that leads to the heater and turn it off. The line should have a valve. Turn it to the right until the valve closes. This will shut off the water supply and allow you to move on to the next stage.

Drain your water tank: This is essential if you have a tank water heater. This is also the most difficult step.

Attach a garden hose or a drain valve to the bottom of your water heater.

Then, run the hose to a sump pit or floor drain.

Once the hose is in place, you could open up the valve. For an older hot water heater, this may appear like a standard tap; on newer systems, there’s a drain stem that accepts a screwdriver.

NOTE: If you open the drain valve, the water may not flow properly or stop flowing. This is due to a vacuum inside the water heater.

Open any hot water tap in your house to break the vacuum. This will allow air to enter the tank, allowing it to drain faster. The whole tank should drain within an hour after you have established a good flow.

After the water heater has been drained, call a plumber to get a hot water heater repair service. We will quickly locate the source of the leakage and fix it.