Running Out of Hot Water Too Soon?

Being stuck with nothing but cold water in the winter is more than just an inconvenience, but it could mean that you are having issues with your water heater. There are a couple different reasons your home lacks enough hot water, and knowing what it might be can lead you to the next step.

Large families at least have a valid reason for running out of hot water. The greater number of people that use the hot water, the sooner it runs out. It then takes a little more time for the fresh water to be heated before being able to take that warm shower.

Regardless of the size of your household, running out of hot water too soon could come from a problem with your water heater. Most water heaters have two heating elements, with one at the top and one at the bottom. That top heating element is used to heat water repeatedly near the top of the tank, while the lower heater is used to heat all the water and to keep it at a constant temperature.

When that bottom heating element stops working as it should, that leaves you with only the heat water at the top of the tank. You will experience hot water like you normally would, but it will rush out and you will be left with all the unheated water.

Sometimes homeowners might experience spurts of hot water with spurts of cold water. The cause of this inconsistency may be because of a sediment buildup in the water heater. Sediment buildup in the tank means there is less space for hot water, plus the sediment might absorb the heat that is meant for the water.

Running out of hot water completely shows that your household has been using hot water faster than the water heater can warm up more. This problem may not have any technical reasoning, but maybe your water heater is just too small. If you expect to be using a lot of hot water, you may need to upgrade your water heater.

Last, another issue is that you may not be getting any hot water at all. Not just running out of hot water, but not having any to begin with. The cause of this has something to do with the water heater’s thermostat. It is possible to reset your water heater just by pushing a button, and you can set the thermostat to your desired temperature, and you will have hot water again.

Hot water is extremely important to you and your family, and you miss it as soon as it’s gone. For more information on water heaters, call the professionals at Sunrise Heating and Plumbing today at (616) 293-9326. We pride ourselves in providing nothing but exceptional customer service.