Water Heaters - Heater Will Not Maintain Temp

Hello,

I have a gas hot water heater that will not maintain it's temp. The heater is 2 years old. If the hot water has not been used for 4-5 hours, the water starts to cool off. Once I run the hot water for 1-2 min, the heater will bring the the water back up to the preset temp

Thanks in advance

Where are you checking the water temp. at??

If you are looking at the temp. out of a faucet, the water laying in the pipes IS going to cool off in 4-5 hours. You run the hot water through that valve for a minute or so, and the cool water in the pipes will be run down the drain, and the hot water from the tank will show up as hot water.

stephen4269, Welcome to the DIY Forums.
As lefty said, water lays in the lines until called for. If you want instant hot water from all your fixtures you would have to have a circulating pump. That translates to work and money. Not worth it for the average homeowner. I had two water heaters in my house when I moved in. Took one out and now wait a little longer for hot water but cost savings of not running another electric heater is WELL worth the wait. Good luck.

You can also install a hot water demand system, like this one:

http://www.gothotwater.com/

I am checking the temp out of a faucet. After running the faucet for 10 min, the temp does not change. It stays cool(~105 F)

Has the red thermostat dial been turned down? You might need to turn up the temperature on this control.

Is this a condition of all faucets or just 1?

stephen4269,

Right off of the top, I'm guessing that the WH is doing exactly what it's being told to do. On the gas valve, you'll see a dial for adjusting the water temp. Turn that up to between "A" and "B". What you are after is a water temp. between 120 and 130 degrees. Any hotter than that, and you run the risk of people getting scalded.

I'm assuming that the temp. of 105 is what you have everywhere in the house, but majakdragon brings up a good point. If this problem is isolated to just one faucet, and the rest of them are fine, (water tempt between 120 and 130), then you might have a partial blockage in the line to that one faucet. It may be in the shut off valve, if there is one, or in the faucet itself.

Check the water temp. at ALL of the faucets. If it's 105 everywhere, then turn up the thermostat on the gas valve of the WH. If it's only low at one faucet or valve, then look for a blockage at that faucet or valve.

The same temp is at ALL faucets. Also, the hot water heater is set on "B".

Thanks again.