Water Heaters - Water Heater or Clogged Piping?
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Hambone02
11-13-06, 07:34 PM
I recently purchased a 70+ year old house. It has an old (10yrs) water heater, and old galvanized steel water lines. Today, the hot water pressure throughout the house completely disappeared. I went downstairs into the basement and looked around. I felt the pipe from the water heater and it was hot. However, it was only hot to a point. When it t's off to the different service points of the house the pipe is no longer hot at all. Yet prior to it t-ing off, the pipe is very hot (about 10-12 ft of pipe). If I wait a couple of hours, I will get a little trickle that lasts about 20 seconds. Then, no more water. Is it probable that my pipe is clogged just before the 't' and seeping, or is it more likely the water heater?
rjordan392
11-14-06, 02:20 PM
It's most likely the water heater is clogged. Turn back the thermostat to off and turn off the pilot. Turn off the gas supply to the water heater and leave off until this problem is fixed.
Water heaters last about 10 to 15 years. I would consider replacing it. You have a clog either in the hot water line or right inside the tank where the hot water leaves the tank. I am inclined to believe its in the tank.
But if I am wrong, then there's only one way to find out. You will have to disconnect the water connections at the top of tank and find a way to re-connect the cold water line directly to the hot water line, bypassing the heater. Then go to the nearest hot water faucet and turn it on. Now slowly open the cold water valve to see if you get a good stream. The results will tell you if its the lines or the tank.
If you replace the tank yourself, make sure there is a hot water faucet open when you are filling the tank to bleed all the air out. This was not done when two amaturer installers tried it and ending up getting killed over it by the resulting explosion. When all the air is removed and you see a good stream, then its safe to fire up the water heater. After you do this, go around the house and bleed off any air left in the lines on both the cold and hot water faucets.
Water heaters last about 10 to 15 years. I would consider replacing it. You have a clog either in the hot water line or right inside the tank where the hot water leaves the tank. I am inclined to believe its in the tank.
But if I am wrong, then there's only one way to find out. You will have to disconnect the water connections at the top of tank and find a way to re-connect the cold water line directly to the hot water line, bypassing the heater. Then go to the nearest hot water faucet and turn it on. Now slowly open the cold water valve to see if you get a good stream. The results will tell you if its the lines or the tank.
If you replace the tank yourself, make sure there is a hot water faucet open when you are filling the tank to bleed all the air out. This was not done when two amaturer installers tried it and ending up getting killed over it by the resulting explosion. When all the air is removed and you see a good stream, then its safe to fire up the water heater. After you do this, go around the house and bleed off any air left in the lines on both the cold and hot water faucets.