Any Plumbers

[fishaholic18]

I'm at my Mom's in Florida and she has a problem with the hot water. It comes and goes when it feels like it. I had none last night so I went and felt the outlet pipe from the water heater and it was hot. This morning she had hot water. Its been going on and off for about 3 days, since I've been here pretty much. I opened the drain on the tank and the water comes out clean. I was thinking air pocket, but I never get any air out of the faucets. Any ideas. The pipes look like they're inside the walls. Thanx

[Van]

Do you mean sometimes its hot, sometimes cold?
Or no water comes out (on-off)?

DOes the cold behave the same way?
On wellwater?

[fishaholic18]

Sometimes hot, sometimes cold, plenty of water all the time

[tattoobob]

I think if you fly me down I can take a look at it,

Look in the piping close to the heater and see it there is a tempering valve if there is it could be the element, does the hot water come out of a hot water heater or a boiler, if it is electric HWH some times the bottom heating element of thermostat. you will need a electrical tester with a continuity tester on it to find out.

[fishaholic18]

Originally Posted by tattoobob

I think if you fly me down I can take a look at it,

Deal BOB, it's 93 deg. and sunny.

[tattoobob]

If it is electric most likely it does not have a tempering valve, I would go out to Radio Shack and buy a 15 dollar tester and check the continuity to the two elements, 1) turn off power 2) remove the front cover/s 3) you will see 2 thermostats and behind them a large hex nut thats the element remove the 2 wires 4) Check the continuity to the elements if it doesn't ring the circut is broken and needs replacing. most likely it will be the bottom one.

Now to replace them you should drain the heater, then hit a true value store and on the side of the elements will be numbers you need to match them up, after it is drianed remove elements by unscrewing like a big nut. very easy to do. you can try to do it "on the fly" which means take the pressure off the tank and just go for it as long as no one opens a fauct it will let a little water out but will save time. do both elements if you need help I can PM you my number let me know

[Van]

Assuming its electric, It could be low voltage to the coils, if the area has huge draw from ACs.

If not, its the heater itself. You can replace the heating elements, but more often its easier to just replace the whole heater.

If the heater is working and the water is always hot, but not hot to the faucet, look for a tempering valve after the hot water feed. (it mixes hot with some cold) it will have hot and cold sater pipes going into it, and one feed going to the house, it might have a black knob on it,. If its messed up it may not be controllling the mix. Keep looking......

[fishaholic18]

OK, it's an electric hot water heater, I don't see a tempering valve but the hot water heater is in the garage and the pipes go directly into the wall. There is no basement,slab, so hopefully the pipes go into the attic, I'll look.