5 Reasons You Have to Wait for Hot Water
1. Distance: The farther away your hot water heater is from the faucet or shower where you want hot water, the longer it will take to get there.
2. Low Volume Restrictor: You may have a low volume restrictor installed on fixtures, like your shower, which can delay the delivery of water.
3. Failing Water Heater: Water heaters that are about 10 years old are at or approaching the end of their service life. This can mean they fail suddenly or are simply less effective at heating water.
4. Sediment Buildup: Sediment accumulates in your water heater when dissolved minerals, such as calcium and magnesium, settle on the bottom of the tank — precisely where the electric heating element or gas burner is located. With a crusty layer of sediment blocking heat transfer, the tank can’t produce hot water as quickly as it used to.
5. Undersized Water Heater: If your household has grown since you installed your water heater, you could be demanding more from it than it’s designed to handle. Upgrading to a larger unit could solve your problem.
How Long Does It Take to Get Hot Water Back?
All storage water heaters have a particular recovery time — the amount of time it takes the tank to deliver hot water again after it has been depleted. The recovery time can vary widely depending on these factors:
- - Tank Size: Larger tanks take longer to recover.
- - First Hour Rating: The higher the FHR, the less time it takes for the water heater to recover.
- - Fuel Type: Electric water heaters take about twice as long to reheat as gas models.
- - Temperature Rise: Cold incoming water takes longer to reheat than warm water.
On average, it takes an 80-gallon gas water heater about an hour to recover. The factors outlined here determine whether your water heater’s recovery time is longer or shorter than this.
How Can I Get Hot Water Faster?
A Hot Water Recirculation System
A hot water recirculation system can reduce the amount of water wasted while you’re waiting for it to heat up from the tap. A recirculating system:
- Moves water more quickly from the hot water heater to the desired tap.
- Recirculates your used water back to the heater and keeps hot water close to the faucets.
- Is activated by a timer or a thermostat.
The recirculation system can be either mounted near your faucet or attached to your water heater. The version attached to your water heater includes a pump and a timer to keep the hot water circulating.
Install a Tankless Water Heater
A tankless water heater is another option to provide on-demand hot water continuously. Offering an endless supply of hot water, tankless water heaters don’t use tanks to contain or heat water. Instead, water passes over a heating element to instantly become hot. This results in immediate access to hot water and reduced heating costs because the tank isn’t heating unused water.
In addition to whole-house tankless water heaters, there are also point-of-use tankless water heater units. These smaller units address hot water output for individual faucets and can be installed in a sink cabinet or closet. These are a good option when a water heater doesn’t have the capacity to serve the entire home.
Restore Your Home’s Hot Water Supply Today!
Call Admiral Plumbingtn at (901) 445-8495 today to schedule plumbing services in Arlington, Atoka, Bartlett, and Collierville, TN.