Hot Water Heater Problem

[Jeffy3]

We have a gas water heater, the tank kind, and for some reason maybe one day a week for my morning shower I have to turn the dial as far as it goes to the hot side just to get a decent hot shower. I couldn't get burned by it if I wanted to. We haven't been using any hot water while we sleep so it can't be that there is not enough hot water in the tank. Then most other days it works fine and I could be scalded if I put it all the way to hot. I don't believe it's the plumbing in the shower I use because it can sometimes happen in our other shower. Any thoughts? It's a tank water heater and we live in a single house.

[willshak]

Jeffy3 wrote the following:

Be the first one to take a shower before the rest of the household takes theirs, or before any other hot water appliances are used..

[Pavel314]

Maybe the thermostat is going bad, turning the heat down on occasion. Or the ignition device that turns the gas on to heat it when it cools down.

[Jeffy3]

I am the first one in in the morning. That's the point. And no other appliances are being used.

[leonard hofstadter]

Hot water heater?

Why would you want to heat HOT water?

SORRY --- couldn't resist :P

[jamesgangnc]

You need to check the temp coming out of the hot water tank. Try a faucet close to the tank first thing in the morning. If the water is not hot enough and it is turned up all the way then you have a gas control valve problem in the tank. They are non-repairable. You can buy a new control valve but if you are not familiar with gas you might want to have it done by a professional. If you have to used a professional then you also want to consider the age of the watre heater and compare fixing it to the cost of replacing. The valves are usually between 50 and 100 but the service costs might not be all that much different form replacing the whole thing. The normal life expectancy is between 10 and 15 years.

If the problem really is that you run out of hot water too soon , it starts out really hot but cools down quickly, that is usually the inlet tube inside the water heater. They are plastic and sometimes detriorate. It's any easy replacement if you have enough head room over the tank to geta new one in.

[Bill who putters]

Our gas h2o heater is 40 gal and provides plenty hot water. How old is your heater ? Turning the dial is a good clue. Do you drain your heater once in awhile ? We had a 56 gal electric which did not do what the 40 gal gas does. I've gone thru I guess 5 or 6 heaters in 40 years this with Hard heavy Iron with not filters till 2 years ago. Ours just ran till they leaked. Aside I just stored the old ones in the basement as they were heavy. Township would not take them away till I got green stickers for them EG inspected. I was good to go except new plastic pipe no longer copper required a lower relief valve.

[FatterDumber& Happier Moe]

What you might try is getting the control from an old tank from a bone pile of them somewhere and change it out. I won't waste money on a new one unless the tank is like new. Unhook the gas lines, get a big ass pipe wrench and if you can get the old one out without tearing up the tank, put the new old one in hook up the gas and give it a try. Here ya go, a good video of what to do, if you want to, be ready to buy a new tank......

[hrhofmann]

Time for a new thermostat/control vlave as others have called it. If you can find a used one, use it at your own peril as it may be discarded with the same problem that you are having.

[Sam E]

You still get hot water, and much less expensively than heating cold water.