Plumbing- water not hot NSR

[natebob]

For a while now, the hot water coming out of all the faucets and showers has not been as warm as it was. My hot water heater seems to be working right, and is set to about 135 degrees F on both the upper and lower thermostat. The water coming out of the faucets is 114 degrees. A plumber told me that is maybe due to the faucets and showers getting mineral build up over time. He said faucets that mix the hot and cold water instead of having separate controls for hot and cold are especially prone to this, and it affects the faucets ability to deliver hot water. I'm tired of lukewarm showers. Any thoughts o this?

[SnowMachine]

You've made me curious. I think my water heater is set higher.

You're always going to have losses through pipe runs. Are your hot water runs insulated?

[Core Shot]

Every faucet? Bullshit.

Drain some water out of the heater and put a thermometer in it.

[EWG]

Sounds like you have water heater issues. How old is it? Made between 1993 and 1997? I'd guess either you have a bunch of sediment on the bottom of the tank or your dip tube is falling apart (meaning the cold water is coming into the top rather than the bottom of the tank.) Tons of dip tube issues in that date range...

[Stuntmonkey]

How old is the tank? They generally last about 5-8 years these days. I had a slow leak coming out of the discharge valve in mine, ended up replacing the valve. Had a peek inside there was an absolutely fuckload of scale built up. Ended up replacing the whole thing for $900.

[counterfeitfake]

Very suspicious of your water heater. Replacing them has been an easy DIY job in my experience.

Sounds like you have water heater issues. How old is it? Made between 1993 and 1997?

You're wondering if it's 30 years old? I guess anything is possible but I think almost all heaters will fail before this age. Longest warranty I see on typical new heaters is 12 years.

[RAB3]

Every faucet? Bullshit.

Drain some water out of the heater and put a thermometer in it.

I’d start here ^
I had similar symptoms and it was just a bad/corroded WH element

[BCMtnHound]

You're wondering if it's 30 years old? I guess anything is possible but I think almost all heaters will fail before this age. Longest warranty I see on typical new heaters is 12 years.

I replaced the hot water heater in this house 5yrs ago. It was original and the house was built in 1970. Electric. Town water is reasonably soft. Maybe an anomaly, and likely had an element or two replaced over the years, but the tank was original.

For the OP, could be any number of issues. Test the elements (electric), drain and /or replace the anode. Could be pipes, but I doubt it. Replacing an electric hot water tank is a 4 gorilla job. Gorilla cause even empty they are a bit heavy.

[RShea]

You do not have a single faucet that is hot water on the left with a separate knob to test the theory of the mix faucets that are popular in the kitchen sink, many bath showers and also some bathroom sinks. Is the water going into your washer hot (when of course you use the hot water option and not warm or cold water)?

As stated I'd suspect there are tank issues or some clogging in the pipes. If the hot water pipers are not insulated, feel along any that are exposed and in view and see if the water is heating up the pipes also...

Drain some water from the tank directly and check for temperature, see if there is any amount of sediment and may have to look at the other parts like mentioned dip tube or something.

[old goat]

I have a 48 year old house with two knob valves in one shower and a single handled (pressure balanced) in the other. No problem with the hot water in either. Both are original to the house. (Odd that the guy who built the house used a pressure balanced valve before it was required by code, since he cheaped out on just about every thing else.

[natebob]

Thanks for the suggestions everyone. I think the tank is at least 7 years old. I'd like to just fix it if it's one of the more simple problems you all have pointed to, don't want to junk it if not necessary. It's a little above my skill level and time to mess with, but if it is 7+ years old, maybe replacing is the best long term option.

[Core Shot]

7 ain’t that old.
20 is where it gets sketch. Mostly on the bottom rotting out and flooding your house.

It’s probably a whacky tstat.

You have two. So it’s electric. Obviously.

Crank them up until you get hot water. The numbers on the dial aren’t perfect. This ain’t digital.
Add 10 degrees to the setting and then check output temp.
replacing an element or tstat isn’t hard.

[XXX-er]

Think I'm going to preemptively replace the water heater ( gas fired ) next summer cuz its 12+ years old

if you replace a heater its really cheap to put a catch pan under the new unit which i had the plumbing & heating guy do when he put in an HE furnace

[El Chupacabra]

Think I'm going to preemptively replace the water heater ( gas fired ) next summer cuz its 12+ years old

Me too. Ours is original, I think - house was built in 1994, but only occasionally occupied until 2008. Original owner never finished the interior, just did enough to get a C of O and would stay here sometimes and do a little work here and there. People who bought it 2007/8 finished the interior.

The water heater has a drain pan with a pipe running to a floor drain (sloped concrete floor in utility room), and drain exits in a shallow sump outside in the yard. I don't know why.

[XXX-er]

The water heater has a drain pan with a pipe running to a floor drain (sloped concrete floor in utility room), and drain exits in a shallow sump outside in the yard. I don't know why.

In case of a tank failure the drain pan mitigates the leakage and deals with the water ,

I ve seen a tank failure also a failed sump pump wreck carpets & drywall for a hassle of an insurance claim

[El Chupacabra]

More specifically, I meant that I don't know why they built a drain in the floor of my basement utility room. But it's kind of a nice emergency feature.

[BCMtnHound]

More specifically, I meant that I don't know why they built a drain in the floor of my basement utility room. But it's kind of a nice emergency feature.

Can’t speak to your codes, but for us: “Where gravity drainage to a sewer, drainage ditch or dry well is possible, a floor drain shall be installed in a basement forming part of a dwelling unit.”

I have such a drain, connected to the town’s sewer. It has a trap that I make sure doesn’t dry out to prevent sewer gas venting. It is also where I drain the hot water tank when I needed to replace it, or to perform any tank flushing.

[XXX-er]

BCH if you remember that hillside above town where the Hillside pub ( i think the gov used to drink up there ) was you would think it would be dry cuz its up on a hill but actualy there are all kinds of water issues up there apparently from springs so if you don't have at least 1 sump pump your basement would flood which i experianced when the impeller rusted off the end of the shaft of GFs sump pump

[BCMtnHound]

BCH if you remember that hillside above town where the Hillside pub ( i think the gov used to drink up there ) was you would think it would be dry cuz its up on a hill but actualy there are all kinds of water issues up there apparently from springs so if you don't have at least 1 sump pump your basement would flood which i experianced when the impeller rusted off the end of the shaft of GFs sump pump

Remember the pub, never knew about the water issues, but that doesn’t surprise me. It’s what you get when you build a town on a swamp to avoid the land speculation around nice gravelly, well-drained Telkwa. At least where Smithers ended up allows for a nice ski run right into town from HBM.