According to our energy service advisors, your water heater accounts for 14-20% of your electric bill. Try out these tips from
The most common problem with water heaters, particularly gas ones, is that they keep turning off, even though they seem to be working properly. This can be due to various issues, such as problems with the gas supply, a dirty or damaged thermocouple, a clogged pilot tube, or issues with the main control valve.
Many volume water heaters have a 5:1 or 3:1 turndown ratio. This means that, for example, an 850,000 BTUH water heater with a 5:1 turndown can operate down to 170,000 BTUH—below that, it cycles on and off. This low capacity cycling can occur under low loads and even no-load periods due to the recirculating system.
If your water heater is constantly running the first thing you should do is check the unit and the pipes immediately around it for leaks. Your water heater might have insufficient insulation – If the water heater is not properly insulated, it will be unable to maintain the water temperature.
Water heating times vary — it may happen instantly, or it could take 60–80 minutes. It all depends on the type of water heater you're using.
Why Is My Water Heater Constantly Running? In the average home, the water heater will run for about three hours each day. Total run time can range from one to two hours for new tankless water heaters to five or more hours for older tank style water heaters.
A basic water heater will run three to five hours a day to keep its tank heated 24/7.
If your hot water heater temperature switches between hot and cold, there may be a problem with the control thermostat. Your water heater has two thermostats, an upper and lower. Fluctuations between hot and cold temperatures indicate that only the upper water heater circuit is working.
Problems with your dip tube.
The dip tube is a part of your water heater's tank. The dip tube is responsible for bringing cold water into the tank from the water line, but when it's cracked, broken, or otherwise damaged, that cold water can leak out and mix with the hot water, lowering the temperature.
Hot Water Shortage
Finding yourself running out of hot water more quickly than usual is often a sign that your water heater is on its last legs. When water heaters start to go bad, they often lose their ability to heat water properly, which can result in shorter showers and less hot water overall.
It's generally best to avoid turning your water heater off too regularly. Some homeowners try to save money by switching off their water heaters when they don't need them, but the savings are unlikely to be significant enough to justify the additional wear and tear on your machine.
Whenever the unit needs to start heating, the pilot automatically turns on and then shuts off again as soon as the heating cycle is complete. As such, intermittent pilots never need to be relit since they don't stay on constantly. Some water heaters also use a direct spark ignition system.
For the physical tank and parts, a hot water heater turns on and off frequently during it's operation and won't suffer any damage from the switching, with the possible exception of the controls themselves.
A faulty thermocouple is the most common reason a gas water heater will continually shut down. The thermocouple allows gas to flow to the burner when it detects that the pilot light is lit.
Intermittent hot water is usually one of two things; a faulty heating element, or slow overall heating coupled with demand elsewhere. If your wife or kids took a shower before you ran your bath, they may have drained the tank of hot water leaving none for you.
The most common reason for this often occurring issue is a blockage in the hot water heat exchanger located inside the boiler. Most probably because of sludge buildup in the heating system.
Faulty or burned out heating elements is one of the main reasons why your hot water goes cold quickly. Old or burned out elements account for the reduction of hot water and will cause your hot water to go cold quickly or not have any hot water at all.
The most obvious cause of fluctuating water temperatures, according to Abrams, is simply “running low on hot water from the water heater.” He says, “This happens if you're last in line for a shower at your house, or if you have an undersized water heater.
What does it mean if the water heater is not producing hot water? It is possible that the circuit breaker tripped or a fuse blew, so check those first if you are not getting hot water from your water heater. If that's not the issue, then it could be that the heating element has burned out and needs to be replaced.
Over time, sediment builds up at the bottom of the tank. When the water is heated, the sediments harden. As a result, you can hear banging or rumbling noises from inside the heater. This is a sign that you need to get a new hot water heater, as its nearing the end of its operational lifespan.
The majority of modern combi boilers are only actively burning fuel when required to produce hot water. This means that you can leave them on all the time without using up gas or oil when not required.
Typically, a hot water heater that uses a tank will run for three to five hours per day. So, a 4,000-watt heater used for three hours a day at $. 10 per kWh will cost $1.20 per day, about $36.50 per month, or $438 per year.
A small amount of heat escapes when the water heater is turned on, even though it's well insulated. Typically, this loss of energy is about 10 percent of your bill. If you were to turn off your water heater, you could save that 10 percent and prevent additional energy loss.
Are you running out of hot water quicker than you used to? That's usually caused by a bad dip tube. But, if you have an electric water heater, the culprit could also be broken heating elements or a faulty thermostat.
For instance, a typical shower uses about 10 gallons of hot water. So, if you have a 40-gallon hot water tank, you should be able to get four average-length showers out of your hot water tank. This also depends on how much hot water you use for other things.