How to repair a weak hot water heater, by replacing the dip tube
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- Опубликовано: 18 ноя 2011
- Have you noticed that your water heater isn't able to produce the volume of hot water that it once did? One of the commonest causes of this is a broken dip tube, inside the tank. Replacing the dip tube is an easy and inexpensive fix. This shows a step by step example of this repair. Edit: Several people in the audience suggested that I missed the opportunity to install unions at the connection points, which would have allowed easier replacement of the water heater in the future. They are right about that and I would recommend that be done also.
This video is posted for entertainment purposes, and is not a comprehensive instructional guide. I am not a professional plumber, and so if you intend to do this yourself you will need to study this topic in more depth from multiple sources before trying it yourself. The accuracy of the appended information is not guaranteed, and you need to check your local plumbing code before proceeding with any attempted repair. Any misadventure resulting from your attempt to accomplish any plumbing repair is your responsibility. 
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Amazing video. Just what we needed. Our dip tube was totally wrecked...almost severed from the fitting...obviously the problem. We have just replaced it thanks to your help. Saved us the $1500 it would have cost to replace the tank (which was the recommendation made by the service company we called.... verbatim... "We don't replace the dip tube in a hot water heater. You need to install a new tank.) This is the third time this year that the internet has saved us big bucks on home maintenance issues.
Of course not, the plumber wanted to make a lot of money selling you a new unit. You may want to call this same plumber and inform him you didn't need a new unit, just a dip tube that you installed yourself, also remind him
he's a dipstick for not installing a dip tube..
Katharine Redmond 👍
@@dukeman7595LOL! I LIKE THAT!
Really thorough and informative. I especially appreciated your slowing down the instructions coupled with explanations as to why the procedures were done as you did them. Thank you!
Just wanted to say thanks for the video. You saved me $600+ from replacing a water heater.
I have a 6 year old Rheem so my dip tube is a bit different than the one in your video however I was able to get enough information to figure it out.
My tube was broken off at the connector just like what was shown in your video.
I now have nice hot water again for about $10.
My symptoms were;
1) Hot water runs out in about 10 minutes of use.
2) When draining the hot water tank the water didn't turn cold until after 5 minutes of draining. It should have turned cold much sooner.
3) The cold water inlet pipe was hot. It's normal to be warm for 12 or so inches up the pipe, but it shouldn't be "hot".
4) It took 2 mins. 30 seconds when hot water was running before the burner lite.
After replacement of the dip tube all my symptoms are gone.
+CJ Harley Hey, thanks for the feedback, I'm glad it helped.
Thanks for the video. I'm pretty handy, but had never heard of this. I'll be ready if this ever happens to me or someone who asks me to troubleshoot an issue.
Thanks so much for this vid. I have a 13 year old A.O. Smith unit from 2000 that wasn't producing as much hot water as it used to. I really wanted to see if it was the dip tube so I bought one for $4 at a local plumbing supply store (couldn't find one at any retail store). Also bought from Home Depot nipples, a 24" braided line with a Sharkbite connector, and a female to female 3/4" Sharkbite coupling. Had to cut the cold-in pipe, and was able to get the old nipple out with a big pipe wrench. I looked in with a flashlight and could tell it was cracked and in bad shape. I was able to pull the dip tube out in once piece, although it was cracked/shredded from top to bottom. I installed the new one and reconnected everything using all the extra parts I bought (I really thought it all through beforehand - exactly how I was going to hook everything back up). I'm very happy to say we are now enjoying lots of hot water again!!
Good for you, I like your idea of using flexible connections and unions so that you can replace the water heater in the future with less trouble. Thanks for the feedback!
That's absolutely correct, Mike. You've said it very succinctly, a brevity which escaped me during filming. Thank you for emphasizing that critical point.
Thank you. It was a worthwhile and lasting repair, allowing us to lower the thermostat temp and allowing longer showers with a net energy saving.
One plumber told us we needed a new water heater. Another told us we had clogged pipes. I replaced the dip tube yesterday and we have hot water again. Thanks for your informative and useful video. In your face, plumbers.
That happens in automotive repair, too! In fairness, I can see it from both sides of the equation. For the plumber to just replace the dip tube he would have to charge you at least a full hour of labour, and even then there's a chance it wouldn't work, it might leak, etc. Then the client is angry if the tank needs to be replaced anyway a short time later. One angry customer can tell hundreds of his friends about the miserable experience. When they replace the whole tank, they can offer a warranty, the risk is the same, the customer is more often satisfied, and they make more money. Of course the economics change for guys like us, who can discount labour and do home repair ourselves. Thanks for following up!
Thank you for this video! Best I've seen on replacing a dip tube!
You're welcome!
Great video definitely going to look into that this weekend thank you so much for posting this video
awesome job, thank you for your time and effort on sharing this very informative video, thank you once again
Very informative, thank you. I was a little disappointed that there wasn't a final test, timing the speed of response to see how much quicker it was than the first test. But I suppose I can do that myself now. Thanks again.
Great video! Great explanation of how the heater works too! Thanks for sharing!
+Johnny B Good Thanks, it's an interesting corner of the house when you know how it all works.
This is a great video. Very informative!
I'm glad you brought that interesting issue up, and I largely agree. Those sleeves are not so easy to find in my locale, so I just reproduced what is common practice in this community. Historically, it was not uncommon to use copper piping as a main building electrical ground, and electrical code also requires any electrical connections at the tank and tank frame to also be grounded. In that setting, electrical isolation at only the water pipe has limited value.
Very helpful video! Thank you.
wow - what a great video - well explained, great quality, nice and slow, step by step - exceptional. Also love that there are no flashy animations, etc - just right to the point. And you remind me of lian neeson...
great job-
Thank you. I don't know much about tankless systems, except they are hard to retrofit if your basement is already finished. It's a cool idea, an idea of the future.
Thanks.. you just literally saved me an unplanned water heater purchase! Changing the dip tube only took an hour for me. Thanks for saving me almost $1000!!!
Great story! Thanks for the feedback.
This was a really fantastic video. Thank you for making it.
Thanks!
You're very right, I didn't have a union handy but it's an excellent suggestion. Regarding wiping the joints, do you mean prepping the joints with flux? Of course I put flux on before the solder -- I thought that would be obvious so I cut that part from the video. Looking at how well the solder wicks into the joint you know that I did it. Thanks for your comment, it's great to have guys with experience sifting through these.
Thanks you to!!! I know I have a bad dip tube and its easy to replace!! Good video, good presenter, thanks !!
This guy is a good teacher.
Fantastic Video. Thanks !!
Great video!
You make a very good point, and I envy how much faster those are. In my current home, all the water lines are plastic, but they change to copper 18" before each water tank connection. I wonder if that is a local guideline, for added earthquake safety -- we live on a major fault line. The tank is well strapped.
Really good video. Good content. Thank you.
That's a kind remark, thank you James.
I didn't have one. But the next time I do it again, I probably will. Thanks for your comment!
Nice job!
very nice explanation. thank you.
Excellent video. Good job! I just wanted to point out your temperature and pressure relief valve extension should go down to within six inches of the floor.
Thanks for posting that note here, those details are worth remembering. I've been surprised how detailed the regulations are for water tank installations, not to mention the differences between states and countries.
Professional presentation of the issue !
+liviu holca Thanks, man.
Very concise and explanatory video...your symptom description was exactly what I suffered. Did the job step by step as you laid it out and the job is complete. My dip tube was broken off the same place as yours in the video. Probably saved myself a couple of hundred bucks at least of plumbers fees.
+Rick McLaren Many plumbers simply replace the tank, so you probably saved more than that. Thanks for watching!
+spelunkerd Thanks for such an amazing video! Very helpful!
You're welcome, I'm glad it helped.
fantastic video! Thank you so much.
Great clip. Thank you.
That was great. I have that identical hot water heater. Very helpful.
very informative video. thanks for posting.
Thanks.
Well done thanks
As comedian George Carlan (sp?) always said: "You don't need a Hot Water Heater - You need a Cold Water Heater" - lol
Well put, ha ha! As scatterbrained as the title is, I left it alone because it corresponds to a common Google search phrase. In the end it is all about finding people who are looking for a solution to a problem, and if bad grammar hooks up those wanting to watch then I'll accept that. I don't think "cold water heater' would get as many hits, (grin).
Well done!
Very informative video. Thanks!
+Rent To Own Homes Lima Ohio You're welcome, thank you for the followup.
Thank you...this helped me out a lot!
You're welcome.
good video, thank you...
wonderful video, thanks.
You're welcome, thanks for the followup.
I like it, didn't know about that. Thank you for the information.
Thanks, I find it an intriguing topic, too.
This video is very helpful so thanks for sharing. You mentioned at the very end to watch leaks. So what if there's leak coming out from the top? This is what's happening to my water boiler. I started seeing water coming from the top by hot water pipe. Your help is appreciated.
That happened to me once before, when I had already used three turns of teflon tape, and I asked a plumber for advice. He advised that I add pipe dope on top of the teflon tape. Pipe dope is a paste form of multipurpose thread sealant, widely available in plumbing stores. Unfortunately you need to start by removing the pipe again, and use a round wire brush to clean the threads again very carefully, to remove tiny particles of rust that might interfere with your goal of a tight fit. Then tighten the connection down as firmly as you can. That worked great for me.
Many have suggested here that I should have used a union above the tank connections to make dismantling easier. In retrospect I think that is very wise advice.
Thank you
Thanks for the video. The dip tube was my issue. Fixed and now have hot water.
You're welcome, it's nice to hear stories like this.
You might want to change out that old 1987 to 89 Amerex fire extinguisher it's past due on the Hydro test...
thank you for the great video.
You're welcome. I often wonder why the dip tube is made of plastic that
becomes so brittle with age. Presumably manufacturers don't care, as
long as the tube lasts longer than the general warranty on the tank.
I wish I had seen this last week. It would have saved me $1000, and kept another water heater out of the landfill. Thanks for posting.
Thank you!
thanks so much
Thank you. That describes the symptoms exactly.
I hope it works out for you. The hardest part is twisting that nut off, it's on there really tight and the whole tank tends to move.
Great job I did Not know this
@timi0000 As far as I know, there's no easy way to tell. But when you turn on the hot, the heater should fire up quickly, with no delay like I showed here. The tube should flood that thermostat with cold and it should start. There will, of course, be some natural variance with that test depending on where in the cycle the water temp is at. A new tube is so cheap that by the time you open the system up you may as well change it. Fractured dip tubes are really common.
Easier than I thought it would be.. Local hardware stores dont have the Dip Tube, tho.. I went to Menards, Home Depot and was directed to Furgesons plumbing supply ( I live in Franklin WI). They had one left. If you need this may I suggest you take a picture of the tank, specs on the side of the tank and the whold connection. They guy would have had a hard time finding the part, but, my picture of the specs saved the day.. I got an "Attaboy" for that one.
Good advice! I'm not surprised these maintenance supplies are now hard to find. Few people are willing to put in the effort.
I'm dealing with this too. Sucks.
, great advice. I think I am going to look at the specks. Order the parts and have everything ready for the job. Then I don't have to worry about my wife telling me I should have bought a new one and hired a plumber.
I did the same. Replacing the dip tube which was broken.
very very good jobs and thanks
+Ka Shem Thanks!
Nice video friend, just a small tip, the drip tube coming from your pressure temp valve should be minimum one foot off the ground. Yours looks pretty high. Take care.
@SuperRedhat123 Thank you. Today I posted a description of how I replaced the anode rod on the same heater, with some details of the chemistry behind why that might prolong the life of your heater. I hope you have time to check it out.
Dave
thank you...
thanks for your video.i just fixed my water heater tank
You're welcome, I'm glad it helped.
Have a look at the burner plate under the tank as well. Sometimes you get debris that interferes with heat transfer there.
Hi thanks for getting back to me and yes its on all hot water fossets my water tank is 9 years old they told me i woud need replace it but i wanted to try changid the dip the pressure on cold water is great no problem there just on hot little pressure.
In that case, double check that the shutoff valve leading to the water heater is completely open. All of these tanks have a drain valve to flush debris from the tank -- you could carefully check flow there, but watch out that you don't burn yourself. I'm not referring to the high pressure relief valve, I mean the tank drain valve. It would be safer if the heater were turned off before checking, so water spraying out of the valve would not be at scalding temp. you can drain water into a bucket there to see what the flow is. Low flow means the obstruction is proximal to the tank, high flow means the obstruction is distal to the tank. High flow there means the dip tube is not obstructed, but it could be something jammed at the hot water exit pipe that takes water from the tank to faucets. I suppose a fragment of a damaged dip tube could be blocking exit....
It's just a pipe wrench that I got at Home depot about 10 years ago (seen at 7:13 of the video). Novel design, works great, but any medium sized pipe wrench would work just as well.
Good video. One thing you forgot to do, and is a required building code in all states is to use dielectric fittings. One on the cold water inlet and one on hot water outlet. The fittings in the tank are steel. When you connect the copper pipes to those steel fittings rust much like the rod you just replaced tends to build up at this point. These fittings have a nylon pressure barrier that doesn’t let the steel and copper touch. Water and metals of all types don’t get along rust always wins. We can only delay the rust but never eliminate it. That’s why the rod was invented and these dielectric fittings. To better understand this look up dielectric fittings and why they are used. Remember, these are mandatory building code requirements for all states.
Sometimes a 'union' is used, that makes it a lot easier to disconnect and reconnect. If you read the comments a few professionals suggested using a union rather than soldered joints. Whatever is used needs to be water tight.
I just replaced the dip tube
thank you.
You're welcome, thanks for the reply.
Evidently Google still hasn't fixed the glitch that won't allow us to respond directly to some viewers' questions. This is in response to John Antonio's question about my strange looking pipe wrench. It grips the cylindrical pipe, allowing me to tighten the threads. Any pipe wrench would do.
Thank you for the video, very well done. My hot water heater is only 2 years old and I am experiencing the same symptoms as a failed dip tube. I will investigate tomorrow, thank you sir
Good luck! Please drop by and let us know how it went.
While you had the copper apart, did you consider putting a tee in instead of a sleeve? This way you could have added a good ball valve for the humidifier and eliminated the risk of a leaky saddle valve. Upon installing my last water heater I added a shutoff on the hot side to make working on it easier next time. Dielectric unions eliminate the need for solder as well.
Those are good thoughts. Yeah, the next time I do it I'll likely do as you describe. I did eventually modify the saddle valve to a full soldered copper tee here. Were I to do it again I'd use a union to make replacement easier.
That's a good question, I don't know. If the dip tube is working correctly the thermostat should quickly switch, and after I did the repair it cycled on within about 30-40 sec. But I only did that little experiment twice, and not knowing where in it's duty cycle the water in the tank was, the result was not necessarily conclusive. I didn't know what my dip tube would look like, so it was an educated guess that it was bad. The risk you take is that you could damage threads and not get it to seal.
@TheKeyboardKowboy @TheKeyboardKowboy You are absolutely right, thank you. This week I searched all over my city for a replacement anode rod for my gas heater, and not one retail or wholesale store sell them. Most knew what they were, and mine is definitely there. When I asked why they are no longer sold, most retailers said that the stock sat without moving. These days, water heaters are not built to last as long, and I suspect the anode rod may not be the limiting factor. ?planned obsolesence?
there is s site called waterheaterrescue.com that sells every kind of anode and dip tube you will ever need.
A dielectric union is recommended and often code. This will allow future tightening and over heating of the diptube can be avoided.
Good point.
Excellent video! Subscribed...
Thanks, nice to meet you.
Same here! I am a DIYer and I noticed the other day that my shower was not as hot as usual. been dragging my feet, but I did start doing some research today and came across your video. Watched a few more of your videos and decided to subscribe. I like that you explain things. I always want to why something does what it does! :) thanks for the videos!
tennwhitetrash Welcome aboard, I appreciate your feedback. Google is still having trouble with it's comment system, I didn't find this one until I stumbled across it later.
@DKDaniels1 Rock-like calcium deposits form within the water heater and when the water circulates around the tank, those rocks bang around inside the tank. As part of general maintenance you should drain your tank occasionally, and you may spill some gravel when you do that. But it's no harm to your system and if it doesn't drain easily I would ignore it. If you have ample heat, replacing the dip tube may not help.
I finally found, and got around to changing out the anode rod on my water heater. The appended video response goes into how and why it might be worthwhile.
Yes. Indeed, if there is no electrical connectivity between the ANODE rod and the tank, the anode won't work as desired. But the threads cut right through teflon, so even with teflon the connection is sound (I checked with my DVOM). Many modern systems use plastic pipe, so it is hard to argue that grounding through pipe is needed (it's already grounded through the wiring ground). Whatever is used, that connection absolutely must be water tight. Do you know of any conductive pipe dope?
Unfortunately I can't reply within the thread of the remark by drjonesphd, because of a RUclips glitch. I've often wondered what is different about the accounts of those contributors, and whether they can ever start a discussion thread that can be continued. Perhaps it has something to do with their privacy settings or the Google+ fiasco. In any case, he is asking about dip tube length. Generic dip tubes are available at most hardware stores such as home depot, etc, and mine is certainly generic. Fortunately the thread pitch and hole size seems to be standardized, industry wide. The store I got it at had only one length, and I suspect it doesn't matter that much. In a rare situation where the tube is too long, it would be easy to shorten it with a hacksaw, taking care to avoid longitudinal cracks.
from experience dip tubes can be hard to find locally...amazon has them. there's more than one style so best to look at yours before sourcing a replacement.
Yeah, the last tank I installed ran the copper piping to the bottom of the tank, so cold water enters at the bottom with no need for a dip tube. It's a little more complex to hook up but it saves the complication of a hidden, fragile plastic tube inside. Pretty soon dip tubes will be a thing of the past.
Excellent video! How old was the old dip tube? I was going to replace my anode rod and figured I just as well should do the dip tube at the same time. My heater is 5 yrs old. Another suggestion would be to clean out the tank by pouring some vinegar in once drained. I noticed after flushing mine and draining there were still quite a few calcium deposits - some quite large - still at the bottom which did not flush out. Doing all this stuff at the same time makes it very worthwhile and something easily done every 3 yrs or so. Again great video!
+condor5635 Mine was about 12 years old, but there is broad variance regarding how long those things last (mostly depending on the quality of electrolyte in your water). Yes, flushing the tank is wise, hopefully before the calcium deposits become too large to flush out the drain.
Thanks for the great video. Unfortunately mine has the same symptoms, but I was not able to open mine . You make it look so easy taking the old one out. Do you recommend any tricks to open it. I went through the process only to fid out that the old dip tube is almost impossible to open. I will appreciate any suggestions. Thanks
You're right, that was the hardest part. I used a breaker bar, but even with that the tank tends to spin. If your tank has earthquake straps it might be easier. Some guys use air tools, which offer a vibrating action that might help.
Im surprised that nobody mentioned that the anode rod and the dip tube can be inspected through pressure relief valve hole when its removed. Shame on you Spelunkerd for not thinking of this option. Lol.
Good point, thanks for raising it here.
Have you ever tried to remove a pressure relief valve? I could not get the pressure relief valve off of my old water heater. I must admit that I didn't work too long on it but I figured a good pipe wrench would take it right off. Boy was I wrong.
Could you (or someone) please tell me, what is that second wrench you used in the video called? (the one you used to remove the old dip tube) And thanks for posting this video!
Thanks for the very informational video. Originally I thought maybe I should replace my thermostat but now I think the dip tube is a more likely culprit. I checked my gas AO Smith FCG-40-248 water heater and there is only a threaded nipple sticking out - no pipe body to grab hold of. Is there a trick to be able to get that part out? It looks like removing it could be *really* difficult and I'd hate to crush it and then have to replace the whole heater (and not have hot water in the meantime).
You make a good point. As you say, removing the tube can be the most difficult part, and it could be a deal breaker. There may be a way to inspect the dip tube before diving in. One viewer mentioned the trick to remove the pressure relief valve, allowing a window into the tank where you can see the tube from inside. As you can see, my tube was easy enough to rotate backwards and remove. If you have no gap between the threads on both sides, you may need to sacrifice the distal threads, and if you can't get it out you risk needing another tank. Many of us are in the position where a new tank would be needed if the problem can't be fixed. The other point is that professionals often just replace the tank without even trying to replace the tube. So, you don't have that much to lose if things go wrong.... Thank you for watching!
Thank you for the video. I never knew I even had a dip tube. Ended up crushing the dip tube connection to the tank. Purchased a new connection from big block store along with the Shark fitting. The Shark allows you to add an extra turn to the fitting after installation. The dip tube was fine but the heater has all the same symptoms. Heater temperature set at 130. Any hints on what the next part to remove?
If it's a gas heater, I would inspect and clean the burner plate. That can sometimes get clogged full of debris that interferes with heat transfer. And occasionally debris inside the tank can do the same thing, so you want to flush the tank once in a while. If both of those are OK, then I would wonder if the thermostat is failing or malpositioned.
Thanks for your video. I am having the same problem as your tank was. I suspect the dip tube is either broken off or cracked. The tank is a Whirlpool gas 50 gallon, model is FG1H5040T3NV. Unfortunately I cannot find an OEM replacement or even a part number for that matter. So I must go aftermarket. I need to know that length to purchase. I suspect it is very important to have the tube the correct length for the tank to perform efficiently. I am not sure but gas tanks may require a shorter length so the cold water does not immediately hit the thermostat sensor and confuse it. The tank is 55 1/2" tall and the thermostat sensor is approximately 10 1/2" from the base. Please advise...
I'm interested to see a follow up on the timing test. with the new tube, how long does it take before the thermostat kicks in?
+paherbst524 It took about 10 seconds, not long at all. That clip hit the cutting room floor in the interest of not wasting the viewer's time. It's nice to know that some people follow closely enough to be interested in those important details -- thank you for watching.
It would be unusual for the tank to leak from the top. If it is a gas heater, I would check above for condensation, possibly near the exhaust flange at your roof. If snow or cold air goes down the exhaust, you can get condensation where hot air cools, leading to droplets of water that could drip downward onto your tank. With the uncertainty of what is happening, I agree, a quick professional opinion is a good idea.
what is going to happen if you don't take the broken dip tube inside the water heater out when you replaced to the new ones?
great video, thanks.
Nothing will happen, it's what normally is done, it's what I did in this case. The plastic shatters and so there will be a long segment standing in the tank and multiple small pieces at the bottom. With the water in the tank, the temp (even at the bottom) never climbs much higher than boiling point, since the adjacent water will absorb excess energy as latent heat. This means the plastic doesn't get hot enough to melt. That plastic is approved to be used with hot water so the chance impurities will contaminate the water is very small. It would be very difficult to snag the big piece and pull it out the hole, and I wouldn't bother. You might be able to flush sediment, which might include tiny plastic fragments, out of the tank when you drain it, and it is good policy to drain water heaters intermittently. I suppose very tiny fragments could become suspended and overcome gravity to end up in the hot water supply, but even then the screens at end plumbing fixtures will trap most particles before they end up coming out your tap. Good question, I've flagged it since it's commonly asked.
Yeah, a few people have mentioned that. I'm not sure why they don't make them a little better, to withstand the heat cycling. Plastic shouldn't be so fragile, if it is designed to last.
If I may preface, I'm NOT a qualified plumber. But if it were me the first thing I would do is flush and examine the tank -- that's just good maintenance. When you examine the tank I would look at the burner plate if it's gas and the element if electric (power off). I personally would not replace the tank yet, since a new tank may not last nearly as long.
Regarding the shower head, remove it (turn CCW) and soak in CLR, flush the line while off. Put on new teflon tape when putting it back on.
Lucky you , you got that old corroded dip tube out one , two , three. Could it have been the wrench?
Those fittings are on there really tight, and if the tank is wobbly you may benefit from having another person to hold the tank steady. I don't think the design of the wrench has much to do with it, although the torque of any wrench is critically dependent on length. I have a 2" pipe that is six feet long, a 'cheater bar' to slip over the wrench handle, used when I need a little more leverage. Thanks for stopping by!
Teflon tape is great for sprinkler systems. For hot water heaters and indoor plumbing always use pipe dope.
I had a chat one day with a local plumber and he always uses both together, even in the situation where water is really hot. Through the years I've followed that advice and it has never let me down. Thanks for stopping by!
Hi thank you for the video, I removed what I thought was a dip tube, but only a small coupler between the cold water line and the dip tube came off, how do you get the dip tube out if there are only inner threads and it is within the heater?
It's possible that what I am calling the coupler it is the dip tube but broken off, but trying to put the new tube down there is facing restriction. Any ideas?
thanks for your video and good info. Need your opion. I've been having the white build up in my faucet screens and have a 50 gallon hot water tank and running out of hot water before the end of one 20 min shower. At first it would run out at the end of a second show back to back. Btw just bought the house a month ago. My question is should I replace or repair. The hot water heater is 20 yrs old and works off the power vent which is getting loud. Can hear it on first floor running in the basement. Also they are expensive. Local hardware store says 1500 to replace withe like model. But for 2000 I can get a tankless installed what's your thoughts.
I'd be at least inspecting the dip tube first, you may get a few years out of it, and older tanks are much better built than new tanks sold today. One viewer mentioned that you can often inspect the dip tube from the pressure relief valve port if you want to go that route. The calcium buildup at your faucet screens are from calcium in your water, unrelated to the tank, although the same process is likely going on all through the plumbing system. I would flush the tank of debris, but be careful not to burn yourself and remember to turn the burner off before you do it. Inspect the burner plate if it's gas to be sure nothing is interfering with heat transfer outside.
Regarding the tankless debate. Yeah, in a few years all new construction will have them, and a retrofit is pretty straightforward if you're close to an outside wall for the vent needed. I was in the same situation as you were when I made this video, and I recorded my experience in real time not knowing what I would find. As you see, my repair was less than $10 and I eventually sold the home without ever looking back. Of course there are risks whenever you do home repair but the biggest risk is suddenly needing a new tank because you have a leak after doing the fix. Once you get to the point that something has to be done, it seems like a small risk as long as you're careful and work safely.
So just changing the dip tube will work? I already changed all the other parts, and yes the water is cold. The te AO Smith tank is only 3 years old. Well I plan to check this dip tube this morning because this seems to be the last item on the tank that's original. Great video by the way.
Worth a try, good luck!
Lol, that was not the issue. Top element was new, come to find out it was defective. AO Smith got me a new one. All is good. Mom is happy now, she has Hot Water.
what would you have to do if there is only 1 to 2 feet of clearance above the tank? Disconnect everything including gas and tilt it, then reconnect? Can the dip tube bend/flex for easy insertion? I guess if you had to replace anode with little clearance then only option is tlting.
If it's only an inch or so, you can cut the tip off the tube with a hack saw. Otherwise I'd tip the tank over a little and slide it in. The tank is normally empty when you do this repair so tipping isn't so hard in some cases. There are anode rods that are sold with a joint that allows for limited overhead clearance, but I'm not aware of dip tubes having the same feature.
There are a few small rusty streaks at the top of the water heater. Is this an issue?
Awesome video. Thanks again.
Outside superficial rust is not usually an issue, but look for a leaking water source.