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canuck biker · Jan 11, 2007, 06:33 PM

Recently, my hot water pressure has dropped, while the cold water pressure is plentiful. The hot water pressure is affected at all outlets. I'm assuming this has to do with some type of blockage due to mineral deposits, at the hot water tank outlet or some sort of restriction somewhere . I would like to know where to start looking, I am fairly handy, but not a licensed plumber. I can cut and solder pipes no problem. Any direction would be appreciated.

ballengerb1 · Jan 11, 2007, 07:23 PM

Before you get to the cutting and soldering, let's do some simple exploring. Shut of the supple to the tank, connect a hose to drain valve at the bottom of the tank and open the valve. Once you hear/see water coming out of the hose you can manually pull the aluminium handle on the brass high limit valve. That valve is frequently located on the side of the tank but it could be on the top. When you open the limit valve it will allow air into the tank and it should drain fairly quickly. Actually, you should do this at least once per year. Close the drain valve, close the limit valve and open the supply valve letting water into the tank. Once it is filled you should check to see if your pressure has improved. You may want to clean out all of the aerators on all of you faucets when you do this last step. If it doesn't help, write back.

kourso · Jan 11, 2007, 11:00 PM

This may not be an answer you are looking for but I have the same or similar problem with decreased HOT water only pressure at all points in my bathroom that is serviced by it's own hot water heater. I am trying to find out where to start as well. Is it possible for sediment to get into the outlet line of the hot water heater and is the outlet line of the water heater up close to the top or is the suction at the bottom of the heater tank. I would like for someone to explain where it picks up the hot water in the tank, top or bottom ?
I hope we can get some help soon.
Thanks,
Kenny

Kenny, You ask, "Can tank sediment reach the outlet piping from the hot water tank? If so what can I do to clear it out?"

Yes it can. Minerals build up in the bottom of the tank. If not flushed out they will build up and get in the hot water system and clog the inlet ports of a cartridge or the seats of a faucet. Let me show you how to flush your water heater
For long life and fewer troubles you should keep your heater clear of mineral build-up by flushing on a regular schedule. Attach a hose to the boiler drain at the bottom of the tank. With the pressure on, open the boiler drain and let it run until the water runs clear. You will see a spurt of red,(rust) followed by white grains,(lime or calcium carbonate). This shouldn't take more then a few minutes. Do this monthly to keep it clear. Don't forget to flush it out every month. Your heater will thank you for it.

" is the outlet line of the water heater up close to the top or is the suction at the bottom of the heater tank. I would like for someone to explain where it picks up the hot water in the tank, top or bottom ?"

It goes like this. The cold water enters at the top of the tank and is directed to the bottom by the dip tube located under the cold water inlet. The bottom element heats the cold water and it raises to the top of the tank where it's kept up to heat by the top element. The hot water is then ready to be drawn out of the top at the hot water outlet any time you open a hot water faucet. Regards, Tom

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I did as it was explained to flush/drain my hot water heater in the attic and
Guess what it plugged off MORE, so now I have not much more than a thick pencil
Stream at my bathroom faucets (ALL)
I really didn't see a whole lot sediment in the drain water but I throttled the
Outlet and inlet water valve off/on to surge the flow/pressure through the heater
And outlet piping.
I noticed that as I cutoff the inlet cold water 3/4 or more the heater went to
Really rumbling and it did have the burner lit and I was draining it as well
On/off.
I disconnected the outlet line from the hot water heater and found some crud
Maybe blocking 1/4 or so of the pipe nipple, I stuck a wire down the outlet
Pipe elbow and it appeared to be open plus I could hear the cold water entering
And it was blowing out some air at the same time.
I could hear the cold water rushing in with solid pressure as I refilled the
Heater. It refilled and then as I reopened the outlet line valve it only gave a
Quick little rush and then quiet with all faucets open.
I am thinking that it has caught mineral chunk in the outlet tubing and it has
Only pushed it further and harder to plug off more and more.
I was thinking of possibly rigging up from a cold water supply to a hot water
Supply at the faucets in my bathroom and then disconnecting the outlet line
Again or closing the cold water inlet valve and draining the heater down. I
Would then turn on the cold water supply and feed backwards into the HOT water
Supply lines to the hot water heater end.
OR I can use some compressed air to push one way or the other WITHOUT INVOLVING
The hot water heater.
What do you think ?
I need help BAD !
Please get back ASAP,
Thanks,
Kenny

canuck biker · Jan 13, 2007, 01:12 PM

Originally Posted by ballengerb1

Before you get to the cutting and soldering, let's do some simple exploring. Shut of the supple to the tank, connect a hose to drain valve at the bottom of the tank and open the valve. Once you hear/see water coming out of the hose you can manually pull the aluminium handle on the brass high limit valve. That valve is frequently located on the side of the tank but it could be on the top. When you open the limit valve it will allow air into the tank and it should drain fairly quickly. Actually, you should do this at least once per year. Close the drain valve, close the limit valve and open the supply valve letting water into the tank. Once it is filled you should check to see if your pressure has improved. You may want to clean out all of the aerators on all of you faucets when you do this last step. If it doesn't help, write back.

I tried your suggestion, and here is the outcome. Right after the flushing, I reflled the tank, and tried the hot water pressure in the kitchen(closest tap to the tank).The pressure seemed fine for 20 sections, and then the flow slowed and started spurting water and air.Then the flow slowed to a light trickle. Same situation with the 2pc bathroom on the main floor. The main bathroom upstairs is worst, the flow comes to a complete stop. Plenty of cold water but no hot water coming out at all.

The situation seemed worst that before I started, so I repeated the steps all over again. Still no pressure, and no water upstairs. It takes over half an hour for my wife to fill enough water in the ensuite tub to take a bath, I have more pressure coming from her than out of the taps.

ballengerb1 · Jan 13, 2007, 02:37 PM

It sounds like a large amount of minerals and scaleing has broken lose. Since you say you have OK cold water pressure the restriction is in the hot water faucet valves, individually. Let's start with the bath tub be cause it will catch accidental spraying or leaking. Clost the main and remove the knob on the hot water faucet. Usually a phillips screw in the center often under a plastic decoration cap. Remove the valve stem. There are many types so I can give you specific directions on the valve but most just unscrew with a crescent wrench. You should find plenty of junk in the valve. Here is why you are in the tub. Hold a towel over the valve opening like a strainer. Have your wife open and quickly close the main. That should flush the lines with you only getting your knees wet. Reassembly the valve stem and test. Let quite a bit of water out at this point because you could have more kunk in the lines. If the pressure is good then do the same for the other faucets. Also, clean the aerators on each faucet after the valves have been reinstalled.

Texas Tom · Jan 13, 2007, 03:13 PM

Originally Posted by canuck biker

Recently, my hot water pressure has dropped, while the cold water pressure is plentiful. The hot water pressure is affected at all outlets. I'm assuming this has to do with some type of blockage due to mineral deposits, at the hot water tank outlet or some sort of of restriction somewhere . I would like to know where to start looking, i am fairly handy, but not a licensed plumber. I can cut and solder pipes no problem. Any direction would be appreciated.

I recently had the same problem on a 10-year old hot water heater. The culprit - the nipple pipe coming out of the hot water heater outlet was clogged internally with corrosion. Check yours.

Cheers, Tom

labman · Jan 13, 2007, 03:16 PM

Take a look at what Tom had to say at https://www.askmehelpdesk.com/plumbi...ple-54037.html

415 barkerr · Jan 14, 2007, 08:03 AM

Emptied system of hot water to change kitchen sink and taps. Turned cold back on but no water coming out of hot tap. HELP please!

kourso · Jan 14, 2007, 11:46 PM

Bingo,
I have the same results, very little hot water to 3 out of 4 bathroom faucets where there were equally very low. I know that I have 48-50 # at the heater outlet nipple and I also know that I don't have but possibly 5# at the three faucets still affected. The good news is that it is almost a certainty that I have the 48# up to those faucets as the one good faucet now confirms. Sooooo, I have to now pull each faucet stem cartridge out and/or disconnect the water supply hoses to clear out/drain. I can't get to the stand alone shower faucets other than pulling out the stem there and then have water spray on interior of the wall. Any other ideas ? I am thinking of disconnecting the hot water outlet at the heater with it OFF and routing a drain hose from the piping only and then blowing a little compressed air like 40-60# through the shower head tube through the hot water faucet reversing the normal flow to clear out the shower faucet and lines.
I will do as it was suggested by Ballengerb1 with the tub faucet stem to clear it out with water.
Please send me any of your suggestions,
Thanks,
Kenny

ballengerb1 · Jan 15, 2007, 01:53 PM

Do not try to blow the obstruction backwords with compressed air. You won't dislodge all of the junk but what does break lose will remain in the pipes. The minerals will not "fly" through the pipes like you might imagine. They will stick to the inside walls of the pipes and be there when you turn the water back on. After removing the stem you should cleam the stem and have someone turn on your water for just a moment. You can hold a towel over the stem hole. Yes, you may get wet but this will flush out the junk.

kourso · Jan 15, 2007, 07:05 PM

Well, I had to do something and I used compressed air about 50 to 75 psi to blow through the faucet stems to clear out and it worked pretty well. I had to do this several times because as I turned the water back on it did plug at different times/points. But I flushed out the lines real good once I got it flowing and so far... about 80 to 90 % bacl to normal flow/pressure. I will wait and see what occurs next.
I do thank all of you for the great help and I am SURE that I will be back on more incidents and I will try to help others as well on this forum.
Kenny

canuck biker · Jan 17, 2007, 01:13 AM

well, so far I flushed the tank out 3 times. Cleaned out the aerators, only to find very little sediment. The water pressure is still pretty low. I was going to attempt checking for blockage at the outlet on the top of the tank, but during installation, it appears that about a length of 12 inches or so was soldered to the nipple, and tightened on the fitting. It was soldered further up with a union. So in order to check, I have to cut the 1/2" pipe and loosen off the nipple fitting. If there's blockage there, I can then clean it out( with wood and not metal=i've read that here somewhere) and then re-solder it. If there's no blockage there, then I'm at a loss.

When I flushed the tank out, there was no rusty colored water, I didn't see any large amount of sediment/deposit. The water ran clear at all times, with plenty of pressure when I unscrewed the drain valve completely off. I did notice though, that there wasn't a whole lot of pressure coming out when I had the hose hooked up to the drain valve.

Here's another odd thing: twice when I unscrewed the valve completely off, the water shot out all over the place. But for the one time that I was prepared to have the water gushing out,it didn't! I had the valve completely off, and no water coming out at all. What gives?

canuck biker · Jan 21, 2007, 02:32 PM

Originally Posted by canuck biker

Recently, my hot water pressure has dropped, while the cold water pressure is plentiful. The hot water pressure is affected at all outlets. I'm assuming this has to do with some type of blockage due to mineral deposits, at the hot water tank outlet or some sort of of restriction somewhere . I would like to know where to start looking, i am fairly handy, but not a licensed plumber. I can cut and solder pipes no problem. Any direction would be appreciated.

Thanks to all that replied,it turns out that Tom hit it on the nail. The culprit was the outlet, clogged right up.

Thanks again... AL