The hot water pressure slows, in the whole home, all taps. I'll hear a knock (one) somewhere in the plumbing and the hot water pressure will be gone, then sometime later I'll hear another knock (one) and the pressure will be back. Sometimes a few times in a day, sometimes I get a full day without the problem
The cold water is not effected, pressure remains good.
The hot water tank is 3 months old, natural gas and in the basement. The hot water pressure problem started about 1 month ago.
I've drained and refilled the hot water tank..

My bet's on the heat trap nipple that comes out of the hot water outlet. Replace the nipple with a dielectric nipple,(see image). Good luck Tom

Tom.. I was thinking the same thing.

Ken, replace that heat trap nipple with a dielectric nipple (sold at home supply stores)... hopefully, that does the trick.

The heat trap nipple has a ball and/or flapper inside nipple.. causes issues like yours on occasion... me and Tom don't like them.

Let us know how it goes.

I makes sense that it could be the heat trap nipple, I've been inspecting my pipes and there is only about 3 feet of pipe out from the hot water tank when it starts to branch off in different directions, so the problem can't be past that 3 feet. Thanks for the info.

Let us know how it goes Ken. Talk soon... Mark

Water Tank Guy was in today, of course the hot water pressure wouldn't drop while he was here. Murphy's Law. He's stumped, never seen this problem he says, even called to check with a couple guys while he was here. He replaced the hot water out nipple mostly so he could look in the tank to see if anything was floating that maybe obstructing the flow. The nipple he took out was fine. Problem has not been corrected. I have found that when the water pressure drops if I turn the cold water flow (valve) into the tank off and then back on the pressure returns. I'm very frustrated, concerned there maybe a bigger problem in the plumbing. I don't object to paying to have the problem fixed, but don't want to pay for nothing. Any other ideas out there.
Cold water pressure to the whole home is still OK.

Ken:

YOU found that pressure returns after you turn cold water valve on/off..

Cold water pressure everywhere else OK? With that information... a step at a time I guess... I am sorry to say, but that plumber should also have removed the cold water nipple and looked into the cold water DIP TUBE.

See attached picture. We just had one of these... dip tube got clogged with sediment... Only other thing that makes sense. I just wish the plumber had tried to investigate this as well as hot side while he was there.

You may need to call him back and ask him what he thinks of this idea? Let me know.. ok? Good luck with this... not much else left... I swear!

Being that my tank was installed new Dec 10th 2007... do you think it could be clogged with sediment already. Water in tank is already showing it's color (tint of brown) . Water in my area isn't the best.

If I could make it happen by closing and opening the input valve, I'd replace that valve.

Yup... Harold is right, replace the cold water shutoff and check out the dip tube at same time... there is not much else that it can be.

Do you have a water softner in the house? Might explain the brown water already.. Let us know.

No water softener.

Had the Cold Water shut off to the Hot Water Tank replaced today... Fingers are crossed but have not had the problem since it was done... I stripped apart the old shut off and can't really see anything wrong with it... but I don't know what to look for.
Thanks for the suggestions

Lookin' good Ken... Glad we could help... Harold's just a widget maker... but you should see some of his finished work! Absolutely beautiful stuff! My favorite so far is the REDNECK BIRD FEVER.

Harold, you mind posting that again? So cool.

Keep us posted Ken... Mark.


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Craftsmanship at its finest