View Full Version : Hot water only lasts for one person in shower
BMAD73
Jan 19, 2010, 05:52 AM
I have a shower in my second floor home and here lately the hot water has been getting cool way to soon. I have good pressure and I do have hot water elsewhere in the house right after the shower is complete. Could it still be my galvanized pipes even with good pressure?
hvac1000
Jan 19, 2010, 08:00 AM
Kind of water heater. Gas, Electric, stand alone or incorporated with a boiler? New style instant or storage?
Does this problem just happen on the second floor or do you have hot water on the first floor ?
BMAD73
Jan 19, 2010, 08:32 AM
I have a stand alone gas water heater. It is about 6 or 7 years old and 30 gallons. It is a storage type. Only happens on second floor, I seem to have plenty of hot water within minutes on the first floor after the shower stops.
hvac1000
Jan 19, 2010, 08:57 AM
Usually the pipe (as long as it flows) is not the problem. The only reason I know that there would be an imbalance of hot water from the first to the second floor is that the second floor shower is being used longer and using more hot water till it runs out.
Time to face reality. If you have 30 gallons of hot water it makes no difference where it comes out be it the first floor or second or outside. The difference is how much time does it take to run out of hot water. Unless the shower head on the second floor is the old style that uses a lot of hot water I can see no reason besides usage (length of shower) that could cause this problem.
BMAD73
Jan 19, 2010, 02:00 PM
This situation has recently changed for the worse. That is why I am asking the questions. I guess it has steadily gotten worse over a period. Any suggestions?
hvac1000
Jan 19, 2010, 02:22 PM
There are many items you can check like the dip tube for being broken off or holes that allow the hot to mix with cold before leaving the water heater. Under these circumstances I would probably check that first.
How a water heater dip tube works and what it looks like. (http://www.masterplumber.net/electricwh/dip_tube.htm)
How to Repair a Broken Dip Tube (http://www.ronhazelton.com/archives/tips/repair_broken_dip_tube.shtm)