I'm fairly handy but the whole gas/hot water thing intimidates me. I have a 10-12 year old Rheeem Ruud hotwater tank and my hot water be it hot - has horrible pressure from every faucet.

The plumber wants at least $100 dollars to come fix it and said they know exactly what it is - and made reference to some sort of nipple/spout being clogged or something.

I'm fairly handy when it comes to tools but its mostly with cars. Can anyone help me out? I can post a picture of my tank if that would help...

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Originally Posted by lbrowne

I'm fairly handy but the whole gas/hot water thing intimidates me. I have a 10-12 year old Rheeem Ruud hotwater tank and my hot water be it hot - has horrible pressure from every faucet.

The plumber wants at least $100 dollars to come fix it and said they know exactly what it is - and made reference to some sort of nipple/spout being clogged or something.

I'm fairly handy when it comes to tools but its mostly with cars. Can anyone help me out? I can post a picture of my tank if that would help....

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We don't need a picture of your water heater but the location of the "clogged nipple/spout" would certainly be helpful. Any plumber that tells you that he knows "exactly where the clog is" without being there to check it out is just blowing smoke.
There are things that you can do to save that 100$,( and I'll bet that hundred bucks is just the start of the billing)

There's no doubt that you have mineral build up in your hot water system.
This is caused by minerals building up in a water heater that's not flushed on a regular basis.
First the heater must be flushed out. Let me show you how to flush your heater. 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) and some white grains,(lime or calcium carbonate). The whole thing shouldn't take more then a few minutes. Don't forget to flush it out every month. Your heater will thank you for it. You might want to consider cleaning the screens on your areators if you have a high mineral buildup. If thev problem still persists after you have flushed, you will have to drain the heater, remove the boiler drain and go up in the bottom of the tank with a wood or plastic rod, (not metal) and try to break up the mineral and flush it out.
Next you will have to open up each faucet and clean out the crud from the hot water inlet ports on the cartridge. Then before you reassemble the faucet turn on the hot water supply to flush out the supply. If you get a strong stream then move on to the next one. This sounds like it could work itself into much more then a 100$ service call. I have gone on countless calls like yours and have yet to find a single "nipple/spout" to cure the problem. The minerals that get into a hot water system find their way into every faucet that makes a draw. It was only by going from faucet to faucet and flushing out the supplies that I was able to get the system back to normal. Good luck and keep me informed on what happens. Tom

I'll guess he's referring to the tube that's melted and is clogging the line.

He may very well be right.

But for a tank that old, and considering a new one is probably under $200, I'd consider replacing the tank: a very easy job for someone fairly handy.

Rick,
You're referring to the plastic"dip tube" that directs cold water to the bottom of the tank. WhileI have replaced dip tubes that have melted when soldering in at the installation I have never replaced one that melted due to the hot water it came in contact with. The water just isn't hot enough. But you did a great job of deducing what might have caused it. And Rick's correct. The average life of a water heater is about 8 years old. Perhaps it's time to replace. Regards, Tom

I see you were posting while I was typing. Your answer was awesome as usual. I would not have posted at all if I'd have seen your post.

My hot water is fine though, gets very hot and is delivered fairly quickly. On one of the regular sink taps the hot water pressure if it's the only one being run is adequate. The second another tap is turned on for hot water is the pressure is minimal.

Turning on the tap for the tub no matter what is low hot pressure. I think I can get a bit more use out of this tank if I can do a couple of things to it and if it's a reasonable cost. Can't really afford a new tank where its so close to Christmas - Santa has to start shopping soon :)

"On one of the regular sink taps the hot water pressure if its the only one being run is adequate. The second another tap is turned on for hot water is the pressure is minimal." This tells me that your problem is volume. How old's your house and what kind of pipes are in it. Copper? Plastic? Or galvanized?
My bet's on door number three. You either have undersized pipes in your house or your pipes have so much mineral deposit built up in them it's cutting down on the flow. Talk to me! Tom

House was built in 94 - everything is up to spec and most likely the pipes aren't too small.

The previous owners noticed a decrease in pressure over the last few years. If you use a hotwater tap for either one of the tubs the water is a small flow. Even if it's the only thing using the hot water.

Sinks, let me clarify, are adequate but nothing near the cold water side. I really think its something near or with the hotwater tank.

Remove hot water pipe tap in top of water heater. You will find your problem there.

HVAC might just have put his finger on the problem, (thanks and welcome HVAC) If the washer broke up and is blocking the seat of the cold water shut off that for sure would do it. Shut the water off at the house stop and open up the heater supply shut off. Check the seat for any crud or debris that may be blocking it. Good call HVAC! Tom

What's a step by step on what to do - very new to this.

So you're talking about the hot water exit that comes from the top of the boiler?

'whats a step by step on what to do?"
This is a step by step of what to do.
Shut the water off at the house stop and open up the heater supply shut off. Check the seat for any crud or debris that may be blocking it.
The heater supply shut off is the valve on the cold water line leading into your heater. After the water's shut off at the house ot meter shut off put a wrench on the bonnet, ( the large nut on the stem bel;ow the handle and turn it out counterclockwise. Once it's loose you can turn the stem and washer out counterclockwise. Now check to see if the washer's intact. Check the seat of thevalve for trash or crud and clean it out. Ifeverything looks clear reassemble everythingt and turn the water back on. Pressure better now? Regards, Tom

Here is the top of the tank - close the valve I have circled, then loosen the nut right below the valve, so I can then loosen the lower nut where the pipe enters the boiler? (I accidentally circled the hot water pipe exit - ignore that)

So then once that is disconnected I can see if a certain washer has broke and is blocking the passage?

http://members.shaw.ca/leobrowne/ima...s/P1050207.JPG

Different type shut off valve. I gave you directions for a more common type globe valve with a neoprene washer You have a lever type with a metal ball. Shut the water off at the house shut off outside where the water enters the house. Nowtake the lever off and unscrew the bonnet nit and pull the ball out. Check the openings for debris or trash. To check, have some one turn the water back on for a second while you hold a pail in front of the open valve to contain the splash. You should have a full.strong stream. If not the problem's upstream from the valve and you'll have to call in outside help. Good luck, Tom

Forgive my inexperience with this but, how would something in this apparatus cause low pressure on the hot water side? It's a different pipe - I would have though it was the hot water pipe exiting the boiler would have the clog...

Just wondering for my own understanding of it all :) many thanks for your help!

No poblem my friend,

"how would something in this apparatus cause low pressure on the hot water side? its a different pipe - I would have though it was the hot water pipe exiting the boiler would have the clog..."

Both the cold water supply and the hot water outlet pipes have a effect on pressure and volume in the hot water system. If the clog blocks the cold water inlet then that means no hot water coming out the outlet. If you do the job yourself you're going to have to start at the heaters cold water inlet and track the loss by the process of elimination. Go back and start with the first fixture nearest the heater that uses hot water. If you can cut the flow of hot water back by turning on another fixture then the problem's behind that fixture. If everything's normal continue on to the next closest fixture until you experience a loss. That's where you'll focus on why the loss. That's the way I would go about it. Good luck. Tom

I had company at the house the last couple of weekends and was unable to do this repair. I have another question - that valve mechanism appears to have been soldered onto the pipe - do I just break it off? Or apply heat with a blowtorch?

You don't take the valve off the pipe. The valve body stays intact. Shut the water off to the house and unscrew the nut that secures the handle. Nowb unscrew the nut under it and pull out the ball assembly. Check the seat and the inlet side for crud or a small pebble. Hold a pail up prevent splash and have someone turn on the water. There should be a strong stream coming out the open valve body. If not the problem's farther up stream of the valve. If there's a strong stream then the problem is upstream in the heater or out in the hot water main. Let me know what you find. Tom

Gotcha! K, I will try that this weekend! (got a washer to fix tonight!)

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Originally Posted by speedball1

Different type shut off valve. I gave you directions for a more common type globe valve with a neoprene washer You have a lever type with a metal ball. Shut the water off at the house shut off outside where the water enters the house. Nowtake the lever off and unscrew the bonnet nit and pull the ball out. Check the openings for debris or trash. To check, have some one turn the water back on for a second while you hold a pail in front of the open valve to contain the splash. You should have a full.strong stream. If not the problem's upstream from the valve and you'll have to call in outside help. Good luck, Tom

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NOw I'm confused. I took off the lever off after shutting off the outside source, put the lever in the closed position, took the lever off and there's just this stem sticking out where the lever goes... where do I go from here? "unscrew the bonnet nit" I have no idea what you're talking about there...