My problem is I have asked plumbing companies and paid for two service calls and still perplexed. My home is 7 years old. I have a large gas hot water tank with a circulating pump. If the water has not been used for awhile during the day or over night the water is warm but not hot in the morning. Some say the tank is in sleep mode but I cannot see that if the pump is working, which it is. Is it possible that a part needs fixing in the pump before we go out and buy a tank and see if it's the tank. Does a circulating pump shorten the life of a water heater? Would it be better to do away with the pump all together?

George

Hi George,
Has any of the plumbers that you hired suggested that there might be a cross connection between the hot and cold lines? That's sure what it sounds like. Let me explain. First off I don't believe it's the water heater. If you nhavent had any work or new installations done on the water system then one place to look would be if you had a shut off to the shower head located on the chrome shower arm. NO? Then how about a single handled faucet where both hot and cold enter the same valve body? Not there either? How about this one? Could the dip tube in the heater have fallen down allowing the cold water entering the heater to be picked up be the recirculating pump amd sent out into your hot water system. I'm amazed your plumbers didn't check those before scratching their heads and walking off. While I can't be there to check I've at least done more then the other guys. And I bet, a lot cheaper also! Good luck and keep me informed. Tom

Same problem here:

I have a gas hot water tank (apx. 40 gallons). The tank works great, though I'm perplexed with one behavior.
No hot water early in the mornings.

If the hot water was not used recently (say a day or two) it takes only a short few moments for the water to reach any of the taps - works so well it is hardly noticeable. This behavior, however, only happens during the day (?).

In the mornings, around 6am, it takes FOREVER for hot water to reach any of the taps. I am only seeing this behavior early in the mornings and no other time.

(To reiterate, hot water will hit the taps quickly during the day (9:30am ish on) even if the tank wasn't used for DAYS. In the mornings, not so much (even if the tank was used the night prior.))

Any ideas?