Picture this. It’s mid-January, the weather outside is freezing cold, and you wake up shivering. You know you can rely on your shower to heat up your body with its therapeutic warmth. You turn the knob and step inside. It feels amazing…until after a while, the warm water runs out and you’re left with the relentless cold shower that pours through.
If you find that your hot water is running out quickly, don’t worry. It’s not your fault. Plus, there are steps you can take to fix this irritable issue.
Sediment
First, let’s figure out why the warm water drought is happening. Most likely, your water heater may have an extreme amount of sediment buildup. If you’re not regularly checking the water heater or not sure how this is a fairly common problem. We use our water heaters on the daily–when we shower, wash dishes, and when we wash our hands. Sometimes it’s easy to forget that it needs to be checked just in case minerals and sediment gets caught at the bottom, causing hot water to be limited.
Size
Another reason could be the size of your water heater. If you have a large water heater, you have nothing to worry about. However, if your water heater is on the smaller size, it’s possible that you need to upgrade to something larger. A good way to determine the correct size for your household is to consider how many people are living with you and are how often everyone showers.
Age
And the last but the definitely not least common reason your showers may be turning cold quickly is due to a water heater that is just way too old or is broken in some way. Water heaters are supposed to last about a decade, so if it’s been longer than ten years you may want to consider purchasing a new one that will allow the warm water to last long like it’s supposed to. Of course, if this isn’t the problem for you, your water heater may just be performing incorrectly.
Norfolk Plumbing is able to solve any of these water heater issues. We’re fully equipped to flush your water heater, make sure you receive the correct size water heater, and also inform you if you need to get a new one altogether. If your hot water is running out quickly, please call (757) 466-0644 so you can start enjoying showers again!