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hot water shortages
Hot Water Shortages
Are you experiencing hot water shortages
in your home? Perhaps you are having difficulties taking
a complete shower because you lose hot water half way through.
Many homes are facing the same problem. The first thing
you need to do is determine the cause of the hot water shortage.
The cause of hot water shortages can be
due to several factors. It may be that you are using a heavy
duty supply of water at a brief time. You may also have
an insufficient sized water tank, a leaking tank, a problem
with your shower valve, or lack of power to your water heater.
Often, when you live with several other
people, hot water is used very quickly. You may need to
stagger shower times so that everyone can receive enough
hot water. Generally, it takes about 20 minutes for the
water heater to reheat its supply.
Make sure to check your water heater for
the number gallons it holds. To ensure that you have the
right size, calculate how many people live in your house
and estimate about 15 gallons per person, per day. Keep
in mind; the size of your heater depends on the amount of
bathrooms in your home, the size of your bathtubs, and the
amount of people that will be using water. 30 to 40 gallon
heaters will typically supply a one bathroom home.
If you come to realize that your water
heater is leaking, you need to replace it immediately. A
leak usually indicates that the tank is corroded. However,
you may be able to stop the leak by tightening the drain
valve or by closing a temperature-pressure relief valve
that's open.
Often times you will notice that you aren't
getting hot water at all. This could mean one of two things
depending on the type of heater you have. If you have a
gas-powered heater you may need to check the pilot light
or gas line. For electric heaters you may need to reset
the thermostat and check to make sure power is running to
it.
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