We count on our water heaters to provide us with hot water when we need it. Of course, we can experience some complications from time to time. For example, you might hop in the shower just to be met with a stream of freezing-cold water.

Hot water issues are frustrating to deal with; there’s no doubt about it. But if they happen over and over again, this can become a nuisance rather fast and put your comfort at risk. If you’ve been running out of hot water fast, you probably want to fix the problem right away.

Let’s go over the potential reasons why you run out of hot water quickly.

You’re Demanding Too Much From Your Hot Water Heater

If you have a traditional water heater, then you know you can only use as much water as is available in the tank. When you drain all of the hot water in the tank, you’ll have to wait for the water to refill before you can use it again. If you’ve been running out of hot water fast, it might be because your household is using more water than usual.

Do you have a tankless water heater? If so, you can still experience a similar problem. Although your tankless unit is designed to provide hot water on demand, it has a specific capacity. You can potentially exceed this capacity by running too many faucets or showers at one time. As a result, you can end up with a cold shower.

The Solution

If your household has grown in size or the amount of hot water you use has changed, you might want to consider upgrading your water heater so that it can better meet your needs. Homeowners with a traditional water heater can install a new, larger tank, while those with a tankless water heater will need to install a unit with a higher capacity.

Your Water Heater Tank Has Sediment Buildup

There are many potential reasons why you run out of hot water quickly, but sediment buildup is one of the most common. Your hot water supply can contain various loose minerals, and if you don’t flush out your water heater tank regularly, these minerals can collect on the bottom of the tank and form a layer of sediment.

When sediments build up in the tank, the water heater will have difficulty heating the water inside. In the end, you can experience a wide range of problems. These can include everything from cold showers to higher energy bills.

The Solution

If you suspect that sediment has started to collect in your hot water tank, you can flush it out on your own or with the assistance of a professional plumber. Along with flushing the tank, an experienced technician will likely perform various other maintenance tanks to ensure everything is working properly and performing efficiently.

You’re Dealing With a Damaged Heating Element

Many water heaters have two heating elements; you’ll find one at the top of the tank and another located near the bottom. The heating element at the bottom of the tank does the majority of the heating, so if this component becomes broken or malfunctions, you’re likely to experience a cold, unpleasant shower.

The Solution

If you’re running out of hot water fast and don’t know why, there’s a chance that the bottom heating element could be to blame. You’ll likely want to schedule a professional water heater repair to fix the problem. When you work with an experienced company, you can rest assured that the heating element is repaired correctly and heats the water like it’s supposed to.

Your Water Heater Has a Broken Dip Tube

As we discussed above, your water heater does the majority of the heating at the bottom of the tank. Every water heater has a dip tube that pushes incoming cold water to the bottom of the tank so it can be heated.

However, if you have a broken dip tube, the cold water can mix with the heated water and lower the overall temperature of the water you receive in your faucets and showers.

The Solution

A broken dip tube is one of the potential reasons why you run out of hot water quickly. Fortunately, you can fix this issue by scheduling a repair. There’s a chance that the component has sustained some type of damage.

Keep the Hot Water Running With Universal Home Experts

As you can see, there are many possible reasons why you run out of hot water quickly. Our trusty water tanks are designed to store hot water so that we can use it whenever we please, but problems can appear out of nowhere — leaving us to shiver in the shower.

If you’ve been running out of hot water fast, turn to Universal Home Experts for a water heater repair in Houston, TX, or the surrounding area. Our team of experts has seen and fixed it all, so you can count on us to help restore your hot water quickly and without hassle.

We offer a wide variety of plumbing services for homeowners throughout the Houston area. Our professionals specialize in everything from water heater services to outdoor pipe repair. Get in touch with us today to see how our plumbers can assist you!

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