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Hot Water Tank - Uneven Temp

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Deal Addict
Jun 2, 2012
1600 posts
950 upvotes
GTA

Hot Water Tank - Uneven Temp

Hello!
Thanks in advance for any help

Let me start by saying...
Water heater is old.. 15+ years

Temp is always different when I take a shower.. I either have to turn the handle all the way to max to get "lukewarm water" or back off cause it's to hot..
It doesn't fluctuate when, I take a shower.. it's the same temp for the whole time.
I'm the first one in the shower, last time hot water would have been used would be 8-9 hours ago "washing hands or dishes etc"
Pressure is always strong

Water heater thermostat messed up?
9 replies
Deal Addict
Jun 2, 2012
1600 posts
950 upvotes
GTA
Hello!
Thanks in advance for any help

Let me start by saying...
Water heater is old.. 15+ years

Temp is always different when I take a shower.. I either have to turn the handle all the way to max to get "lukewarm water" or back off cause it's to hot..
It doesn't fluctuate when, I take a shower.. it's the same temp for the whole time.
I'm the first one in the shower, last time hot water would have been used would be 8-9 hours ago "washing hands or dishes etc"
Pressure is always strong

Water heater thermostat messed up?
Deal Expert
User avatar
Mar 23, 2009
22529 posts
8938 upvotes
Toronto
What happens when you run the hot water from the sink tap? Have you measured the temperature?
Deal Addict
Aug 19, 2011
4226 posts
3152 upvotes
Markham
This sounds more like your mixing valve issue not thermostat? It's a gas tank heater right? Btw At 15 years I would probably make sure your floor drain etc. can handle a possible leak.
Deal Addict
Jun 2, 2012
1600 posts
950 upvotes
GTA
EugW wrote: What happens when you run the hot water from the sink tap? Have you measured the temperature?
Great Idea! I shall check tomorrow morning before I shower!
X24Secret wrote: This sounds more like your mixing valve issue not thermostat? It's a gas tank heater right? Btw At 15 years I would probably make sure your floor drain etc. can handle a possible leak.
Gas Yes. Good idea!

That's what I thought too, but wouldn't my temperature vary during the shower?
As a default, you would figure I would lose all hot water...
Deal Addict
May 23, 2009
3681 posts
2388 upvotes
Mississauga
Most obvious question...Do you have a thermostatic mixing valve either at the water heater, shower head or valve? It could be your problem.
Deal Addict
Jun 2, 2012
1600 posts
950 upvotes
GTA
bubuski wrote: Most obvious question...Do you have a thermostatic mixing valve either at the water heater, shower head or valve? It could be your problem.
I can't see the water heater or shower head having a mixing valve..

What happened to the other two posts?
Deal Addict
May 23, 2009
3681 posts
2388 upvotes
Mississauga
GSpeed wrote: I can't see the water heater or shower head having a mixing valve..


Your water heater might have one. I think they became part of OBC around 2002.

Looks something like this
Image
GSpeed wrote: What happened to the other two posts?
I went looking, ask a moderator to merge the your 2 threads

hot-water-tank-uneven-temp-2098006/
hot-water-tank-uneven-temp-2098008/

edit: You are right about the shower head. I was thinking of the ones that have water temperature sensors but they stop water supply when the temperature passes a threshold rather than regulate the temperature by mixing cold water.
Deal Addict
May 23, 2009
3681 posts
2388 upvotes
Mississauga
GSpeed wrote: Great Idea! I shall check tomorrow morning before I shower!



Gas Yes. Good idea!

That's what I thought too, but wouldn't my temperature vary during the shower?
As a default, you would figure I would lose all hot water...
Yes, fully stuck will be in the open position and you loose hot water.

Some older version of the mixing valve are spring operated and it could be getting sticky. Stuck and fully open (lukewarm water), operating normally other times(hot water).
Usually when they start getting sticky, for the first little while you can tap it with a hammer to dislodge it.
Deal Addict
Jun 2, 2012
1600 posts
950 upvotes
GTA
bubuski wrote: Your water heater might have one. I think they became part of OBC around 2002.

Looks something like this
Image



I went looking, ask a moderator to merge the your 2 threads

hot-water-tank-uneven-temp-2098006/
hot-water-tank-uneven-temp-2098008/

edit: You are right about the shower head. I was thinking of the ones that have water temperature sensors but they stop water supply when the temperature passes a threshold rather than regulate the temperature by mixing cold water.
Odd! Something must have happened when I posted the original thread.. which is really odd.
Since I responded, to my first for second thread? lol then I got another response which I also responded too but everything went missing lol

Anywho all good now

No mixing valve... at the tank.. it's old lol.. When things had 15 year warranties lol
I tested the tap this morning before the shower, was warm.. not hot...
Shower was warm also... I was cleaning a screen in

I did a load of laundry warm/cold - around 11:00pm... took the shower the shower at 8am...

I will test with the tap tomorrow morning.. if it's hot and my shower is hot..

I know I need a new tank

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