When your water heater isn’t working, you’re left stuck without hot water. You may heat a giant pot of water for bathing, but you may spill hot water as you carry a pot to a shower. You need hot water in your home, so why isn’t your water heater producing hot water?
A lack of hot water is one of the most common service calls we receive at Monkey Wrench Plumbing, Heating & Air. Since 2007, we’ve identified all the reasons why water heaters such as tankless, conventional, and heat pump systems are unable to heat water. Although every home in Los Angeles and the surrounding areas is unique, there are common reasons why a water heater may not be able to provide these houses with hot water.
We’ll review the top causes of the lack of hot water in tankless, conventional, and heat pump water heaters.
By the end of this article, you’ll have a clearer picture of what is causing your water heater not to heat water and what options are available to address the issue.
Let’s dive right in!
Why Isn’t My Water Heater Heating Water?
The main purpose of all water heaters is to provide an entire residence with accessible hot water for bathing, cleaning, cooking, and other activities. So there could be a number of reasons why it isn’t functioning properly.
Before you continue, consider the age of your current water heater. Water heaters have different lifespans, but if you’ve had the same water heater for over 10 years, it may be best to replace it instead of investing in repairs.
Why Isn’t My Conventional Water Heater Heating up Water?
Conventional water heaters have been around longer than tankless water heaters, but they can still experience a lack of hot water. Here’s a look at some of the top reasons why your conventional water heater may not have hot water.
- Pilot light problem: The pilot light is the ignition source of a conventional water heater. If the pilot light turns off or is experiencing issues, then there will not be any hot water. Some pilot lights can be relit while others will have to be replaced to restore hot water access in a home.
- Sediment buildup: Scale and sediment buildup can also affect conventional water heaters. An annual maintenance checkup and reduce scale and sediment buildup. Without maintenance, this buildup can cause a lack of hot water in the conventional water heater.
- Gas supply issue: If there’s a lack of gas reaching the conventional water heater, it will not have any fuel to heat water. Once the gas line is restored, conventional water heaters can precede providing homes with hot water.
- Leaks: Leaks can occur for various reasons, such as corrosion or internal tank damage. Leaks can lead to a loss of water pressure, which can affect a water heater’s ability to heat water.
- Hot water demand exceeds tank capacity: Sometimes, a home can exceed its normal hot water usage, which can lead to a conventional water heater running out of hot water. Once a conventional water heater runs out of hot water, homeowners may need to wait up to 90 minutes for hot water to become available again.
A lack of hot water with a conventional water heater is just one of the five signs that it’s time to replace it. Some people replace their old water heater with a heat pump water heater, but even those units may experience a lack of hot water due to various issues.
Why Isn’t My Tankless Water Heater Heating up Water?
Tankless water heaters have a misconception that they provide instant hot water. Although these water heaters are designed to provide continuous hot water, it can take a little time for the hot water to reach a desired fixture.
If it’s been a couple of minutes without hot water, then your tankless water heater could be dealing with any one of the following problems.
- Coldwater sandwich: Sometimes, a lack of hot water can be temporary. Sometimes, leftover water is trapped between the hot water available at a faucet and the water heating up inside the tankless water heater. The water after will remain hot until the faucet is turned off.
- Error codes: Tankless water heaters have over 25 error codes that vary by manufacturer, such as Navien, Noritz, and Takagi. Some of these error codes can indicate an issue with any of the key components that allow tankless water heaters to heat water. An error code associated with an ignition system, for example, can be the reason why no flame heats water entering the tankless water heater.
- Sediment buildup: Tankless water heaters can accumulate sediment and limescale from hard water over time. If left unserviced, this buildup can make the tankless water heater work harder to heat water. It can eventually lead to mechanical failure, resulting in a lack of hot water.
- Lack of gas or electricity: Tankless water heaters are powered by gas and/or electricity. Any interruptions to these power sources can reduce a tankless water heater’s ability to heat water. In most cases, once the power source is restored, the tankless water heater returns to producing hot water.
- Insufficient flow rate: Tankless water heaters require enough incoming water pressure to provide a home with enough hot water. Water temperature fluctuations and an inconsistent heating cycle can cause an insufficient supply of hot water due to low water pressure.
If you confirm a lack of hot water with your tankless water heater, then it is recommended to contact a professional technician capable of identifying the issue and offering different solutions to repair the problem.
Some of these issues causing a lack of hot water are unique to tankless water heaters, but some of these problems can occur with units with heat pump technology, too.
Why Isn’t My Heat Pump Water Heater Heating up Water?
Heat pump water heaters are among the newest technologies in the water heating industry, but they can also experience a lack of hot water. If you own a heat pump water heater that’s dealing with a lack of hot water, it could be due to any of the following reasons.
- Low ambient temperature: Heat pump technology relies on the surrounding temperature to pull hot air that is used to heat water. If the weather drops below a certain temperature, the heat pump water heater may be unable to provide hot water. To bypass this problem, heat pump water heaters have a secondary heating element that kicks in to provide the capability to heat water.
- Ventilation issues: Heat pump water heaters require an adequate airflow space to pull in the ambient temperature. If something is blocking or wrong with the ventilation pathways, it could cause a lack of hot water production. By clearing these airflow paths, a heat pump water heater may be able to provide hot water again.
- Refrigerant leaks: Some heat pump water heaters use a special refrigerant that helps convert the ambient temperature into a heat source for water. If the refrigerant leaks, the heat pump water heater can’t heat water effectively.
- Heating element problems: Most heat pump water heaters have electric-powered heating elements that heat water when there isn’t enough heat from the ambient temperature. If these heating elements aren’t working properly, then there will be a lack of hot water available for a home.
Heat pumps may be the most energy-efficient water heating systems, but the energy savings they can provide will be pointless if they cannot provide hot water. Like tankless and conventional systems, heat pump water heaters should be maintained and inspected by a professional technician to ensure they can continue to provide houses with access to hot water.
How Do You Fix a Water Heater That Is Not Giving Hot Water?
Identifying the root cause of a lack of hot water from a water heater can be difficult for most homeowners. Even though you’re fully aware of the different reasons why there isn’t hot water based on the type of water heater, your best course of action is to contact a certified technician who can diagnose the problem.
From faulty parts to error codes, we’ve encountered multiple scenarios where water heaters weren’t able to provide hot water. At Monkey Wrench Plumbing, Heating & Air, we’ve repaired thousands of water heaters across Los Angeles and the surrounding counties so homeowners can continue enjoying all the benefits that come with having accessible hot water.
If you’re dealing with a lack of hot water, don’t go without hot water any longer, and contact us using one of the buttons below. You can also book an appointment with our online scheduling service.
Sometimes, replacing a water heater dealing with recurring issues, such as a lack of hot water, with a brand new unit is the best solution. Learn more about the cost factors behind the different types of water heaters available to get a head start on preparing a budget.
