Water Heater Wednesday: Dip Tube Problems

We’ve talked a lot about hot water heaters, hot water heater maintenance, and hot water heater repair on our Masterflo Plumbing blog. Today we’re going to focus on dip tube problems- something we’ve talked about before, but you may not be totally familiar with.

Your hot water heater supplies hot water to your home by heating up cold water and then storing it for future use. The dip tube is essential to the functionality of your hot water heater. Dip tubes are a component of every hot water heater that has a storage tank, and can sometimes experience problems that can lead to you having no hot water.

So, what is a dip tube? A dip tube is a long plastic tube that is attached to the cold water intake valve at the top of your hot water heater. The dip tube extends to approximately 8 inches from the bottom of the tank. Cold water enters your tank through the dip tube and is pushed to the bottom so that the hot water can be at the top of the tank. This process ensures that the water you receive through the hot water taps in your home is only hot water and not cold. If the dip tube was too short, the cold water and hot water would mix inside the tank and you would have luke warm water all the time in your home.

Unfortunately, just like any other plumbing item in your home, dip tubes can sometimes experience problems. The most common problem with dip tubes is that they can crack and break. If your dip tube has cracked or broken, you’ll notice that there will be a decrease in the temperature of your hot water inside your home. Another sign is that you may notice small pieces of plastic in your water or in the mouths of your faucets. These are small pieces of the disintegrating dip tube.

Certain dip tubes made and installed between 1993-1997 were not manufactured correctly and are more likely to break than other dip tubes. If you believe your dip tube may be one of these, check out the serial number on your hot water heater. If the last two digits are 93, 94, 95, 96, or 97 then your hot water heater may have a faulty dip tube inside.

If you have dip tube problems, then chances are that you don’t have the hot water that you need! Its important to hire a professional plumber to solve this problem for you. If you need a plumber because you don’t have hot water, call the trained professionals at Masterflo Plumbing today! We understand that hot water is vital to your everyday life and will come fix your hot water heater quickly! Call us today at (678) 822-7095!