Hot water is a bit less hot- any idea why?

We have a multifamily with two hot water heaters. Usually if you take a shower, the water gets super hot and you need to mix with cold to keep it at a reasonable temperature (pretty standard situation). Just recently the water gets pretty hot, definitely fine for a shower but definitely not as hot as it used to- and that is with just the hot water turned on, not even mixing with any cold. It used to be that if you just turned only the hot, it would get incredibly hot- too hot to even touch. Now if you turn just the hot on, it is pretty warm, but not super hot. Obviously we don’t need scalding hot water, but just wondering why and what changed to cause that. Any idea why? Could one hot water heater have gone? Or is one of them on their way out and slowly dying on us? Any ideas welcome– no other work has been done with any plumbing to create this change.

stickerhappy

in Plumbers and Plumbing 10 years and 8 months ago

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jrjb2010 | 10 years and 2 months ago

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Agree with @Master Plvmber, there must be a tank problem. That leaked cold water tank causing the problem.

danybonzopa | 10 years and 6 months ago

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One water heater must be gone.Try to replace that one or else take only a high capacity of water heater at once.

alfredsutton | 10 years and 7 months ago

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There can be some internal problem in your water heater. When you have purchased it, If it is an old one then you can ask a plumber to repair it. Because in this type of situations only plumbers can help you.

Master Plvmber | 10 years and 8 months ago

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At 12 years, neither tank owes you a thing. Turn off the water going into the broken tank and have them both replaced…on your schedule. By having redundancy you’ve spared yourself a costly emergency replacement job. Just go with it. It doesn’t matter what brand you use to replace them. At this level they’re all the same: AOS, Bradford-White, Rheem, Ruud….whatever. All the same. Better to choose your installer wisely and trust their judgement.

stickerhappy | 10 years and 8 months ago

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Wow- and that’s why he is Master Plvmber! One tank outlet is cold and the other hot– one tank is totally shot. Now these tanks were both put in at the same time and I think we got about 12 years out of them– does it make sense to replace them both at the same time now? Or should we hold on and see if we get a few more years out of the one that is still working? And what is a good brand for replacement or should I stick with AO Smith?

Master Plvmber | 10 years and 8 months ago

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I’d bet one of your tanks is broken down and the cool water from that tank is mixing with the hot water of the working tank. You need to go down and check that out. Feel the relief valves or outlet pipes of both tanks and notice if one is decidedly cooler than the other.

stickerhappy | 10 years and 8 months ago

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Two standard water heaters, gas, AO Smith I think Not sure of last service date

Augustiner | 10 years and 8 months ago

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Tankless on demand water heater? Gas or electric? Brand? Same situation on all faucets? When was the last service done?