It’s frustrating when you’re getting ready to take a bath after a long day and having to wait for what seems like forever for hot water to come out of the shower.
If this is a familiar situation for you, there’s likely more than one reason for this problem, some of which involve calling for professional plumbing services.
Why is Your Water Taking a While to Heat?
- Distance
One reason it can take a while for hot water to reach your shower is that the water has to travel a significant distance from the heater to the fixture. For example, if your heater is in the basement, it can obviously take longer for hot water to get to the shower in your second-floor bathroom.
- Water Pipe Material
The material of your water pipes also has a significant impact on how fast hot water makes it to your shower. For example, heavy metal pipes like copper absorb more heat as the water passes through them. It means that you have to warm up your pipes before you’re able to warm up your shower.
- Low Volume Restrictors
To make the situation worse, your shower may be installed with a low volume restrictor which reduces the amount of water that flows through it. While it saves water, it also prolongs the time it takes for warm water to reach your shower.
- Sediment Buildup
Your water heater accumulates sediment over time. This builds from the non-soluble minerals naturally present in water, resembling sand and other small particles. When sediment collects in the bottom of the tank, they cover the heating element, thus insulating the water from the heat source.
- Failing Water Heater
An average water heater has a lifespan of about 10 years. When it’s suddenly malfunctioning or has become less effective at heating water, it’s probably approaching the end of its service life, thus requiring replacement.
Why You Should Worry About Your Hot Water Taking So Long?
Beyond the inconvenience, your inefficient water heater also means wasted time, money, and water.
On average, as much as 10 gallons of water or 14% of your water consumption is lost to leaks. So, just imagine how much more water you waste when you wait for the hot water to flow. You not only waste clean water but time and money as well. The water that goes straight down the drain adds to your utility bills every month.
How Professional Plumbing Services Can Help
If you have issues with hot water, such as delays or inefficiencies, the first step you should take is scheduling a general plumbing inspection service. To find an on-call expert to attend to your emergencies right away, you can search “plumbers near me” online or ask your trusted friends for recommendations.
Your local plumber would help you in detecting the reason that your water takes a long time to warm and address it promptly.
For instance, if a malfunctioning water heater is the problem, they may recommend replacing the system with a more efficient one. They may also suggest insulating the piping if the thickness or material of the pipes is the reason behind your poor-performing unit.
Another solution to this problem is the addition of a hot water recirculation system which works by recirculating unused water in the system back into the heater. This also stores hot water, making it readily available at certain points of your home.
Turning on the shower and waiting for a long time for warm bath water is a slow torture. But, this doesn’t have to be the case again when you invest in a good plumbing service that will provide a solution to end your suffering once and for all.
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