Running out of hot water prematurely

[Lakee911]

I think that my dip tube has broken off in my hot water tank. How can I verify this?

I've got a 2-3 yr old NG WH (I forget the brand), and the other day for the first time ever the water got colder and colder and I kept turning up the temperature in the shower. I checked the heater and it was on the little tick mark that I've had it on for a long tme. I turned it up a bit, but the same thing happens. After 5-10min I'm taking lukewatm showers. :(

Jason

[Gary Swart]

The dip tube hangs below the cold water inlet. I believe some are screwed on and the rest are flared and just literally hang down. Either way, remove the nipple going into the tank, determine which type tube you have, and remove it. If it is broken, you'll just end up with a stub. Don't worry about the rest of it, there's nothing you can do about it. Replace the tube with the same type you removed. It's pretty simple and inexpensive.

[Lakee911]

Great! Thanks. I'll check it out. Too bad I hard piped the water inlets and the gas line.

Thanks,
Jason

[hj]

2 or 3 years is too new to have the dip tube problem addressed to most users. There are a couple of other things that could cause it, not all of them good news, such as a broken hot water line under the floor if you have a concrete slab floor.