Hot Water Now Available Almost Instantly To Distant Faucet

[Tadpole]

I noticed recently that hot water to my kitchen sink is almost instantly available. This is a new condition as hot water usually takes about 1 minute to reach this distant faucet. At first I thought someone must have recently used this faucet, but this even happens early in the morning when the faucet gets used for the first time in 8 hours or more.

My first thought was a water leak, but I think I have ruled that out by watching the water meter flow indicator for 5 minutes with zero movement.

Additionally, the faucet is a single handle faucet and the cold water is warm for the first 3-4 seconds of use. I do not have a recirculation system.

Any ideas?

 

[John Gayewski]

Sounds like a cross connection. The water gets heated and pushes back into the cold. This shouldn't be happening.

 

[Sponsor]

 

[WorthFlorida]

Sure the water is not scalding hot? A runaway thermostat will heat the water to a dangerous level and expand as John explained. Any water coming out of the T&P valve over night? Are you on a well or city water? Is there an expansion tank? Placing a gauge on a spigot will tel what pressure the system is at.

 

[Tadpole]

I'm on City water and the pressure reads 73psi. The hot water comes out of the nearest faucet (10 feet) at 118F. The WH is set at 120F. I do have an expansion tank that I adjusted to match our water pressure. It was 7psi low. Nothing coming out of the T&P. I'm still lost as to what is going on.

 

[WorthFlorida]

At the kitchen sink, turn off the cold water with the stop valve then check in the morning.

 

[Tadpole]

Thanks for the suggestion! I turned off the cold water at the valve last night and same results this morning. My only thought is there is a very slow leak in the slab. Sucks to be me

 

[Tadpole]

Slab leak confirmed and repaired by professional plumber. Thanks for helping me figure this one out!

 

[Jeff H Young]

darn the worst of cases a slab leak . I had a customer that I was on a job for unrelated issue and he casually mentioned the hot floor by water heater . Since I was there and wanted to help must have spent a half hour diagnosing and talking and giving options beside busting out floor He wasent concerned about it to do anything water bill was still low LOL. finaly a month or so later contacted me , And I was out of town lost that job , my buddy drywaller/handyman did the patching of floors ands walls

 

[WorthFlorida]

Slab leak confirmed and repaired by professional plumber. Thanks for helping me figure this one out!

What type of pipe is under the slab? Where you able to see the actual leak? Was it a fitting or just the pipe failed?

 

[Tadpole]

Copper pipe. My response may have been misleading as they never dug up the leak. Plumber recommended bringing hot water down from the shower directly overhead. Thanks again for listening and suggesting remedies.