11 Reasons Why Your Water Is Only Lukewarm

This article originally appeared on Angi and is syndicated by Cheapism.

Nothing wakes you up in the morning like an ice-cold shower—especially when you were expecting a warm, relaxing one. There are several reasons your hot water heater might be cooling off, including some that might indicate your water heater is about to fail.

Sometimes the problem can be fixed as a DIY project, and other times, you should call in a professional. The national average cost to hire a professional to fix a water heater is $590, with most repairs falling between $225 and $960.

Learn 11 common reasons why your hot water is only lukewarm and some possible solutions to those issues.

To save money and conserve energy during the summer, many homeowners turn down the thermostat on their hot water heaters. The trick is, in the winter, you have to remember to turn it back up. Luckily, this one’s an easy fix.

Check the thermostat on your hot water heater to make sure it’s set to the correct temperature, but be sure not to go over 120 degrees, or you risk the water being too hot.

If you turn up the thermostat on your hot water tank and don’t feel an increase in water temperature, there’s a chance your thermostat is broken.

When this happens, there’s not a great DIY solution. Call a water heater repair professional near you to replace your thermostat.

Water that enters your water heater carries particles like dirt and sediment with it, and eventually, that can build up in the tank. Because the buildup happens at the bottom where the heater is, this can lead to lukewarm water production. Hard water carries more minerals than soft, so if you live in an area with hard water, this could be the culprit.

To get the hot water flowing again, drain the tank and consider installing a water softener.

Though it may not be visible, your water tank may have sprung a leak.

If you suspect a leak, call a professional. Do not try to repair this yourself, even if you’re a DIY die-hard. Incorrectly replacing a leaky valve under your water heater can lead to more leakage, which could puddle on your floor and cause mold and mildew or structural damage to your home.

If you’ve moved into a new home, installed a hot water heater yourself, or added bathrooms to your house, you may have ended up with the incorrect size for the demand of your home.

If you’re tired of jockeying to be first in line for the shower, consider a tankless water heater. This type of water heater could be 24% to 34% more energy-efficient than a traditional water heater, according to the Department of Energy. Tankless water heaters can also save space, as they don’t store hot water but heat it on demand for each use.

If you’re running your washing machine, dishwasher, and bathtub all at once, you may be creating too much demand without enough hot water supply. The fix? Space out your chores. Run your dishwasher and washing machine at separate times, ideally when no one in the house is showering.

The flow rate refers to the gallons per minute (GPM) your hot water tank is producing to keep up with the demand in the house. If the flow rate for each faucet is high, not enough hot water will get to each tap. Install low-flow faucets and showerheads to conserve water and increase the amount of hot water that gets to your tap.

Electric water heaters usually have two heating elements, and if one of them breaks, the other has to make up the difference. This lack of efficiency can result in lukewarm water from your faucets. Regular maintenance can stave off a failure, but if one goes bad, call in a pro to replace the faulty element.

The valve in gas water heaters usually lasts around 10 years, after which it becomes susceptible to damage. If you notice a smell like garbage or rotten eggs, that’s an indicator that your gas valve has broken and there’s a leak.

If you suspect a gas leak, contact your gas company’s emergency line. Evacuate until they can inspect your home to determine if there is a leak and share any next steps.

Gas valves cannot be repaired, so if there’s a problem with your gas valve, you will need to replace it. Gas is extremely dangerous to work with if you don’t have the proper professional training. Performing a repair incorrectly can lead to a leak, which is not only a health hazard if you’re inhaling it; it can also lead to an explosion. Seriously, don’t try to DIY this one.

The dip tube pushes cold water down into the bottom of your tank to be heated. When the dip tube malfunctions, the water doesn’t get pushed down into the heating mechanism. As a result, your heater becomes less efficient and more likely to put out lukewarm H2O. Contact a pro if you suspect a broken dip tube.

Cross connections, where potable water comes into contact with non-potable water, usually occur in older plumbing systems. Since these problems usually happen outside your home, they are difficult to identify until you’ve ruled out everything else.

If you have eliminated other possible causes of your water heater only producing lukewarm water, a cross-connection may have occurred when the city was updating plumbing near your home. You should contact your plumber and your city if you suspect this is happening.