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colleyvillesooner
1/9/2010, 12:38 PM
I have a 2003 Whirlpool Gas heater in the house i bought in June. It was 14-16 degrees here the last 2 nights, and this morning, the hot water isn't working. When I say not working, i can turn on a cold faucet and water pours out. Turn it off and turn on a hot water faucet, and the water doesn't even come out. On a one handle faucet, it comes out normally on cold, but when you rotate it over to hot, the water slows to a stop.

Update: The water will now come out barely on the hot setting, but it is not hot. Could just be some bleed over from the cold line.

It worked ok at 8:00 last night when we gave the little guy a bath.

Any ideas? I have no history with water heaters...

OUHOMER
1/9/2010, 01:19 PM
SOunds like your hot water line is frozen. Does it do it on all your faucets?

Okla-homey
1/9/2010, 01:23 PM
Does the water heater appear to be functioning? I mean, if it's gas, can you see the flame through the sighting window? Is the outside warm to the touch?

Breadburner
1/9/2010, 01:41 PM
Sounds like a pipe is frozen somewhere...On the hot side....Do you have hot anywhere in the house....If not...That should narrow down where its frozen....

colleyvillesooner
1/9/2010, 02:06 PM
No, it doesn't come out anywhere full force. Just a slow small line of water on all m faucets. The pilot light has lit and come on a few times, but the closet it's in is cold. We're trying to heat that closet with a heater to help thaw the line out. Guy at home depot said it was most likely a frozen pipe on the incoming line.

colleyvillesooner
1/9/2010, 02:08 PM
Does the water heater appear to be functioning? I mean, if it's gas, can you see the flame through the sighting window? Is the outside warm to the touch?

Yes, when it clicks on, the flame is there in the window.

OUHOMER
1/9/2010, 02:16 PM
Umm, seems like if it was a frozen line coming into the heater it would also be frozen on the cold side. Plus if you are getting any water from the hot side, even just a little, it shows you have pressure from top to bottom.

best bet is to turn your hot water on and leave it run. if its frozen, water movement should thaw it out.

Frozen Sooner
1/9/2010, 02:35 PM
Umm, seems like if it was a frozen line coming into the heater it would also be frozen on the cold side. Plus if you are getting any water from the hot side, even just a little, it shows you have pressure from top to bottom.

best bet is to turn your hot water on and leave it run. if its frozen, water movement should thaw it out.

+1

colleyvillesooner
1/9/2010, 02:38 PM
That's what we're doing. Keep you posted.

colleyvillesooner
1/9/2010, 03:38 PM
UPDATE: HOt water is back and at full strength. I'm gonna turn that heater back on in the closet it's in tonight to hopefully prevent the same thing from happening tonight. Thanks all.

Tulsa_Fireman
1/9/2010, 04:25 PM
Keep an eye on it.

If the pipe was frozen and has thawed, the expansion could've damaged the pipe. If those pipes are in a slab, that can spell MAJOR problems for you in the near future.

olevetonahill
1/9/2010, 04:35 PM
Bro
Turn off every faucet in the House, Make sure no water is running even the Toilets
Go O/S and look at yer Meter . If that Little wheel is turning , you have a Leak .
If Not yer Good , just make sure and leave the door open on the water closet from now on when its gonna get this Cold
Good Luck Bro

colleyvillesooner
1/9/2010, 10:59 PM
Keep an eye on it.

If the pipe was frozen and has thawed, the expansion could've damaged the pipe. If those pipes are in a slab, that can spell MAJOR problems for you in the near future.

If it's in the slab, how do I keep an eye on it? Vet's suggestion?

colleyvillesooner
1/9/2010, 11:01 PM
Bro
Turn off every faucet in the House, Make sure no water is running even the Toilets
Go O/S and look at yer Meter . If that Little wheel is turning , you have a Leak .
If Not yer Good , just make sure and leave the door open on the water closet from now on when its gonna get this Cold
Good Luck Bro


Which is better, just leave the door open or leave it shut with the small space heater in it? My garage gets pretty cold cause it's not sealed very well around the garage door.

olevetonahill
1/9/2010, 11:03 PM
If it's in the slab, how do I keep an eye on it? Vet's suggestion?

Thats the easiest way to check for a hidden leak Bro
Good Luck

olevetonahill
1/9/2010, 11:05 PM
Which is better, just leave the door open or leave it shut with the small space heater in it? My garage gets pretty cold cause it's not sealed very well around the garage door.

If its in a Non heated area then Yes Close the door and leave a small heater inside . Hell a Lamp will give off enough heat to keep it from freezing

The heat from the Bulb will keep a small area like that from gettin to cold .

colleyvillesooner
1/9/2010, 11:10 PM
Cool. Got the heater in there now on 80 degrees. I'll check that water meter thing in the morning. Hopefully I'm ok.

picasso
1/9/2010, 11:17 PM
Leave your faucets and bath on in this cold stuff. And not dripping, leave it streaming at it's lowest point.

Beats the heck out of frozen pipes.

olevetonahill
1/9/2010, 11:18 PM
Cool. Got the heater in there now on 80 degrees. I'll check that water meter thing in the morning. Hopefully I'm ok.

Dont need to be that high Bro. Just above 40 or so is good

colleyvillesooner
1/9/2010, 11:24 PM
Leave your faucets and bath on in this cold stuff. And not dripping, leave it streaming at it's lowest point.

Beats the heck out of frozen pipes.


Hot or cold stream?

colleyvillesooner
1/9/2010, 11:24 PM
Dont need to be that high Bro. Just above 40 or so is good

Ok cool.

picasso
1/9/2010, 11:27 PM
Hot or cold stream?

We've got an old house in Midtown Tulsa, our hot water heater is eye level in the water closet with the top being in our attic. The hot water froze a few weeks ago and after checking our pipes I found them to be insulated well.

I saw on the tellie the other night that the owner of a plumbing company said leave them streaming, not just dripping. Worked so far for us.

Oh and I've been leaking the hot. ohhh yeah....

colleyvillesooner
1/9/2010, 11:30 PM
cool thanks.

olevetonahill
1/9/2010, 11:47 PM
Leave your faucets and bath on in this cold stuff. And not dripping, leave it streaming at it's lowest point.

Beats the heck out of frozen pipes.

Let the Faucet Farthest from the Inlet run a dab Ya should be ok . especially with the heater in the closet

picasso
1/9/2010, 11:52 PM
What about the still out back? Throw an extra log or two under it?:D ;)

olevetonahill
1/10/2010, 05:32 AM
What about the still out back? Throw an extra log or two under it?:D ;)

Any Idjit tryin to Run a still in this cold shat Ia a true idjit :pop:

AlbqSooner
1/10/2010, 07:56 AM
^^^ This.