Murphy Posted September 26, 2011 Report Share Posted September 26, 2011 Hey guys “google” has failed me so I want to throw this out there to the SOL team to see if someone can offer me some advice before I have to call in a plumber. I have no “water at all” coming out of the hot water taps at my 3rd floor condo. The gas hot water tank is in the basement and was replaced in 2009. It’s a 40 gallon tank and the hot water worked fine as of yesterday afternoon. This morning no water came out of the hot faucets. I tried both sinks and the shower and nothing although the cold water worked perfectly. Is there a chance that there is a clog in the water tank? If so is this a DIY project? I’m fairly handy but inexperienced with soldering pipes. Any help would be appreciated. I’ve been writing checks left and right for various house maintenance and want to try this one out before having to call the plumber. Thank you!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ted527 Posted September 26, 2011 Report Share Posted September 26, 2011 sounds like a valve got shut off, i have never seen a 40 gallon tank just plug up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kings over Queens Posted September 26, 2011 Report Share Posted September 26, 2011 Check to see if the ballcock on the supply side of the water heater is open. #otterlivesmatter Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve in Mass Posted September 26, 2011 Report Share Posted September 26, 2011 May be silly, but I assume you did go down to check that your basement isn't flooded? "You know the Bill of Rights is serving its purpose when it protects things you wish it didn't." "You can no longer be oppressed if you are not afraid anymore - Unknown" SOL Member #174 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Murphy Posted September 26, 2011 Author Report Share Posted September 26, 2011 My guess is that the only time a valve got shut off was a week ago when an irrigation company came to install a new sprinkler system. Although there is no way the tank held hot water for that long and was able to reach the third floor without incoming water pressure. Would a ball valve suddenly fail or shut off? My guess is that if it failed it would be in the stuck/open position.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fly By Nite Posted September 26, 2011 Report Share Posted September 26, 2011 Sounds like a shutoff valve is shut off like everyone says. I did the same thing a few weeks ago, turned off the valve over teh boiler and was scratching my head the next day when i turned the sink on...took me about 2 seconds to realize what i had done. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Murphy Posted September 26, 2011 Author Report Share Posted September 26, 2011 Steve not sure about the flooding as I don't live there (its a rental) and only found out about it this morning while at work. I'm heading down there tonight but trying to do some perliminary research to figure out what I may need to look for. Hopefully its just a shut off but I can't imagine why anyone would randomly shut off a water supply in the basement. Fingers crossed its something simple, although witht the age of the house (1920's) I never anticipate a simple fix. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve in Mass Posted September 26, 2011 Report Share Posted September 26, 2011 Didn't know it was a rental......as was said, perhaps the tenants shut off a valve.........short of that, if the liner cracked, there wouldn't be any pressure to the faucets, and the basement will be flooded............... One other thought is that perhaps the pressure safety valve blew, but that ain't much better than a cracked liner, as the basement will STILL be flooded.......... "You know the Bill of Rights is serving its purpose when it protects things you wish it didn't." "You can no longer be oppressed if you are not afraid anymore - Unknown" SOL Member #174 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shbeachbum Posted September 26, 2011 Report Share Posted September 26, 2011 . Fingers crossed its something simple, although witht the age of the house (1920's) I never anticipate a simple fix. Do you have galvanized pipes going to the faucets ? The main one could be clogged . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
epanzella Posted September 26, 2011 Report Share Posted September 26, 2011 It's going to be a valve that's shut off. A blocked pipe would drizzle out hot water for a long time before it plugged up 100% unless the hot water heater is full of golf balls. A tennant in another unit might have shut of his hot water to put a washer in a faucet and turned off the wrong one. It could also be that the supply to the WH has been inadvertantly shut off for the same reason. In your troubleshooting just don't run a water heater when it's empty or you'll damage it. Ed Panzella "BAITS MOTEL" - 2450 Maycraft Pilothouse Higganum, Ct Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Churchman Posted September 26, 2011 Report Share Posted September 26, 2011 If your going to check the tank to see if it has water, do it from the ballcock/ Drain valve at the bottom of the heater, not the relief valve.The relief valve can sometimes stick open just enough make your life miserable. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cheech Posted September 27, 2011 Report Share Posted September 27, 2011 You left out some key info. Is there hot water in the kitchen, laundry, or on lower floors? If yes, that would exclude the hwh. If no, the 'cold in' valve on top of the hw heater is closed. Look for a closed riser hot valve in the basement. In NY "ballcock" is a term for older toilet fill valves. Tis better to remain silent and thought the fool, than to speak and remove all doubt. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Murphy Posted September 27, 2011 Author Report Share Posted September 27, 2011 So I fixed it!!! The key was to leave work early, sit in traffic for an hour and a half (pissed off that I was most likely going to be spending another $750 for a new water tank) get there and find that everything works perfectly fine. I spoke with all the tenants in the house and none of them said that they played with any valves or turned off the water for any reason. So I’m stumped but glad that it didn’t cost me anything other than time. I did try and re-create the issue turning the irrigation system on full blast and having them turn the hot water on and then off but it worked fine every time. Also, when the tenant called me yesterday morning I had him check every faucet that the hot water tank serves and none of them worked. On the plus side I was handed a punch list of things that needed to be fixed by the other new tenants at the house so I get to come back down to the “money pit” and fix more stuff . If anyone needs any advice as to whether or not to buy a rental property please call me…. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kings over Queens Posted September 27, 2011 Report Share Posted September 27, 2011 If anyone needs any advice as to whether or not to buy a rental property please call me…. I'm very seriously considering buying 2 condo or co-op type units, but threads like this give me pause. #otterlivesmatter Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Murphy Posted September 27, 2011 Author Report Share Posted September 27, 2011 I'm very seriously considering buying 2 condo or co-op type units, but threads like this give me pause. My suggestion would be to buy very close to your permanent home and make sure you have a great network of electricians, plumbers, landscapers, handymen, etc… that you trust like a family member. When your phone rings and it’s from a tenant there is never good news coming from the other end. And everything needs to be fixed immediately. Plus most tenants could care less about the place so something that goes unmentioned can lead to much bigger problems. On the plus side the rents cover the mortgage plus some additional left over so I am building equity in a place that will eventually be college tuition for my children. I look at it as a huge PIA but so is my day to day job and I’ll never be able to save what I can with this investment at my job. This place is not a flip so my goal is to own it outright 14 years from now and then sell for market value. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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