How to Repair a Water Heater Dip Tube
A water heater that doesn't produce hot water is virtually useless. Typically, one of the main causes of this problem is due to a broken or damaged dip tube. A dip tube brings cold water into the hot water heater. Fortunately, this problem is both an easy and inexpensive repair.
What You'll Need:
- Garden hose
- Pliers
- New dip tube
- You'll first need to turn off the power to the water heater. You can complete this step by disabling the breaker box. Completing this step will avoid the possibility of electric shock or injury when you are working on the unit.
- Ensure that the cold water intake has been turned off. Locate the copper tube near the top of the water heater. It should connect an exterior source to the upper portion of the water heater. Ensure that the valve has been turned to the "OFF" position.
- Attach a garden hose to the cold water supply. Run it outside to a sink that is nearest to your water heater.
- In either a sink or bathtub, run the hot water to drain the tank of any remaining hot water.
- Using a pipe wrench, take off the cold water pipe on the upper portion of the water heater. Locate the small hole and reach inside. Once inside remove the dip tube out of the water heater.
- Install your new dipstick in the system that your previous dip stick was located. You can replace the cold water pipe at the top of the dip tube. Attach the cold water supply line onto the water heater.
- Go back to either the sink or bathtub and turn the water faucet on and turn the cold water supply on. Turn the power back on and allow time for the hot water heater to refill itself and the water to heat back up.