It sure looks like my water heater dip tube isn't right, fully hot water but only for a little while.

My pipe wrench is probably older than me (very old), the teeth on one jaw look particularly worn. A 3/4" fitting on the top of the water heater not budging even with a cheater bar. An awkward location (of course), I'm not that confident the wrench is adjusted as tight as it could.

Four year old water heater (Home Depot, Rheem), dielectric fitting with no real external corrosion visible. Should a new wrench get this job done? Is something gonna break where I need a new water heater?

Too cold a Winter so far, too short showers suck.

Impact gun.

Need the shock to break it loose. You will probably turn the whole heater before you loosen it with a cheater bar.

Check to see if anything will suffer from heat soak. If not, propane torch, get it really hot, smack the wrench with a dead blow hammer. Sharp impact.

Then quench with water or a sopping wet rag.

Make sure you have access to plumbing supply house or Big Box Store before you start tearing it up.

They have a big gorilla who tightens them down at the factory. You need a six foot cheater or an impact. When you put it back together don’t use Teflon or pipe dope. And check the anode while you’re there, they usually last a few years, but depending on your waters ash and other variables, they could need to be changed earlier. The anode nut is a 1 1/16”

Replacing the water heater?

Cut it out, don't mess with unscrewing the old connectors that are seized to the heater.

Turn off the water, cut the copper or pex etc pipes, both return and feed and replace them with the new water heater using shark bite water heater connectors Turn off any electrical connection, drain the heater, drag it to the Curb, install the new one with the new Shark Bite Water Heater Connectors.

No Plumber needed, so easy a caveman could do it..

Parts list, instructions, video at the link

The Link

Is the water heater gas or electric?
If electric one of the heating elements may not be working.

quote:

Originally posted by sigmonkey:
Check to see if anything will suffer from heat soak. If not, propane torch, get it really hot, smack the wrench with a dead blow hammer. Sharp impact.

Then quench with water or a sopping wet rag.

Make sure you have access to plumbing supply house or Big Box Store before you start tearing it up.

I don't think heat soak is a problem, it's a steel fitting that screws in the top of the heater. I was hoping not to need heat. The fitting has has a little well on top with penetrating oil sitting in it for days.

Gas heater BTW.

This is a pipe, nothing to put a hex wrench on.

Four year old WH, not getting a new one unless I booger this one up.

We finally got our iced-in driveway clear enough to get the wife's car up after almost two weeks, she's been parking at a neighbor's about 75+ yards down our gravel driveway.

As such, I wouldn't expect a plumber (or delivery vehicle) to be able to get up here and turned around. So yeah, real apprehensive about getting things squared away and not messing up. Not enough thaw expected anytime soon to make room up here for bigger vehicles.

As it stands, I'll get a new wrench and not go crazy with it. Could be a lot of quick showers for the foreseeable future.

**edit**

I had put in our WH time before last. When it went, my back wasn't gonna let me install a new one so I had to get the pros in. When this one started acting up, I called them. He said they won't work on Home Depot WH's which I found strange considering he had put in the Home Depot WH I bought.

AI Overview
Learn more
Yes, dip tubes on water heaters can fall off over time, usually due to deterioration from mineral buildup in the water, causing the plastic tube to become brittle and break apart; this can lead to cold water mixing with hot water at the top of the tank if the dip tube breaks or becomes detached from its connection point.