This post was contributed by a community member. The views expressed here are the author's own.

Health & Fitness

What to do When Your Hot Water isn't Consistent

What do you do when you find you don’t have any hot water and have to take a cold shower? Inconsistent hot water can make it hard to clean and cook, but luckily there are some things you can do to fix the problem.

If you notice inconsistent water temperatures, no hot water, leaking and sounds coming from your hot water heater, a professional should inspect it. However, if you just don’t have hot water, there are a few things you can try first.

Check the Water Heater

Find out what's happening in East Meadowwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Before you inspect your water heater, make sure the power and water supply valve are off. Then, if you have an electric heater, lightly touch the side to see if the heating units are working. If it isn’t warm, check the breakers. If you have a gas heater, check to make sure the pilot light is on.

Reset the Thermostat

Find out what's happening in East Meadowwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

If your water heater’s thermometer tripped, you may have inconsistent temperatures. Find the thermometer and reset it. Contact a plumber that specializes in hot water heater repair on Long Island if you aren’t able to find the thermometer or don’t know how to reset it.

Rotate the Temperature Control

Find the temperature control knob on you hot water heater and turn it as far clockwise as you can, and then all the way counterclockwise. Then, set the dial to 150 degrees and give your unit some time to heat the water. After about 30 minutes, check to see if the water coming out of your tap is warm again.

Have the Heater Serviced

If you still aren’t able to get hot water, contact us. We provide hot water heater repair on Long Island and can find the problem with your unit and then recommend repairs that will get it in working order again. If your heater has leaks, mineral build up or broken parts, you should contact a professional right away. You can find out more about getting constant water temperatures on the Pat Dolan Plumbing website.

We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here

The views expressed in this post are the author's own. Want to post on Patch?