Hi Michael,

I hope you can help me with my hot water (or lack of) situation.

We purchased a "top of the line" Phase 111 hot water heater in 2000. For the past year our hot water pressure has been terrible so I began to research the subject and came across your website on failed dip tubes.

We replaced the dip tube which disintegrated from 52" to 2", needless to say we still have a problem because the particles continue to flow through our plumbing system. I contacted the manufacturer and sent them a copy of my water report as requested. The report came back fine and they explained there was nothing they could do for me as my water heater was manufactured after 1997 and should not have a problem. I am a bit confused here because my water heater obviously is giving us a problem and one would assume that the problem should have been fixed years before I purchased mine. I am also concerned that we replaced it with the same piece of "work" that fell apart to begin with  and caused a nightmare for us. Does this mean that we will eventually have twice the amount of plastic swimming around?

Any information or guidance that you can give me would be greatly appreciated.

Sincerely, Michelle XXXXXXX

Michelle,

I know that it is difficult to deal with failed dip tubes. After re-reading your email there are a couple of issues that I can comment upon...

CLASS ACTION: The class action for the 1990’s has no affect on your newer water heater, but we can learn a few things. Dip tubes have always been prone to failure. The Class Action came about because enough could be traced to a certain time period that the individual homeowners banded together and the lawyers made lots of money and many homeowners had their issues resolved.

DIP TUBES: Most of the dip tubes used in water heaters today are from Perfection Corporation. Most are plastic, although some are made of copper. Due to the high heat inside the units and the chemical makeup of water, the plastic sometimes will fail. This happened long before the Class Action and still continues today. The steps to correct the issue are the same, whether a Class Action Settlement is covering the repair, or if you are burdened with the repair.

DIP TUBE OPTIONS: It sounds as though the water in your home is very hard on plastic dip tubes. I had a homeowner in Washington contact me and they shared that they bought some thick walled copper pipe and used a flare tool on one end to create their own homemade solution. The tube was dropped down into the tank and then they screwed in a new nipple to secure the dip tube. Their logic was that they would rather have the water deteriorate the copper dip tube and have it break off in the tank than have to deal with purging the system for plastic pieces again. Personally, I think a brass dip tube would be a better solution.

DIP TUBE REPLACEMENT: The reason that plastic is the prevalent replacement is because it is cheap and there usually is not adequate room above the unit to remove and install a long rigid pipe.

TANKLESS WATER HEATER: If your issues continue, then consider a tankless water heater upgrade. They do not use a tank and dip tube.

VASELINE TIP: The hardest part of cleaning the plumbing system is removing all of the aerators. Use Vaseline on the threads when you remove them and they will unscrew very easily the next time.

I also recommend that you go to your nearest plumbing supplier. In my area it is Bernie’s Plumbing Supply. They sell to both retail and commercial clients and they are very willing to offer good advice. Ask them about dip tube replacement options. See if they have plastic and metal options. Then ask them about the anode rod and whether the standard rods are right for the public water in your area.

Thanks again for your inquiry and let me know what other concerns that you have. Michael Leavitt - Orem, Utah