Water
heater dip tube
Example show electric water heater
Gas water heater has identical dip tube
Inlets on top of tank are labeled Hot and Cold.
Water connections must be correct for water heater to work
Dip tube carries cold water to bottom of tank. Same for gas and electric water heaters.
Symptoms:
Less hot water, plastic piece in hot water.
If dip tube is broken, then there is less hot water available.
Faucets areators can also clog with plastic pieces. Read
Debris in faucet can be caused by many things, not necessarily always the dip tube. Main sympton is reduced amount of hot water. Read
Small risk of damage to tank:
Broken dip tube can damage enamal 'glass-liner' inside water heater when it bounces around inside tank. Read more
Remove tube and inspect.
Quick-test:
Put hose on drain valve.
Open drain valve.
Do not turn off water.
If temperature of water leaving drain hose cools quickly, then that is good and dip tube is delivering cold water to bottom of tank.
 | How to remove dip tube Remove cold water nipple. If nipple is rusted, then insert steel bolt that matches interior diameter of nipple so nipple will not collapse when removing nipple with pipe wrench Some dip tubes are connected to cold water nipple Some dip tubes are located under the cold water nipple. Remove cold water nipple. Insert 2 screwdrivers into dip tube, and pull outward while lifting upwards. Or insert bendable piece of wood, such as 1 veneer layer off plywood, cut exactly, so that wood presses out against tube, and lift while rotating counterclockwise. Image also shows heat trap washer that is sometimes inserted over top of dip tube. If house has water pressure problems, then cut out center of heat trap washer. Low water pressure |
 | Dip tube located on top of heater under cold water nipple Dip tube is made of plastic and has perforated openings located along sides of tube. Some dip tubes are curved so the water flow can keep sediment stirred off bottom of tank. There is some evidence this helps. Order dip tubes and curved dip tubes How to clean sediment out of water heater |
Dip tube can be open on end, or have perforated holes
This dip tube is connected to cold water nipple
Remove cold water nipple and pull out dip tube for inspection.
Image shows dip tube is connected to di-electric cold water nipple. Install using pipe wrench and teflon tape.
Other dip tubes are inserted into top of tank and nipple installed separately.
Buy dip tubes and anode rods
Buy standard dip tube
Buy curved dip tube for sediment control
Install curved dip tube question
Pull dip tube upwards.
Insert 2 screwdrivers, and then cross them like chopsticks to pull up dip tube
Look at product manual for parts illustration
 See detailed image of installation |  Larger image |
Make your own heat traps using incoming pipes.
Some dip tubes have check valve.
Other dip tubes have 'heat traps'
Some water heaters come with heat-trap nipples.
Check valves, heat trap dip tubes, and heat trap nipples can cause clogs. Low water pressure
Available in water heater department at local hardware and box store.
Action prevents electrolytic corrosion or electroysis caused when different metals are connected together.
Different metal pipes can also cause Low Hot Water Pressure
Recycle old water heater
Troubleshoot electric water heater
Troubleshoot gas water heater
