RO Filter damaging Water Heater?

pjewett,

Can you switch the system temp. to another sink? Like the kitchen sink. Just to eliminate variables. The pressure should be some what what the same throughout the apartment, especially since the water has to be push up. Just a thought. Oh by the way way I feel you when you say stressed. I got alot of cut back bad news today from my company. Keep your head up a d try to stay positive. If you got your health and family then your doing just fine.
 
I know this is an apartment but it wouldnt be to big of a deal to put a tee on the cold water side under your sink between the valve coming out of the wall and the flexline with another valve and a small coil of tubing to reach wherever your ro system is. you should be able to get one at home depot for around 10 dollars.
 
AZDesertRat, your theory does not seem to make sense to me. One cold water line coming into the building drives both the hot and cold water through the pipes. Path of least resistence is not about to drive it back through the hot water line unless there was a leak at the hot water heater.

To the OP, I agree with others. There is no way this did anything. The filter is not about to create more back pressure than having the faucet closed does.
 
Hi, i would recommend moving the inlet of your R/O to the cold side, i would not inject hot water to my R/O system because it could damage the membrane, the system is the last in-line of your house plumbing and it is NOT responsible for your water heater problems.....good luck and its not your fault

Sana
 
Even if the hot water was some how bleeding back into the cold water ( it's not) and that was making it back to the hot water heater how would that be a problem ? My hot water heater is fed with cold water and hot water from my boiler. That doesn't hurt the hot water heater at all. Also the RO unit doesn't work at a higher back pressure then there is in the system when the faucet is closed. Sounds like the hot water heater may have a bad thermostat.
 
My theory is not theory. Remember I said a seperate hot water loop? Lots of apartments, hotels and even larger homes now have a looped hot water recirculation system so you have instant hot water. If that system is in use and has lower pressure than the cold water side a cartridge type faucet can draw hot water into the cold side. It can even work in the opposite direction in your own home without a looped system. If you have a single handle faucet, try turning off either the cold or hot valve coming thru the wall. Now disconnect that line from the valve then open up the faucet in the neutral or center position. You will get backflow down and out the disconected pipe. No theory, thats the way it works.
 
Hi All

Well I'm afraid my update will feel a little anti-climatic considering the chatter this thread has produced.

The guy who lives downstairs also has no hot water. His son translated his Spanish for me and apparently the pilot light is NOT out and he's not been able to identify any leaks.

Again, what prompted my thought that I might be the cause was that the last time this happened the landlord wanted to know if I had modified anything (at that point I hadn't). I left the landlord a message and apparently someone will be over on the weekend (the last time they said that the bonehead never showed up)...so it's cold showers for the next few days.

Here are pics of my rig....should have posted something sooner but I just now had the chance to take them.

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H
 
You either have a very high shower or are vertically challenged. If I added anything to my shower, the head would hit me in the belly button. :D

Has the landlord tried to drain the hot water tank?

BTW - I also feel that your set-up has nothing to do with your lack of hot water.
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13967920#post13967920 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by dkh0331
You either have a very high shower or are vertically challenged. If I added anything to my shower, the head would hit me in the belly button. :D

Has the landlord tried to drain the hot water tank?

BTW - I also feel that your set-up has nothing to do with your lack of hot water.

It's a combo of both.

Landlord has done nothing yet....cold showers for 3 days now.
 
If you have access to the hot water heater you can restart the pilot yourself or call the local utility company. Any landlord who lets his or her building go for 3 days without hot water during winter and the Holidays for nothing more than a pilot being out is a deadbeat.
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13965900#post13965900 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by pjewett
Hi All

The guy who lives downstairs also has no hot water. His son translated his Spanish for me and apparently the pilot light is NOT out and he's not been able to identify any leaks.

Pilot light is still lit I think; double negative. It doesn’t sound like they’ve found the problem yet.

They are positive its a gas water heater and not an electric? I would check myself, personally.
 
sounds to me like the dip tube might have split...or is broken, the tube extends to near the bottom of the tank...allowing hot water to be drawn from the top...its not uncommon for that to happen....or...its possible that the tank is full of crud on the bottom from not be drained on a regular basis...your mixing valve is also not anti scald/pressure balanced....a HUGE no..no...and plumbing code violation!!!
 
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