You probably have a massive amount of buildup in the tank, and 120 degrees
is just a very minimum for hot water. I'd crank 'er up to 150-160 (this is
where the dishwasher guys like it anyway), then you might see more normal
performance. If there is a clean out drain on the bottom of it, you might
try flushing it out. But be prepared for it to start leaking if you do this
at this age.


steve


"Kevin G." wrote in message
oups.com...
My 30-year-old 80-gallon electric water heater has begun to not work
very well. When taking a shower, after about five (5) minutes, the
water begins to lose its heat, and I have to turn the cold water
almost completely off in order for the water to remain warm.

The thermostat on my water heater is set to 120 degrees Fahrenheit. I
have troubleshooted online and I've read where the dip tube could be
cracked or have some sort of other problem. I just recently drained
out my water heater to remove sediment that was built up, thinking
that this might fix the problem, but the same problem still exists. I
don't think that the previous home owner ever did this.

Is it worth the money to call a repair person to investigate the
problem, or should I shell out the bucks for a new one?

Thanks for any advice,
Kevin