So I recently lost almost all hot water pressure in my house. It just dribbles out of the faucets. The shower is even worse. I have never had great hot water pressure, but this is almost nothing. Especially in the shower. I have narrowed it down to a couple things. My house is old, but all the lines from the hot water heater are updated to copper. I tried draining the hot water heater and without the water to the heater on nothing comes out. This leads me to believe that the heater is packed with calcium or something. Maybe the reason I lost pressure is because I'm just getting the water thats coming into the tank at the time?

Is there a way to clear the tank on the hot water heater, or do I just need to buy a new hot water heater? It heats the water well, it just seems like It's not getting from the tank to the faucets. I have lived here 10 years, so I know it's atleast that old. It looks to be fairly new beyond that though.

My only other thing is that my stems in the shower are old, and galvanized. Could the stems be the issue?

Any advice would be appreciated before I call a plummer and drop some coin.

PM'd

Water heaters have zinc anodes in them called sacrificial anodes. They corrode so that the tank doesn't. I was told by a Home Depot employee that the difference between a water heater with a 7 yr warranty and a 10 yr warranty was the 7 yr unit had one anode and the 10 yr one had 2 anodes.

If you look at your water heater, the fittings where the pipes attach for inlet and outlet water are usually where your anodes are. My suspicion is that one of the anodes has corroded to the point that it got really thin, collapsed and is now blocking your outlet pipe.

You can test this theory by turning off your gas or electricity to your water heater and disconnecting the inlet and outlet pipes. Remove the fittings from the tank itself, and you'll probably see a clogged up outlet fitting. This is a good time to upgrade to ball valves on both sides of the water heater if you don't already have them. Go on down to the local home improvement store and buy 2 anodes (might as well put in 2 even if you only had 1) and 2 ball valves and install it all.

You'll get at least another 10 yrs out of it and it'll be much easier to service in the future if necessary.

That actually makes sense, Socal. I'll get a plumber out to take a look. Thanks to you to, ADbrothers

Most waterheaters come with chicken shit backflow devices in the pipe nipples on top of water heater , take them out and put two brass nipples in thier place and put a swing check valve on top of the inlet nipple. So you will need three nipples and a check valve. Like socaldmax said replace the t+p valve it has the anode in it. PM me if you need help .

You have copper on hot only , the galv 90 & nipple leading into the water heater are plugged up by rust .

The line leading into the heater is copper and has good flow. Inlet and outlet are ball valves, and the overflow is all copper with a swing valve. It seems like there's just crap not letting the hot water get out.

Sorry, always wanted to do that...if we could see some pics....we might know how to help a little easier.

Go buy a long water heater hose and bypass the water heater all together. Then turn on the water and see if you now have pressure on the hot side of your faucets and shower. That will tell you right away if it is the water heater or your fixtures.

sell the house and buy a new one

did you check the areators on the fixtures??????????????????

Just askin...