Please read the reasons on the lower post and age / details. I work on water heaters all the time, and replace the lower elements often that are under the lime. After disconecting the power. Shut off water, leave the water heater full. bend a small 22 to 45 degree angle in a three ft chunk of rebar and remove the lower element. As the water gushes out hook deep inside the heater and the water will move the lime out once you dig it loose. The ribs on the rebar will rake out the lime as you pull towards yourself and make another stroke. Turn the water on after you start, the more water the better. You must remember to cover the floor drain with hardware clothe or something similar so the pile of lime does not go down the drain. A broom will hold back alot of the lime if you have a helper. This is under the asumption the water heater is in the basement. Ya you do get wet, but it always works good. There are the ones that have not been cleaned for years and the element twists off, and it is more like cement, those are in need of replacment. I myself have never had issues sealing the element, but care must be used with the rebar not to destroy the threads. I will check out all the options, and I did not look things over the other night, just looked at it in the dim light with my good cloths on, and no tools. There is a old water heater a little ways away that they did not take up the stairs. I had no flashlight either. A wimdow was open also, and probably since last summer as no one ever goes down there from the looks of things. I was prety upset that they made me wash dishes in cold water, not luke warm even so they could conserve the hot water. I read a coment to tell them to not use runnig water etc. Anyone care to come make the suggestion to the ladies, I will put my money on the ladies, at least 10 - 1 odds. They used cold water only to hose down stuff. I was under the assumption it was a joke to use cold water, and started to turn on the hot to rinse out a dish rag. A lady reched in front of me and turned it off, reminded me to not use ANY hot water. I never stired the pot, as I was out numbered by seven or eight ladies. I sure was wondering what would happen if a health inspector walked in, as I have never used cold water for dishes that I can ever remember even camping. Turning up the temprature is a good suggestion that I already thought of, but there are little kids helping at times, and this also hooks to the bathrooms etc. I personaly think something like the lower element is not working, because 80 gallon of hot water is alot, and a heater running over a five hr ordeal should make for alot of hot water. My observations were that no one was wasting a drop of hot water. I would also assume there was only fifty gallons estamated in my head, however that is imposible to know for sure. If it rains I will have time to check it out maybe, I would rather stay out of it, but then here I am, knowing I will be asked to do something if I don't volenteer. I will post back when and if I do get involved. I don't belong to the church nor even that religion, I just went to help out.
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