Need plumbing help with hot water heater inlet / outlet?

home decor bathroom

I am working on a house that needs new plumbing, I had a "plumber" come over and run pex tubing and sharkbite fittings, here is the issue, he put the cold water line into the hot water outlet, and the hot water out of the cold water inlet on the hot water heater. I do have hot water in 1 sink, but the bathtub upstairs that used to have pressure to hot and cold just fine has very little to no pressure at all now… Are there any experienced plumbers out there that can give me ideas/suggestions. For instance, would the lines being reversed on the hot water heater create pressure problems like this?

Related home decor bathroom

This entry was posted on Saturday, July 3rd, 2010 at 2:26 pm and is filed under Plumbing. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.

5 Responses to “Need plumbing help with hot water heater inlet / outlet?”

sensible_man on July 3rd, 2010 at 2:29 pm

At the very least, the hot water would run out quickly, since the cold water inlet has a dip tube that takes the cold water to the bottom of the tank and, in turn, pushes the hot water out. There may also be back-flow preventers installed in the tank which will limit or prevent water from flowing the way it is piped.
Danny on July 3rd, 2010 at 2:29 pm

Hope this is your first lesson as to why a serious DIY’er rarely hires a professional of any trade. They charge too much and do to little. The PEX is a nice addition, the sharkbite fittings is a fast get by type of repair ( my opinion ) yes all/most ? Modern hot water tanks have anti-siphon valves installed from factory. Reversing the inlet & outlet isn’t remotely acceptable for many reasons. Water pressure if any will be limited. This was not a professional that replaced your hot water tank; this was a friend trying to help you but blew it. No big deal switch the lines to their proper position and all should be fine. The inlet (cold water side) will have a blue ring type gasket center & the outlet (Hot water side) will have a red ring type gasket center. If all else fails read the top of the tank where the water lines go they will say In/out or hot/cold there will be a distinction between the two. Nothing ventured, nothing gained. Experience is a wonderful thing. It enables you to recognize a mistake when you make it again.
hollifieldrobert on July 3rd, 2010 at 2:29 pm

hire a different plumber your guy is a joke sensible has it right
Melvin S on July 3rd, 2010 at 2:29 pm

If all that is wrong is the hot and cold water reversed on the heater,
Call that plumber back to make it correct, or do not pay him till the work is done.
<<<<<<<<<<<<<Ok>>>>>>>>>>>>> Mel >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
<<<<<<<<<< Above all you have a nice day>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
Principles of Cowboy Home Decor | We Home décor on August 16th, 2010 at 9:53 pm

[...] Need plumbing help with hot water heater inlet / outlet? | Home … [...]

Home Decor Bathroom