What is a Dip Tube and What does it do?
Dip tubes, although simple, are very important to the operation of gas and electric water heaters. Without a dip tube you won’t get much hot water. Water Heater Dip Tubes The dip tube in your water heater, (and nearly all water heaters have them), is a long plastic tube that fits into the inlet of the water heater and stops at about 8 inches above the bottom of the tank. Some water heaters have the cold water inlet at the bottom of the tank, and those water heaters do not need a dip tube since the cold water is already entering the tank from the bottom. The dip tube is designed to direct the incoming cold water to the bottom of the heater. Without a dip tube the cold water coming into heater would just mix with some of the hot water at the top of the tank on its way to the outlet. You would get tepid water out of your faucets. If your dip tube breaks off, you will only be able to get tepid water from your water heater, or it will seem to run out very quickly. It depends on how much of
