Put a switch on my electric water heater, now I only turn it before I'll need really hot water..

[kristopher]

18. Fumesucker is correct

Your tank almost certainly has two elements and something is stopping the bottom element from heating the water.

As said, sediment could be the problem since it can form a blanket over the lower element.

I see from the photo that your drain valve (front and center at bottom) is exposed through the insulation. If you have a garden hose that can reach outside, you might want to try flushing it as a first step.

It isn't difficult - there are a number of instructional videos and websites telling you how.
http://www.google.com/search?client=safari&rls=en&q=how+to+flush+your+hot+water+heater&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8

Routine maintenance calls for flushing your HWH once a year to prevent buildup, btw. I learned the hard way that the build-up is what usually causes the element to burn out. If your heater is 10 years or more old and you haven't been flushing it, you might want to price a new one.

In the present grid, electric water heaters usually have a larger carbon footprint than gas, but electric or gas present day units are well insulated and very efficient at heating and containing the heat of the water. Replacement cost and fuel both favor electric.

FWIW in a distributed renewable grid electric hot water and electric home heat systems are poised to become important energy storage systems helping to make the grid more efficient - but that is a couple of decades away.