DIY Water Heater Testing and Repair

A 1-60 minutes DIY repair that will salvage you the cost of calling the plumber

Introduction

Heating elements on electric water heaters sometimes neglect long before the water heater, but replacing them in a hot water heater is an like shooting fish in a barrel DIY repair.

Tools Required

Materials Required

  • Heating elements

If your electric hot water heater is slow to estrus, runs out of hot water faster than it used to, or doesn't deliver any hot water at all, there's a 90 percent chance that but replacing one or both of the heating elements will solve the trouble. H2o heater repairs are straightforward, and replacement elements are inexpensive ($viii to $xx) and readily bachelor at dwelling house centers, hardware stores and appliance parts dealers.

We'll show you how to test the heating elements, remove i if it'due south bad, and install a new ane. Simply keep in mind that h2o heaters have a typical life span of ten to xv years. If your heater is approaching onetime age, replacement may be smarter than repair.

Learn how to regulate your h2o heater here.

Other Causes of Water Non Getting Hot

Of class, in that location are other potential causes of a lack of hot h2o. Before you test the elements, check to make sure the circuit billow is on and not tripped. Also press the reset button on the high-temperature cutoff located simply in a higher place the upper thermostat. Resetting either the excursion breaker or the high-temperature cutoff may resolve the trouble, but the fact that they were tripped in the outset place may signal an electrical trouble. If they trip again, examination the heating elements.

If the heating elements are good, the problem could be with the thermostats or cutoff switch. Testing is complicated, but since they're inexpensive—about $twenty for both thermostats and the cutoff switch—you lot could simply try replacing them.

Video: How to Test Your Water Heater Element

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Projection stride-by-step (6)

Stride 1

Remove the Cover Plates

  • Turn off the ability at the circuit breaker.
  • Remove the metal covers to betrayal the thermostats and elements.
    • Pro tip: Make sure the power is off past touching the electrical connections with a noncontact voltage detector.

Step 2

Exam the Wires

  • Examination the wires leading into the h2o heater.
    • Note: If the wires are covered by metal conduit, the tester won't read voltage. You'll have to remove the metal thermostat cover on the side of the h2o heater, pull out the insulation and hold the tester near the wires leading into the top of the high-temperature cutoff switch.
  • Hold the tester confronting the metal h2o heater shell.
    • Note: If the tester doesn't light up, information technology's safety to test the elements.

What'due south Inside a H2o Heater and How It Works

Almost residential electric water heaters take two heating elements: one near the top of the tank and one almost the bottom. Power enters the summit and runs to the high-temperature cutoff switch, and so to the thermostats and elements. The meridian and bottom elements are controlled by carve up thermostats. When the water on the top of the tank is hot, the top element turns off and the lower 1 heats. The upper and lower heating elements never come on at the same time.

Step 3

Examination Continuity for a Burned-Out Chemical element

    • Note: You'll need a continuity tester ($5 to $10) for this step.
  • Disconnect the wires from the terminal screws.
  • Prune the alligator clench onto ane of the element screws.
  • Touch the other spiral with the tester probe.
    • Annotation: If the tester doesn't lite, replace the chemical element.

Step 4

Exam for a Brusk Circuit

  • Prune the alligator clip to one of the chemical element screws.
  • Affect the tester probe to the chemical element mounting subclass.
  • Echo on the other screw.
    • Notation: If the tester light comes on either fourth dimension, there's a brusque. Supersede the chemical element.

The Secret of the Red Push

Rarely, both elements will exam okay, but you're still non getting hot water. Try pushing the button on the "high-temperature cutoff," located merely above the upper thermostat. It may solve the problem, just if the problem recurs, check your heating elements.

Step 5

Remove the Bad Chemical element

  • Close the cold-water inlet valve.
  • Open the hot water faucet in the kitchen.
  • Connect a garden hose to the bleed valve and open information technology to bleed the tank.
    • Notation: For thread-in–type elements like we show here, yous'll need a water heater element wrench ($5 at home centers and hardware stores).
  • Unscrew the old element using a heating element wrench.
    • Pro tip: You'll need a long, sturdy Phillips screwdriver to turn the socket. If it won't unscrew, use a cold chisel and hammer to loosen the threads.

Step six

Install the New Element

  • Thread the new element into the h2o heater and tighten information technology with the heating chemical element wrench.
  • Reconnect the wires, making sure the connections are tight.
  • Replace the insulation and metal covers.

Ownership Heating Elements

Supervene upon your heating element with 1 of the same wattage. If your old element isn't labeled with the wattage, refer to the nameplate on the h2o heater or your instruction manual, or search online using the model number from the nameplate.

Heating elements are held to the water heater either with a large thread and nut as shown here or by four bolts and nuts. Nigh home centers stock the version nosotros show, but y'all can purchase an adapter kit if you're replacing the 4-commodities version.

Uncomplicated U-shape elements are the cheapest. More than expensive low-density elements are usually folded back. These provide the aforementioned amount of rut but spread out over a larger surface expanse, which lowers the surface temperature, making them less prone to mineral buildup.

If your sometime chemical element was caked with minerals, replace information technology with a low-density element for more efficient performance and longer life.

Originally Published: November 27, 2020