Are you having trouble with your Electric Hot Water Heater? Can you repair it yourself? How Hard could it be? follow this link to find out if it is something you could repair yourself.This article on electric hot water heater troubleshooting will help you to locate your 'no hot water' problem quickly and direct you to a solution to the issue. See below for guidelines on how to track down your problem. See the article on 'Gas Hot Water Heaters' if you don't have an electric heater. Not sure which kind you have, see 'Identifying Water Heater Types', for a description of each type.

Common electric water heater problems are 'Replacing Bad Heating Elements', and 'Checking Electric Water Heater Thermostats'. Some common problems for all Hot Water Heaters are, 'Pressure Relief Valves', 'Leaking Water Heaters' and the 'Water Heater Drain Valve'.

It could be if you do not have any hot water and you have an electric hot water heater. Sometimes the problem is too little hot water. There are a handful of items that can malfunction or wear out on an electric water heater. See if you can locate your problem and whether it is practical for you to fix it.

Electric hot water heater troubleshooting involves checking wiring that has a significant amount of current. In fact the combination of volts and amps in an electric water heater can be lethal. Be Careful!! See 'Electrical Safety Tips' for information on working safely around electricity.

That does not mean that this type of repair is impossible. It just means you need to have the right skills and take the right precautions. At the very minimum you want to have an understanding of what it is that needs fixed.

Electric Hot Water Heater Repair Costs

We are in the whitewater of cost potential here. A new hot water heating unit can run anywhere from $250 to $3,500. Installation costs can run from $200 to $1,600. This is all for a new system. Yes, you may only need a $20 part. Add that to a service call and you should be looking at $100, more or less. Just keep in mind that with the potential above you might get some serious selling when you try to get someone to fix your hot water heater.

Electric hot water troubleshooting starts out at a fairly difficult level. You need some testers to track down your problem. To make it worse, the testers are not that easy to use. Add to that the significant danger involved with the 240 volt power that is feeding your electric hot water tank.

Has the breaker tripped on your Electric Hot Water Heater? What do I do?Check the breaker, has it tripped for some reason. The next easy thing would be the Reset button on the heating elements. Unfortunately, when the water heater is making either of these things trip, there is usually another problem.

We are talking about serious electricity here. 240 volts at thirty amps. Have people been killed from that kind of current? Yes they have. Don't even look at anything unless the power is off. No hot water is a bummer and you may not have a quick fix. Assuming it is not something simple like a tripped breaker you could be looking at minimal or no hot water until you can get the problem resolved.

 Electric Hot Water Heater Troubleshooting Information

Take a look at the possible problems below. Try to find a match for your situation. Follow the links to get to the right information

I don't have any hot water. What is wrong with my Electric Hot Water Heater. Is it something I can fix? Could it be the element? How hard would it be to find out? Can I do it myself?No Hot Water

Check the circuit breaker first. Has it tripped? The breaker for the hot water heater should be a two pole breaker in your panel.

The next possibility would be an issue with the thermostat, limit switch or element. See the article 'Hot Water Heater Element Testing' and 'Electric Water Heater Thermostats' for the information on tracking down this kind of problem. Another possibility would be loose wires. Go to the article 'Electric Hot Water Heater Wiring', for direction on the wiring issues you might face.

adjusting the electric water heater thermostat thmbNot Enough Hot Water

The first thing to check is the thermostat. Go to 'Adjusting the Thermostat' for a discussion. There might be problems with the heating elements, see 'Hot Water Heater Element Testing' to check and see if one or both of them are bad.

Loose wiring could also cause this problem, check out 'Electric Hot Water Heater Wiring' for answers.

The dip tube is another possibility. The article 'Hot Water Heater Dip Tube' addresses this problem.

It is taking too long for my water from my Electric Hot water Heater to warm up. Is it something I can fix? How hard is it?Takes Too Long to Reheat

It could be as simple as adjusting the thermostat, see 'Electric Hot Water Heater Thermostats' for instruction.

It could also be an issue with the lower thermostat or the lower element. Check out the article 'Hot Water Heater Element Testing' for more information.

Another possibility would be sediment build up in the bottom of the tank. See 'Flushing a Water Heater' for information on cleaning out your tank.

I need to lower the temperature of my water from my Electric Hot Water Heater. It's too Hot! Can I do it my self? How hard is it?Water Too Hot

The top candidate for is that the thermostat is set too high. Electric water heater thermostats are not readily accessible and take a bit of work to locate. The article 'Electric Hot Water Heater Thermostats' provides instructions on locating the thermostats and how to change the settings.

You might also want to review the article on 'Hot Water Heater Temperature Settings', this article provides information on how to safely set the temperature for your water heater.

Next would be a malfunctioning thermostat. Another possibility would be a thermostat that is not seated properly. The articles 'Hot Water Heater Element Testing' andcover these issues.

Do you need to replace the Heat Element on your Electric Hot Water Heater? Is it hard to do? Can I replace it myself? Do I Need to replace it?Noisy Heating Elements

This is caused by scale build up on the elements or having the wrong elements. The elements can be cleaned or replaced. Although this cleaning them may not be worth the effort.

Electric water heater elements are not that expensive, so replacing them may be the wise course. See the articles 'How To Purchase a Water Heater Element' and 'How To Replace Electric Water Heater Elements' before you decide on what to do.

Low density elements are preferred and it may be a good idea just to change them when you have things apart. See 'Hot Water Heater Elements' for info on what to do.

 Do You have black or rusty colored water coming from your electric hot water tank? Is it something you can fix yourself? How hard can it be? Black or Rusty Colored Water

This is caused by scale build up on the elements or a dissolved anode. See 'Hot Water Heater Elements' for dealing with the elements and 'Hot Water Heater Anode Rods' for the anode rod.

The water heater anode rod keeps the tank from rusting. A dissolved rod means your tank has started to rust. Replacing or cleaning the elements may also be a solution.

 The Water in my Electric Hot Water Heater SmellsFoul! Can I fix it? How hard will it be? How much will it cost?Foul Odor

This is caused by a build up of bacteria in the tank. Flushing the tank may help. Replacing the anode rod with a different type of metal will also help. See the article 'Flushing a Water Heater' or 'Hot Water Heater Anode Rods' to deal with bacteria in the tank or a bad anode.

 

My Hot Water Tank is leaking at the Pressure Relief Valve. There is two main reasons that this can happen. This article tells you if this is something you can fix yourself, and how hard it is to do.Pressure Relief Valve Leaking

As the name implies, this valves releases excess pressure before it gets dangerous. When it goes bad it releases before the danger point. Issues with this item are found in ' Checking & Testing Water Heater Pressure Relief Valves'.

Just because you see water on your floor does not necesarily mean that your Hot Water Heater needs tobe replaced. It may be something on your water heater that is the problem, and would be less costly to fix. Hot Water Tank is Leaking

Depending on the location of the leak, this might be a big problem. Go to the article 'Repairing a Leaking Hot Water Heater' to track down your problem.

WARNING!! HOT Water, Dangerous Electrical Current and Natural Gas are used for Hot Water Heaters. BE CAREFUL!!! WARNING!!!

Electric Hot Water Heater Troubleshooting - Article Topics

hot water heater element thmb2Repairing a Hot Water Heater Element

The hot water heater elements can go bad over time and stop working. Most hot water heaters have two of them. It is possible for just one to go bad or both of them. The elements cost between ten and twenty dollars. Can you change one yourself? How do you know if it is bad?

Follow the above link to get to an article that discusses the elements in detail. Find out if this is the type of repair you can do yourself?

Electric water heater thermostats keep your water temperature at a constant level. It may need adjustment, or if it goes bad is it something that you can fix yourself?Repairing an Electric Water Heater Thermostat

Each heating element has a thermostat that controls it. When the thermostat quits working it will not allow power to go to the heating element. The result is that you will not have hot water. How can you tell if the thermostat is bad? Is it something you can repair? Can an electric hot water heater troubleshooting exercise, identify this type of a problem?

Follow the above link to get to an article that discusses hot water heater thermostats in depth. Find out if this is the type of repair you can make?

Most Electric Water Heaters have elements which potentially can go bad. If they do you will not have any hot water. If you can fix this yourself it can save you alot of money.Hot Water Heater Element Testing

How can you tell when the hot water heater element or thermostat is bad? Unfortunately, they don't have a color indicator that tells you when they are bad. Find you out what you need to test this type of device. It may be a little intimidating at first, but after you get the idea, it's not that hard.

For all the latest facts on testing the components in your water heater, you can follow the above link. Don't be afraid, others have gone this way and been able to tell their stories.

Wiring an electric water heater can be done by a homeowner if they are willing to abide by very stringent safety rules. That having been said this is something that can be done to save alot of money.Wiring an Electric Water Heater

It is possible that your problem is in the wiring that powers your electric water heater. Troubleshooting an electric water heater can include taking a look at the wiring that feeds it. Caution and a healthy respect for electricity is needed. After you take a look at the information, you can decide if you want to try this. No shame in calling in the pros at this point.

Learn what there is to know about electric water heater wiring by following this link. It is actually pretty simple, it's just a lot of electricity.

Electric Water heaters last up to 15 years. Are you sure you need a new Water Heater? Maybe you can fix your old one. If not, we can walk you thru the steps to Install a new Electric Water Heater. Can you do it yourself? How hard will it be? Lets find out.Installing an Electric Water Heater

This is a last resort when all other options fail. Or you just want to get a new electric water heater. Newer water heaters are more efficient and have fewer problems than older ones.

It will take several hours and you will need some help to accomplish this task. You can save a considerable amount of money if you do the work yourself.

Problems Common to All Water Heaters

Sediment build up in your water heater can cost you time and money. The more sediment that builds up in your hot water tank, the less hot water you will have. What can you do about it? Follow this picture link to find out.Dealing With Hot Water Heater Sediment

Sediment can build up in the bottom of your hot water heater over time. This can affect the amount of hot water you have and potentially damage other components. The lower elements of electric hot water heaters can burn out due to sediment. There are steps you can take to remove the sediment. Learn what they are by following this link.

 

 

Flushing your hot water tank can get rid of the sediment in the tank that can cut down on how much hot water your water heater can produce. It is not hard to do, and takes little time. Flushing a Hot Water Tank

Learn what you need to do to get rid of the sediment inside your hot water tank. It can be a little messy, but it will get you hot water tank working the way it is supposed to. A garden hose and a pair of pliers is all you need. Click on the link above to get to the information.

 

 

When you see water near your Hot Water Heater it doesnot always mean you need to buy a new one. Other things may cause leaking that can be fixed for much less than buying a new Water Heater. Repairing a Leaking Hot Water Heater

How serious is it when a hot water heater is leaking? That depends a lot on where it is leaking and how much. Some things can be tightened to stop the leaks. A tank that is leaking is not good news.

Find out if you need to look through your papers for the warranty. See if this is something you can fix. Click this link to get the good or not so good news.

 

The water heater dip tube is crucial to maintaining constant hot water in your hot water heater. It is a long plastic tube which cycles the cold water to the bottom of your hot water tank to maintain constant hot water.Repairing a Water Heater Dip Tube

What's a dip tube anyway? Believe it or not, it is an important feature of your hot water tank. Find out what can go wrong with this part and what you need to do to fix it. Just take my word for it, it is important. The amount of hot water you have will be affected by it, when it is broken. Follow this link for information.

 A pressure relief valve does just what its name says. It is a safety mechanism on your hot water heater which will relieve the pressure in the heater if the pressure gets too high. Usually you need to replace this valve if it should start to leak.Repairing a Water Heater Pressure Relief Valve

The name tells you everything. When pressure builds up inside your hot water tank, this valve releases. This is a safety feature. A defective valve will release when the pressure is still within safe limits. How to you know when it is bad? How hard is it to fix?

Click on the link above to find answers to these questions. Can you replace this valve if you need to? How hard is it? More questions that this article answers.

Electric Hot Water Heater Troubleshooting Summary

There are several possible problems you can be having with your electric hot water tank. Sorry, but there are more issues than one article can cover. We have tried to point you in the right direction for finding the answer to your problem. Some of the answers to your problem may be more than you want to tackle.

On the other hand, some repairs are not that hard. You be the judge. Electric hot water heater troubleshooting involves some problems that are fairly simple. Hopefully, even if you wind up calling a technician, you will be able to discuss the problem with him intelligently. Asking the right question will often save you money.