Exactly how to Troubleshoot and Fix an Electric Water Heater
Exactly how to Troubleshoot and Fix an Electric Water Heater
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Numerous contemporary houses use an electric water heater for their heater, because of its comfort as well as simplicity of use. Nevertheless, much like any other electrical home appliances, issues may occur with its usage, unexpectedly. It can be really frustrating to awaken to a cool shower rather than a warm one or having your bath with water that isn't hot enough or even also warm. Whatever the instance might be, water heater problems can be quite nerve-racking. The good news is, we have actually made a checklist of possible solutions to your water heater issues. There are a number of factors that can create most of these troubles, maybe a concern with the power supply, the electric burner, or the thermostat. Prior to doing anything, ensure you shut off the main power supply for safety. Whatever the trouble is, getting it dealt with ought to not position too much of an issue if you follow these actions:
Examine Your Power Supply:
As fundamental as this may seem, it is very essential. Without ample power, your hot water heater will not function. So the first thing to do when your water suddenly retires is to validate that it isn't a power problem. Check if the fuse is burnt out or the breaker tripped. If the circuit breaker is the concern, just turn it on and off again. Replace any kind of damaged or worn-out fuse. Test the device with power after these modifications to see if it's now functioning.
Check the Burner in the Hot Water Heater:
If it's not a power issue, then attempt checking out your burner if it is still working. Examine each of your heating elements to ensure the issue isn't with any of them. If any of them is malfunctioning, replace that component and then inspect whether the hot water is back on.
Inspect Your Thermostat:
If your water heater still isn't functioning or the water coming out isn't warm sufficient, you may require to inspect the temperature level setups on your top thermostat. Ensure the breaker is switched off prior to doing anything. Open the accessibility panel as well as press the red switch for temperature level reset above the thermostat. This must help warm the water. Turn the breaker back on as well as check if the issue has actually been fixed.
Call A Professional:
If after replacing all malfunctioning parts and also resetting your temperature, the hot water heater still isn't working, you might need to call an expert plumber for an expert point of view. The problem with your heating unit could be that the hot and cold taps have actually been switched or it might be undersized for the amount of warm water required in your home. Whatever the instance may be, an expert plumber would certainly help address the problem.
Final thought
Hot water heater problems are not always significant. Most of them are due to small concerns like a blown fuse or worn-out heating element. Changing the faulty parts need to do the trick. Nevertheless, if you are still incapable to solve the issue, give a call to your local plumber ahead to get it fixed.
8 possible reasons why you have no Hot Water
Along with streaming Netflix and having light flood a room when we flick a switch, having hot water flow from our taps and showerheads whenever we want is an oft-overlooked modern miracle of homeownership. That's why, when that flow goes cold, it can be shocking — and not just in a "Wow, that's freezing" kind of way while you're in the shower.
Water Leak
Before hot water reaches your taps and showerheads, it needs to spend some time in your water heater. This appliance, which can be either gas- or electric-powered, takes the cold water that enters your home from your well or utility company and cooks it until it gets hot. It's akin to an electric tea kettle.
Obviously, if your water heater is leaking, it will never fill with water so it won't have anything to warm. To see if this is the case, simply examine the area around the water heater to see if it is wet. If so, you'll likely need to replace the unit, but you can also call in a pro for a second opinion and to see if it is fixable. Sometimes leaks can happen around fixtures on the water heater, and if so, the solution might be as simple as replacing them.
Gas Heater: Gas Leak
If your hot water is fueled by natural gas and there is a leak in the supply line or where the line enters the tank, the appliance won't have the power it needs to heat up your water. The result is not only inconvenient, but it can be extremely dangerous as well. If you smell gas when you investigate your water heater, call your gas utility company immediately and report it as an emergency. It might also be prudent to leave your home until a repair person from the company arrives. Your utility company will usually fix any kind of gas leak. However, in terms of getting your water heater working again, you'll need to relight the pilot and wait a while to see if it is functioning properly. You can call in a water heater specialist or plumber to help with this.
Gas Heater: Pilot Light Problems
There are two other issues with gas-powered water heaters that can lead to a loss of hot water. The first is a pilot light that's blown out. The pilot light is the source of a constant flame inside your water heater. When the heater determines the need to heat up the water it is holding, it will open a valve that will cause gas to flow over the pilot light and cause it to ignite. To see if your pilot light is functioning, there is usually a small window in the front of the water heater. If you can't see a flame, remove the access panel and see if that helps you locate it. If there is still no flame, you'll need to relight it in accordance with the manufacturer's instructions.
Your pilot light should burn with a bright blue flame. If not, make sure there are no drafts affecting it, which could keep it from functioning properly. If the flame looks yellow, it might be a sign of the presence of carbon monoxide, which spells trouble and needs to be looked at right away by a technician.
Gas Heater: Faulty Thermocouple
The second reason why a gas-powered water heater might fail is a faulty thermocouple. This is a small probe that should sit in the pilot light flame. Its purpose is to stop the flow of gas if it senses that the pilot light is out. Sometimes, these probes get knocked off track, so make sure it is directly in the flame. They can also get a buildup on them that prevents their function, so try cleaning yours off with some steel wool or fine-grit sandpaper. If your pilot light won't stay lit and you've tried these steps to fix the thermocouple, it is likely faulty and needs to be replaced. Call a technician.
Electric Heater: Breaker Blues
Electric water heaters don't have pilot lights, because there is no gas to burn in order to heat up the water. Instead, they do their magic through the use of (naturally) electricity. But that's not to say things can't go wrong with them. If your electric water heater isn't working properly, there's a good chance that a breaker was tripped that supplies the appliance power. Check your breaker box and flip any breakers that have switched to the off position back on. If it trips again, then there might be a fault in the water heater, and you'll want to call in a pro to have a look.
Electric Heater: Reaching The Limit
If the breaker is fine, check to see if the high-temperature limit has switched off on the water heater itself. To do so, first turn off the breaker to the unit. Then remove the service panel and press the red button you'll find there. This is the limit switch, and resetting it could solve your problem. To check, replace the panel, turn the breaker back on and listen to see if the water heater is functioning again.
Electric Heater: Heating Element
If these steps don't fix the issue, then you might have a failed heating element, which will need to be replaced. Unless you are comfortable with such repairs, calling in a technician might make the most sense.
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