How to Troubleshoot an Electric Home Water Heater
- 1). Inspect the fuse box or circuit breaker panel for a blown fuse or a tripped switch if the water does not heat. If you find that the heater consistently blows a fuse or trips a circuit breaker, call in a professional repair service.
- 2). Double-check the thermostat setting if the water is too hot or too cold. Reset the thermostat to a more suitable temperature if it has been changed. Many electric water heaters have two thermostats that control the upper and lower heating elements. Most thermostats shut down when are set above 190 degrees. Push the reset button and if that doesn't solve the problem, replace one or both heating elements.
- 3). Tighten pipe fittings if you find they are leaking. The problem here is either a loose fitting or corroded fitting. If tightening does not stop the leak, replace the old fitting with a new one.
- 4). Check for a build-up of sediment in the water tank if your electric water heater begins making a strange noise that sounds like steak sizzling on a grill. Turn off the power, drain the water, remove the heating elements and wash them with a mixture of equal parts water and vinegar. Put everything back in place in reverse order and check to see if the noise continues. If it does, it's time to call in the pros.
- 5). Make sure that both heating elements are working if your electric water heater provides only intermittent hot water. If the heater works for a little while and then shuts off, the cause is more likely a faulty thermostat than a problem with the heating elements. Remove the panel cover and test the heating elements with a voltage tester to make sure the power is off. Test the elements for continuity or a short circuit using a volt-ohmmeter.
- 6). Insulate the cold water pipe with foam-jacket insulation starting at the main shutoff valve to the electric water heater. The first five feet of hot water pipe should also be insulated. A sign that you do not have adequate insulation is a wet supply pipe.
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