How to Repair an Electric Water Heater

Replacing a water heater can be very expensive, so when possible it is better to try to repair it instead of buying a new one. There will be many cases that the water heater will have to be entirely replaced, but this shouldn’t be the first route you take. When an electric water heater stops working, there are some different possibilities that could lead to this. Many of these problems can be solved by replacing one part in the entire unit, which is much better than going out and buying a brand new unit instead.

The first and obvious this to do is to make sure that the water heater hasn’t just tripped the breaker. As with other electrical appliances, a water heater can overload the breaker and cause it to trip. If the breaker isn’t tripped, turn off the switch that is connected to your water heater so you can diagnose the problem.

Locate the access panel (or panels) on the water heater, usually there is a screw that will need to be loosened and then the panels will slide out. Once open, push out of the way any insulation that may be covering the parts you need to look at. Under these panels you should find the thermostat controls. Look for any obvious problems (such as wires that have become disconnected or that have been fried). It may be a small problem like this, or you may need to just replace the thermostat altogether. Your local plumbing supply house should have a universal thermostat if they don’t have the specific brand you need. The thermostat is easily removed, which means it is also easy to put back into place. Just make sure that the power to the unit is off. Remove the wires (make sure you know which wire goes under which screw), take out the thermostat and replace.

Another common problem with water heaters is that an element could have gone out. Somewhere around the thermostat, you should see a circular shape (you may have to remove the thermostat cover to see this). Once located, you can take out the element. Inspect it for mineral build up, as this can be the reason that it is malfunctioning. If you want, you can try cleaning off the element and put it back in to see if that fixes the problem. Or, you can just go buy a new element, most of which are around or under $20 (depending on brand).

If you are going to take out the element, make sure that the water heater is drained to a certain point. The element goes directly into the water inside the heater, so it will leak when you remove it if there is water inside of the tank. Again, your local supply house will most likely have a universal element that you can buy.

Another thing to check would be the electrical connection on top of the water heater. Ensure that it is connected properly and that the wires have not gone bad. No matter what the problem, it is much less expensive to buy a replacement part here or there than to replace the entire unit.