Troubleshooting Tips for an Electric Water Heater
If your home's water heater is failing, you don't want to put off having it repaired. Small problems with a water heater often get worse over time, leading to major repair bills or the need to replace the heater altogether. You may also find yourself suddenly without any hot water in the home! Note a few troubleshooting tips for an electric water heater so you know what yours might need by way of repairs.
No power to the heater
When your home's water heater switches on, you can often hear a slight whooshing sound coming from the tank. If the water inside the tank is not getting warmed and you don't hear this sound of the heater engaging, check the home's circuit breakers to ensure one hasn't tripped and shut off power to the heater.
If this isn't the issue, the heating element inside the heater might be burnt out. When this happens, the power to the unit is often cut off as a safety measure. Have this element checked and replaced as needed.
Slow recovery
As you use the hot water stored in the heater's tank, that tank will refill with fresh water that needs to be heated. The time it takes to heat a full tank of water is called the heater's recovery time. You may have an idea of your water heater's recovery time based on how long after you run out of hot water that it's available again.
If your home does have hot water but you suddenly notice a slower or longer recovery time, the unit may have a broken lower heating element. This is the coil that heats fresh, cool water in the tank. Have this element checked for needed replacement, and this should return the recovery rate to normal.
Hot water is suddenly too hot
If the hot water coming from just one shower or faucet is too hot, that particular fixture may need a new cartridge that controls the amount of hot water it delivers. However, if the hot water from all the faucets and showers in the home is suddenly too hot, the water heater may need a new thermostat. This thermostat controls the heating elements in the tank so that they heat the water only to a certain temperature and then shut off. If the thermostat is broken, those elements may continue to heat the water indefinitely, so it then becomes downright scalding. Have the thermostat replaced, and this should fix the problem.
Contact a plumber to learn more about electric hot water systems.
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