Electric Hot Water Heater Repair: Troubleshooting Tips

As long as sufficient hot water is available, you are not bothered about your electric hot water heater. Nevertheless, like any other appliance, an electric hot water heater may also not function properly after a certain period. If the problem arises within the warranty period, you can always give it to the company for repairing. Otherwise, understanding the parts and working mechanism of an electric hot water will help in identifying the defects and troubleshooting them easily. Let's take a look at some of the common problems and ways to repair electric hot water heater.

Tips for Electric Hot Water Heater Repair

It should be borne in mind that even the best electric hot water heaters are dangerous appliances. Hence, consulting a professional should always be preferred rather than troubleshooting it on your own. If you are opting for electric hot water heater repairs on your own, it is advisable to understand the system properly. Some of the safety tips to be followed before opening the system and / or repairing the heater include turning off the power supply, shutting off the inlet water pipe and fixing hose to the drainage valve.

No Hot Water: This is one of the most common problems of electric hot water heater. It may be caused due to reasons like defect in thermostats and faulty heating system. In order to fix this problem, first check both the thermostats (lower and upper) for power supply. Reset the thermostat by pressing the button and examine whether it starts working or not. If there is no power supply to the upper heating system, you need to replace the upper thermostat. In case there is power supply in the upper heating element, but you are not getting hot water, then the upper heating element should be changed.

Water Not Hot Enough: If water is not hot enough, then either the thermostats (lower and upper) or the heating systems (lower and upper) are not functioning properly. To mend this problem, first examine the power supply to both the thermostats and heating systems. If there is no power at the upper thermostat, check the circuit for any defects. If the circuit has no defects, check the thermostat setting and replace the upper thermostat (if necessary). In case the upper heating system is working, but there is no power at the lower heating system, then the lower thermostat should be replaced.

Colored Hot Water: Colored hot water is often caused due to sediment deposits at the bottom of the water tank or rust formation inside the tank or anode rod. A troubleshooting tip for this electric hot water heater problem is to clean and flush the tank several times and replace the anode rod.

Stinky Hot Water: If the hot water is stinky (rotten egg smell), it is due to bacterial decomposition and corrosion of the anode rod that generates hydrogen gas. In order to get rid of this problem, clean and flush the heater by using dilute hydrogen peroxide solution. Replacing the anode rod is advisable if the hot water still stinks after cleaning and flushing the heater.

Noisy or Banging Noise: Noisy functioning of the electric hot water heater is due to scales built-up in the heating elements. In order to troubleshoot this problem, remove both the lower and upper heating elements and clean them. If removing and cleaning the heating elements is not possible, consult a professional and replace them.

Well! This in in brief about the problems and how to repair hot water heaters. In addition, some may face the problem of a leaking water tank. In such a case, there is no solution to troubleshoot the defect of the appliance, other than replacing the tank.