Electric Water Heater Troubleshooting

Be it any of the household appliances, a breakdown in any of them can disturb your routine. Even more so, if the appliance breaking down is your electric water heater and that too in winter! It is tough finding somebody to fix your heater in winter when a blizzard has blocked the roads. It is in times like these that the man of the house is summoned to fix things and you must undertake electric water heater troubleshooting on your own. Of course, you are not alone and we are here to help you!

Electric Water Heater: Working

The electric heater working mechanism is quite simple. Water is heated by an electric heating element and its action is controlled by two thermostats. As you open the hot water faucet, cold water gets introduced in the tank triggering the thermostat to switch on the heating element. As the water is heated to set thermostat temperature, the action of the heating element is again shut off by the other thermostat. There is usually an anode rod inside the tank to attract and filter out impurities out of the water.

Troubleshooting Electric Water Heaters

Every mechanical contraption has myriad and unique ways of breaking down! Heating systems like the electric water heater are no exception to this. I discuss some of the major problems that beset electric water heaters which come with an attached water tank. Before we begin troubleshooting of any kind, you need to take some precautions. Shut off the water supply to the heater and shut off the electric power supplied to it. Let us have a symptom-wise look at troubleshooting techniques:

Symptom #1: Cold Water!
This symptom signifies a total failure of the main objective of the heating mechanism! This is the most common troubleshooting problem.

Causes: There are three possible reasons for a heating failure, which you may be able to identify after having a look at the fuse box or circuit breaker. Either the high temperature limit switch (a.k.a ECO- Energy cut off) may have tripped leading to ceasing of heating action or the upper and/or lower thermostats may have totally failed. Last scenario is heating element failure.

What to do: If you notice that the heating has been stalled because of tripping of temperature control switch, then just reset it to restore it for normal functioning. Check if any of the thermostats have failed using a voltmeter and replace them to restore normal functioning. Lastly, if it's the heating element has failed then, it must be replaced.

Symptom #2: Water Stinks
Sometimes, you may face a situation where the hot water stinks. This is a problem that has got nothing to do with its mechanism.

Causes: This may be due to action of certain bacteria in the water and other impurities.

What to do: To take care of this problem, it is recommended that you clean the tank thoroughly and install a water filter and softener which treats the water before its entry in the tank.

Symptom #3: Low Water Temperature
This is one of the most common problems seen in an electric water heater.

Causes: Most likely cause is a lower setting on the thermostat which is causing the heating to cease at lower temperature or it has failed totally. Another reason might be the failure of the heating element.

What to do: Depending on the cause, either raise the thermostat temperature setting or replace the heating element.

Symptom #4: Pressure Relief Valve Leaking
Often a common problem is a leak in the pressure relief valve.

Causes: The pressure relief valve comes into operation when the temperature of heated water is too high. Another cause may be high water pressure or the valve failure.

What to do: If high thermostat setting temperature is the culprit, then turning down the thermostat temperature settings will take care of the problem. If high pressure is causing the problem, then adding of a pressure reducing valve in the supply line will take care of the problem. If the valve has failed, then there is no option but to replace it.

If you understand the working of the electric water heater, fixing it will certainly be easier. Hope, these simple troubleshooting tips help you out and you can enjoy your hot water baths in peace! Amen!