Troubleshooting Electric Water Heater Problems

Turn off the power to the water heater in the service panel.

Troubleshooting electric water heater problems.

The cure for a hot water problem may be as simple as turning the temperature setting up. Before you start doing any troubleshooting for an electric water. When you discover water leaking from your hot water heater check for the following problems. If you believe you have a leak near the top of your electric water heater it could be one of a few things.

On electric water heaters it is usually located under the access panel on the side of the heater or it may be located on the front. Water leaking from the bottom. Remove the access panel insulation and plastic safety guard from each heating element on the water heater. Several types of electric water heater issues can cause problems with water temperature.

A simple electrical tester will allow you to confirm this. When there is no hot water the problem can stem from lack of power a faulty electric thermostat or a defective upper electric heating element. The most common issue with a water heater is a lack of power. For more information see water heater leaking from the top.

If when you go to turn off the power at the breaker box it is already switched off then you have discovered the problem. All are easily fixed. Rust build up broken drain valve faulty t p valve condensation. Without electricity the element can t heat up and the water will stay cool.

Test the wires to confirm the power is off using a non contact voltage tester. The cold inlet or hot outlet pipes may be loose the t p valve may have failed or inlet valve may be leaking. Turn off the power. How to troubleshoot electric water heater problems before you start.