Did you know the average household uses 41 gallons per day? It gets worse. Some larger families can use as much as 86 gallons per day. It’s not surprising that Americans have a problem with hot water. Many people share the same showers and bathrooms. Here’s what you can do if your water heater breaks down (and you don’t want to take an ice cold shower).
Electric Water Heater Problems
No water in your house? Your electric water heater could be causing problems. We’re here to assist. It’s important to first find out the reason that your water heater doesn’t work. Once you’ve identified the problem, you can try a few tricks and see if it can be fixed.
Need a little push in the right directions? Here are some troubleshooting tips:
- Check for a broken heating element.
- Check your water heater thermostat.
- Consider tripped circuit breakers.
Here’s the deal. Your electric water heater may have a broken heating component. What’s the best part? It’s not possible to prevent this, but it’s a very simple fix.
Next, you will want to check the thermostat on your water heater. The upper thermostat is usually responsible for all heating elements in the entire structure. The lower thermostat, however, can only control the heating elements at the bottom.
If your upper thermostat works but your lower thermostat does not, this may be able to solve your hot-water issue. You only need to replace your thermostat. Have you thought about tripped circuit breakers? You can check your circuit breaker to determine if the electric water heater breaker is flipped.
If you didn’t already know, each water heater requires its own electrical outlet. If the water heater breaker does not match the other breakers then you will know the problem right away. Make sure you flip the switch in the circuit breaker panel from “off” into “on”.
Troubleshooting gas water heaters
Gas water heaters can have the same problems as electric ones. However, it is usually a good idea to fix both. When your heater uses natural gases, it’s best to be safe.
Want to check your own gas water heater? Here are some things you can do.
- Check your gas supply
- Look at the pilot light
If you have no hot water, it’s possible that something is blocking the gas from reaching the burner or pilot light. This means that you could have accidentally shut off your gas supply.
What is the solution? Check your gas supply. During this time, make sure your gas valve is opened and your gas is on. The next step is to turn the valve and relight the pilot light.
Is your gas on but your pilot light off?
This problem could be caused by several factors, including:
- Thermocouple issues
- Air stuck in the line
When was the last inspection you performed on your thermocouple?
It’s not a bad idea to take a few moments out of your day and check if your pilot light is aligned with your thermocouple.
Why is this important? This part must be tightly connected to your gas line in order to work. If you can’t fix it, check for blockages and buy a new thermocouple. You should check your thermocouple to see if any air is stuck in the line.
It’s simple: Make sure the gas is flowing, and then re-ignite your pilot several times. You can then make the air escape your line. If you’re not handy, it’s okay to call a professional installer!
How to Turn up the Heat
Sometimes, all it takes to fix a water heater is to turn up the heat. How? How?
- Check your thermostat
- Examine your burner
- Inspect your dip tube
It is important to check your thermostat immediately if you experience hot-water problems. If the thermostat is set to the correct temperature, it may be time to replace it.
This is one of the simplest problems to fix.
If you are still experiencing problems, you may want to check your burner. Why? It’s not uncommon for sediment to accumulate on the burner of a gas water heater. This means that you will eventually run out of hot water.
How can you fix this? It’s possible to fix a bad burner yourself, but it’s better to leave it to a professional.
Lastly, inspect your dip tube. It’s not a bad idea to check if the dip tube has failed, even though it is a rare problem. If it has, then buy a brand new one.
If you are still having trouble, it may be time to change your heater.