Hot Water Heaters Section
Water Heater Repair - Electric Water Heaters
The gas hot water heater repair was discussed in another section. For this article we concentrate on the electric water heater. For legal and common sense reasons you should not undertake water heater repairs unless you are qualified and licensed to perform the task. However, as mentioned earlier there are emergency situations which may justify the work to be done by the owner. The electric water heater repair may be much simpler than the one for the gas units. In some cases with a solid knowledge of electrical appliances the work can be straight forward. Before any work is undertaken on water heater all precautions must be observed. Always switch off the electricity supply to the unit before removing components. However, keep the water supply uninterrupted as this helps diagnose the problem. Now you are ready to begin...
Electric Water Heater Repair - Diagnosis
An electric water heater has usually 2 elements. Both electrical elements are controlled by the individual thermostat. If anything is wrong with the supply of hot water then most likely the elements or thermostats are the culprits. In fact the most common cause of problems with electric water heater is burn-out electric elements/coils. There is also a possibility that thermostats fail. In this case the entire thermostat units need to be changed. If the water is hot for a short time then the bottom element of water heater needs replacing. If the water is warm but not hot then the top element is the culprit.
Electric Water Heater Repair - Element Replacement
Switch off electricity and the water supply to hot water heater. It is good to drain the tank now as this helps to remove sediments and to prolong the lifetime of the unit. You should clean the area where the gasket is going to be attached. Loosen the screws holding the wires to each of the two terminals of the damaged element. If the old element is a screw-type then turn it counterclockwise to remove. For flange types you need to remove four screws which hold the element together. Always ensure that the new heating element conforms to voltage and current specifications of the water heater unit. It is a good practice (if there is no manual) to first draw the locations and positions of each component before removing the old element. Properly place a new gasket onto the heating element and insert the entire setup into the heater. Properly tighten the screws of the heating element until the assembly is secured. Close the drain valve and fill the tank completely with water. This is important because heating elements will burn out if not submerged in water. Connect the power wires to the heating element. Finally, open supply of electricity to the water heater.
Electric Water Heater Repair - Thermostat Replacement
Remove the access panel and test thermostats. If one or both are malfunctioning then turn off power supply to the unit and prepare to replace old thermostat with the new one. Disconnect wires from the terminals of the broken thermostat. Unscrew the thermostat from it mounting and remove. Place the new thermostat into its position and connect all screws and wires to terminals. Finally, attach access panel and switch on the electricity supply to the unit. Adjust thermostats according to specifications (do not overheat elements!).