Troubleshooting Electric Water Heater Problems

Remove the access panel insulation and plastic safety guard from each heating element on the water heater.

Troubleshooting electric water heater problems.

Check the heat setting on both. The cure for a hot water problem may be as simple as turning the temperature setting up. The most common issue with a water heater is a lack of power. A simple electrical tester will allow you to confirm this.

Start by ruling out power problems. Several types of electric water heater issues can cause problems with water temperature. If you believe you have a leak near the top of your electric water heater it could be one of a few things. Test the wires to confirm the power is off using a non contact voltage tester.

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

Without electricity the element can t heat up and the water will stay cool. 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. You need to make sure there is power to the heating element.

Water leaking from the bottom. The cold inlet or hot outlet pipes may be loose the t p valve may have failed or inlet valve may be leaking. How to troubleshoot electric water heater problems before you start. All are easily fixed.