Water Heater Not Heating, How Do I Fix It? Wimpy’s Will Tell You.
If your Sarasota water heater is not heating, how do you fix it? Wimpy’s will tell you over the phone some things you may want to try, however we highly recommend that a certified professional check this particular situation. The water heater normally will use 240 volts of power and the general water heater in a home pulls thirty amps of power. One really needs to have the proper set of skills to diagnose a water heater. A person could easily get electrocuted by messing around inside, behind the panels of a water heater.
What Does it Mean if I Don’t Have Hot Water?
When there’s no hot water, it means that your hot water heater has stopped functioning entirely. This can happen quickly or it can fade out over time, but no matter how it happens, there are several things that could go wrong.
Electrical Problems
First, check the voltage coming into your hot water heating system. If there’s no voltage at all, you may have a bad circuit breaker or a bad switch. Breakers can suffer damage over time, or the breaker that you have for your hot water heater might be too small. If it can’t handle enough amps to keep your water heater running, it will flip and your hot water will disappear. Replace the breaker with one that works and that can handle the required amperage.
The electrical components of most electric water heater are all powered by the wire feeding it. The components are an upper and lower thermostat, and two heating elements. An upper element and a lower element are the heating elements that heat the water.
Hot water heaters also fail when there are grounding problems. Something may have accidentally grounded or shorted a wired connection in your heater, or your thermostat or heating element could have grounded out. If you can’t find any accidental groundings, you may want to try to get these two parts replaced.
You could also have a problem with the reset button on your hot water heater. If it is tripped, it makes a definite click when you push it. You may have just had a power surge, in which case resetting it will start your heater again. However, continued problems may mean that you have a faulty thermostat. If it seems to reset constantly, try replacing this piece of the system.
Wire shorts and water leaks are also common causes of hot water heater failure. If you can replace the damaged wires or stop the leak, you may be able to repair your system. Otherwise, you may need to purchase a new hot water heater.
What Does It Mean if I Have Lukewarm Water?
Sometimes, your hot water won’t disappear altogether, but you will notice that it doesn’t get as hot as it used it. Often, this means that the lower heating element in your hot water heater isn’t working.
Faulty Heating Elements
To test this, first turn off all electricity to your heater. Remove all access covers. There are usually two, one for the upper part and one for the lower. Use a voltage meter to be absolutely sure that the power is off. Check the elements by simply touching the tank near where they are located. For both the upper and lower heating elements, the tank should be hot to the touch, especially right next to the element. If one tank is significantly cooler than the other, then you know which heating element is not working.
If My Water Heater Isn’t Heating, What Should I Do?
You should call a Sarasota plumber. Wimpy’s Plumbing & Air in Sarasota, will test your water heater and determine if the problem lies in the electrical components of the water heater itself or if you have an electrical issue between the water heater and the electric panel.
Should the problem be a component of the water heater, Wimpy’s will have the correct parts on their service truck to get you hot water once again. One needs to careful about the parts that are installed in your water heater. The heating elements come in different voltages and different wattage. If these terms are not familiar to you, you should call Wimpy’s, so that a certified professional can safely fix your water heater.
The upper and lower thermostats in a water heater can vary also. When replacing an upper or lower thermostat it is important to wire it back the same way. If the wires get crossed, the water heater will not heat.
If you need a new water heater, the type you buy is completely up to you. At Wimpy’s, we would be happy to come and talk to you about what might work best for your home. Call today or schedule an appointment online, and we will help you make your decision on your water heater repair or replacement.
