Troubleshooting Guide for Defective Water Heaters

A water heater is an essential household appliance that warms up the water used in cooking, bathing and various other household chores. Water heaters come in two varieties – Electric and gas.

Electric water heaters use electricity to heat up the water. Gas water heaters, on the other hand, run on gas to fuel the burner that heats the water. Here we will guide you in troubleshooting both gas and electric water heaters to get to the root of the problem and have it solved.  

Note: The information contained herein is for informational purposes only. Trying to repair the water heater yourself can be dangerous. It is important that you get your water heater checked and repaired with an expert water- heater repair technician.

Electric Water Heaters

A blown fuse of the heater is usually the main culprit in electric water heaters. If the fuse is in working order, the problem could be with the thermostat or heating element. Electric water heaters have two of them. A water-heater repair expert will first turn off the breaker that serves the water heater circuit and remove the access cover of the water heater to check whether the thermostat and heating element are in good working order. 

Repairing or fixing the heating element is a little costly. The heating elements are usually fastened to the tank with a bracket and 3-4 bolts. It may also be screwed into the tank with a big hex nut. If the heating element is defective, it has to be repaired or replaced. The water heater is first shut off and drained prior to repairing or replacing the heating element. The thermostat of the water heater is relatively inexpensive to fix and replace. Once repaired, you should have hot water in about an hour.

Gas Water Heaters

Gas water heaters are run on natural gas, so in case of defective water heater, the first item to check is the supply of gas to the water heater. If the water heater is receiving adequate gas supply, then the problem may be with the thermocouple or gas control valve. 

A thermocouple is a sensor for measuring temperature. The gas heater will not heat the water properly if the thermocouple is defective. A pilot light that won’t light or stay lit indicates problems with the thermocouple. If the thermocouple is working properly, then the gas control valve is the only thing that may be causing problem with the water. Again an expert water heater repair professional will be able to diagnose and repair the cause of the defective water heater. 

People who reside near the areas of St. Paul or Minneapolis  Mn should contact Bonfe, a reputable firm that specializes in residential cooling, heating, electrical, plumbing, indoor air quality, drain cleaning, and appliance repair services. The professional electricians can easily diagnose and repair problems with your water heater.

Just visit www.bonfe.com or dial (651)-621-8821 / (612)-206-3097 to get in touch with the experts.

3 thoughts on “Troubleshooting Guide for Defective Water Heaters

  1. Finding the source of the problem is the first and often the most important step. Once you’ve found the problem, it’s just a question of replacing, repairing, or contacting the right professional. Working with gas can be dangerous if you’re not careful, so it may be best to contact a professional if work needs doing.

  2. My showers never stay a a consistent temperature, so I have to keep adjusting the hot and cold every couple minutes. I should check the gas supply like you suggested, because that might be causing the problem. If that isn’t it, then I will just call a plumber to finally get my water heater fixed.

  3. I have had some difficulty understanding and maintaining my own water heater. This is an appliance that you don’t realize is essential to your home until it is defective! For this reason I greatly appreciate your detailed information on how these work and what you need to know about them. It is also nice to officially know the difference between and electrical and a gas heater. Thank you for such an informative article!

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