Electric and gas water heaters look very much alike, but inside they have distinct differences in the way they heat your water. For example, electric water heaters use two heating elements, one in the top of the unit and one in the bottom. A gas water heater uses a gas burner at the bottom, similar to your furnace.
Because of this, an electric water heater can have very different problems from a gas unit, and troubleshooting those problems requires different techniques. Here are a few of the common problems that may occur with an electric water heater and how to troubleshoot them.
Little or No Hot Water
One of the more common problems with an electric water heater is the loss of hot water. This is usually the result of a bad upper or lower heating element. But you could also have a tripped circuit breaker, blown fuse or bad thermostat.
If you run out of hot water 10 minutes into your shower, you likely have a defective lower heating element. If you only have lukewarm water throughout your shower, you probably have a bad upper heating element. The heating elements can be tested using a voltage meter and replaced if necessary. If you don’t feel comfortable doing this yourself, call a qualified service technician.
No hot water at all is likely the result of a bad thermostat or no power getting to the heating elements. First, make sure the water heater is receiving power by resetting the circuit breaker. If this doesn’t work, you may need to replace the fuse that handles the water heater circuit.
Water Is Too Hot or Too Cold
This is likely the result of the thermostat being set too high or too low. Check the thermostat on the electric water heater, and make sure that it’s set to a temperature between 120 and 130 degrees Fahrenheit.
If you have questions about the water heater in your Northeast Ohio home, contact the experts at Energy 1 Heating and Air Conditioning today. We’ve been serving the Lorain area for 33 years.
Our goal is to help educate our customers in Lorain, Ohio about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems). For more information about electric water heaters and other HVAC topics, download our free Home Comfort Resource guide.
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Energy 1 Heating & Air Conditioning
1 (440) 246-5440
Serving the Lorain, OH Area