How To Check Hot Water Heater Element

Water Heater Troubleshooting Guide | Mr. Rooter

There are many situations where a homeowner might suspect their electric water heater's heating elements are going bad: the power is on simply there's no hot water or the water isn't every bit hot equally it used to exist. Read on to acquire how to find, remove, and test the heating elements in an electric water heater using a multimeter.

It's of import to note that merely electrical water heaters have heating elements. Gas water heaters fire natural gas or propane to heat the water. If you lot have a gas h2o heater that'south stopped working, effort checking and reigniting the pilot low-cal.

Accomplish out to your local Mr. Rooter^® Plumbing for immediate assist with any water heater emergency. We are bachelor effectually the clock. Call (855) 982-2028.

How to Exam a Heating Element in a Water Heater

Most mod electric tank-style water heaters have two heating elements: one at the peak, and i at the lesser. Erstwhile or small electrical h2o heaters may simply have i heating element. H2o heater elements accept a relatively short lifespan. Plus, they can be weakened by mineral deposits in your water supply. To examination the heating elements in your electric water heater, you will offset need to discover them.

How to find your water heater elements:

Locate the hot h2o heater's circuit breaker in your electric panel and turn information technology off.
Discover and remove the metal panel(s) attached to the side of your water heater. At that place should exist one panel per heating element.
Remove the insulation from inside the metal console. Vesture prophylactic gloves to protect your hands.
Wait for a i-inch-diameter circular or hexagonal object, with a plastic plate attached by 2 screws. That's the heating element.

At present that you've located the heating element, you can test information technology. Here's how to test a heating element using a multimeter:

Turn on the multimeter and gear up it to the everyman ohms setting possible (the ohms symbol Ω looks like an upside-down horseshoe). This setting will allow the multimeter to measure the amount of resistance in the heating element.
Loosen one of the heating element screws and detach the wire from information technology (information technology doesn't matter which).
Touch 1 of the multimeter probes to the loosened spiral. Bear upon the other probe to the other spiral fastened to the face of the heating element.
If the heating element is operation properly, the multimeter should read between x and 30 ohms. If at that place is a very low reading or zip reading, the heating element isn't working and must be replaced.
If your water heater has two heating elements, check the 2d element in the same style.
Reattach the wires, supervene upon the insulation, and reattach the metal cover panels.

If the heating elements appear to be in good working social club but yous're still having hot water issues, information technology's time to call your local Mr. Rooter for skillful assistance.

Phone call Mr. Rooter for Heating Element Troubleshooting and Replacement

Licensed plumbing professionals from your local Mr. Rooter can replace a faulty heating chemical element in your electrical h2o heater to make sure you lot have hot showers to look forrad to. Give us a call at (855) 982-2028 today or schedule an estimate.

September 01, 2020