How Can I Tell If My Water Heater Is Broken?
My water heater hasnt been working right ever since someone broke a water line in town and we didnt have water for an entire day and a half. I didnt think about turning off my water heater until it was too late so I think the heating elements have messed up. I have some hot water but not enough to take a shower. That is until this morning and I dont have any hot water at all. Can someone tell me how to check and see if my water heater is broke without having to call someone.
August 15, 2009 @ 9:44 pm
If it is an electric heater, then remove the covers to the elements. on the top, you should have a brown thing with a dial on it and a red button, press the button in and release it(that’s the breaker) if you hear water moving inside then you have it. You may have to drain you tank completely(shut the power and water off first) Hook up a good size garden hose to drain the tank. Open the hot water side in the kitchen to get the water to come out. Shut off the faucet and disconnect the hose and close the valve, Now turn on the water and open the faucet and let the water in slowly to much air pressure may brake the lines, Turn the power back on and check your breaker and wait. If you don’t get hot water then you may need new heating elements.
August 16, 2009 @ 3:22 am
There is no need to guess. http://appliancequickfix.com/ has
easy instructions on how to check it if you have somebody handy to do it for you.
August 16, 2009 @ 4:33 am
Is it gas or electric? If it’s gas, take off the square cover and look to see if the pilot light is on – if not light it. If it is, then turn up the theromostat to hottest setting and see if it lights – if it doesn’t then you have to get a new thermostat or a whole new heater.
If it’s electric, check the temp setting – move it back and forth a few times, then turn it up to hot and see if that works. If not the heating element might be shot.
Another possibility if they were working on the pipes, is that sediment could have gotten in to the heater. Most have a way to drain the water. Was there any discoloration in the water when it came back on? Draining it is a hassle, but that could be it.
August 16, 2009 @ 6:53 am
If you hot water heater doesn’t make hot water it’s broken ! You didn’t say if it is gas or electric so can’t tell you what to check. Call a plumber and he can help you.
August 16, 2009 @ 8:23 am
If the amount of hot water the heater produced was decreasing, and now you don’t have any hot water, your water heater is officially broken. There’s no need to check anything.
August 16, 2009 @ 9:52 am
I’m sure you will need a new heater. Call a plumber.
August 16, 2009 @ 11:50 am
You will probably need to call some one before the puddle under it spreads through out the house/apartment.
Unless you know how to replace it, you need to call someone for a new one.
It would be wise to turn it off if you know how to do that. Faulty water heaters can be dangerous!!!!!!!
August 16, 2009 @ 4:10 pm
Sounds to me like when the water was off for a day and a half, your tank may have gotten syphoned out thus causing damage to the elements by running them dry. As stated before, a simple continuity test on the elements will reveal if they are bad. And just for the record, it’s not a hot water heater, it heats cold water.
August 16, 2009 @ 8:45 pm
If your water heater is over ten years old there is a good chance that it will need to be replaced. The liner in the heater core has a limited life and when they go bad it can destroy the hot water pipes in your house, so it is always cheaper to replace a water heater than to repair an old one and have it cost you your plumbing. If your water heater is fairly new it could be worth repairing. With electric water heaters the element and thermostat are the most likley problem. With a gas water heater the thermostat is almost always the problem. To test the heater element you do a continuity and resistance test with a volt meter. If you don’t know how to use a volt meter then you probably need to call a plumber. I would suggest that you take a trip to a local home center and price water heaters then you will know about what you should be paying to have a new one installed, if it comes to that.
August 16, 2009 @ 9:59 pm
Is it electric or gas? If electric, check the circuit breakers, see if they tripped. If gas, open the little flap in front and see if the pilot light is lit, If not turn the red nob to light, push down and use one of those long lighters and light the pilot, once lit hold the button for 15 seconds or so. Then release and turn to on. then turn the temp dial to full hot and you should see big flames. if that works the water heater is working.
you could also try to drain it a little, BUT I warn you that the plastic drain valves can break if your not careful. But if you wanna try, go ahead and turn of the cold water supply to the water heater, usually right above the water heater, then hook up a hose to the valve at the bottom of the water heater and open the valve, if its hot water coming out, you have a good water heater. your problem is somewhere else and you probably need a plumber.
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