How to replace a hot water heater element

One of the modern luxuries each of us depends on heavily is the convenience of hot water. I know I look forward to my time in the shower each morning as the hot water helps loosen muscles and chase the chill of the morning from my bones. Trying to imagine a time when this was not a normal part of the day is something outside the scope of my limited imagination.

Unfortunately the hot water you enjoy is supplied by a complex machine, which is designed to work on a particular set of required functions to give you this treasured amenity. Any machine can potentially break down at any time, leaving you with the unpleasantness of a cold shower. In most cases this is not a serious situation, merely a problem where the element that heats the water has failed. In the following I will describe the process of testing and replacing a faulty water heater element.

If through your experience with a water heater you understand how the water temperature is affected by a faulty element you will know immediately what might be wrong. If you are not so wise, you can take this description to heart as a way to tell. Most water heaters have two elements that work together to heat your water to the temperature designated by the thermostat controls you can set on the front of your water heater.

If one element is out, your water will initially be hot after left for a few hours, say overnight, but will not allow a long shower or multiple showers before turning luke warm or cold. The way the heater works is as you use hot water fresh water from your supply line refills the tank at whatever temperature the local ground water is at the time. There would be some amount of lag even with two elements working perfectly fine, but with one not working this is significantly longer

To test your element you will need a volt meter. Before testing you should turn off the electricity to you water heater, as it is connected to a 240 volt line. More accomplished electricians might take the chance of leaving the power on while doing this, but for those like me with little electrical prowess, safety is key.

You will need to unhook the wires from your element before testing to see if it is working or not. After you unscrew the wires you can place both ends of your volt meter leads on individual posts of the element. Your volt meter should be set to impedance and you will see the dial move to the right or hear a beep to signal the element works. If one element works you must still do the same work on the other to determine which one is the problem.

Once you have isolated the element to be replaced you must do a few things in preparation. The majority of water heaters are in places where water cannot be drained without the use of a length of garden hose. Thankfully the manufacturers of water heaters provide a valve at the bottom of the heater with a threaded port to allow you to attach a hose for the draining process. Before you begin do two things: first, shut off your supply or you will never drain the tank and make sure the end of your drain hose is somewhere that the water will run off safely and not cause you another mess to clean up.

The average water heater is between 40 and 60 gallons, so the draining process will take some time. It is not necessary to stay with the water heater during this process, so you can just monitor it frequently to judge how much is left by the strength of the water flow exiting the water hose.

Once the water has finished running from the hose, you should be ready to remove the element. Many elements will screw into the port on the tank provided for them so gently unscrew the faulty element so you can replace it. Replacement elements can be found at a local hardware, home improvement and selected discount retailers. Be sure to match the replacement to the original to ensure the proper operation of your water heater.

One of the reasons an element stops working is the build up of sediment in the bottom of the tank. This is from matter in the water that is not filtered out prior to introduction into the tank. The element most likely to fail due to this will be the bottom one as it would be most likely to come in contact with this accumulated debris.

After the new element is screwed in securely, you need to reconnect the wires to the element in the same way they were to begin with. Then you will return the plastic cover over top of the connections and replace the metal access cover. Once all this is secure you are ready to return power to the unit.

Be sure to close the drain valve securely before you open the supply valve to refill your tank. Once the tank is full you will not hear any more sound f the water running into the tank. At this point you are ready to make sure the element is heating correctly.

Within minutes of restoring power you should hear the thermostat click on the new element. This tells you the element is working and is beginning to heat water again. Within 15-20 minutes you should be able to place your hand on the tank and notice it is warmer than when the power is off.

With two fully heating elements you should have enough hot water for 2-3 fifteen minute showers. Of course this is dependent on any other suitors for the water, such as the dish washer or washing machine which you may start without allowing for their potential to use all the hot water.

 These steps should guide you through a successful replacement of your water heater element. If the problem remains after this you need to look toward either a thermostat or wiring problem, each of which is outside the scope of this hub.