I Have No Hot Water! What to Do With Water Heater Trouble

Did you know that the average household uses 41 gallons of water every day? It gets worse: some larger families can use up to 86 gallons of water per day.

With so many people sharing the same bathrooms and showers, it’s no wonder why having no hot water is such a common problem for Americans. Here’s what to do when your water heater is out (and you don’t want to take a cold shower).

Electric Water Heater Trouble

No water in the house? You could be having trouble with your electric water heater. Thankfully, we’re here to help.

First, it’s super important to find out why your water heater isn’t working. Once you’ve figured out the problem, then you can do a few tricks to see if you can get it back in order.

Need a push in the right direction? Here are a few troubleshooting ideas:

• Check for a broken heating element.
• Look at your water heater’s thermostat.
• Consider tripped circuit breakers.

Here’s the deal: chances are that your electric water heater has a broken heating element. The best part? While you can’t prevent this from happening, it’s a very easy fix.

Next, you’ll want to take a look at your water heater’s thermostat. Usually, the upper thermostat is responsible for the heating elements throughout the entire structure. However, the lower thermostat can only control the heating element on the bottom.

Does your upper thermostat work but your lower thermostat doesn’t? This could solve your hot water issue. Fortunately, all you have to do is replace your thermostat.

Have you considered tripped circuit breakers yet? If not, you can always peek at your circuit breaker to see if your electric water heater breaker has been flipped.

In case you didn’t know, every water heater needs its own electrical outlet.

So, if the water heater breaker doesn’t match up with the other breakers, then you should know what your issue is right away. Just make sure to flip the switch from “off” to “on” in the circuit breaker box!

Troubleshooting Gas Water Heaters

Although gas water heaters have just as many problems as electrical ones, it’s usually a no-brainer to get both of them fixed. It’s wise to play it safe when your heater uses natural gas.

Want to check your gas water heater yourself? Here are a few things that you can do:

• Check your supply of gas
• Look at the pilot light

If you don’t have any hot water, then there’s a possibility that something is literally blocking the gas from getting to the burner and pilot light. That means that your gas supply could’ve been shut off on accident.

The solution? Remember to check your supply of gas. While you’re at it, also make sure that your gas valve is open and your gas is turned on. Next, all you have to do is twist the valve and relight your pilot light.

Is your pilot light off but your gas is on?

There could be several explanations for this problem, including:

• Thermocouple issues
• Stuck air in the line

When was the last time that you examined your thermocouple?

It doesn’t hurt to take a few minutes out of your day to see if your thermocouple is in line with your pilot light flame.

Why does this matter? Because this part has got to be tightly linked to your gas line to work. Check for any blockages and consider buying a new thermocouple if it can’t be fixed.

After you’ve looked at your thermocouple, you should see if there’s any stuck air in the line.

This is simple: make sure that the gas is flowing and reignite your pilot light for a couple of times in a row. That way, you can make the air flow out of your line.

However, if you’re not the handy type, there’s nothing wrong with calling a professional water heater installer for help!

How to Turn Up the Heat

When it comes to water heater repair, sometimes all it takes is turning up the heat. How so? We’ll show you how:

• Check your thermostat
• Examine your burner
• Inspect your dip tube

We can’t emphasize this enough: check your thermostat as soon as you have hot water trouble. If it’s set at the right temperature, then that may mean that you need to buy a new one.

Don’t worry: this problem is one of the easiest to fix.

For those who are still having problems, you should examine your burner. Why? Because it’s not unusual for sediment to collect on a gas water heater burner. That means that your hot water supply will eventually run dry.

How do you solve this? While it’s possible to do a do it yourself repair on a shoddy burner, it’s smarter to let a professional take care of this one.

Lastly, you can try to inspect your dip tube. Even though this is a rare issue, there’s no harm in checking to see if it has failed. If so, buy a new one!

If you’re still not having any luck, it might be time to replace your heater.

No Hot Water? Phone a Plumber

Still wondering what to do when you have no hot water? The answer is simple: phone a plumber.

For those who are looking for the best plumber services Denver has to offer, contact us to request a quote now!

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