Water Heater Not Working After Replacing Heating Elements and Thermostat (What to Do)
There is no hot water available from the taps connected to the water heater.
This is after you’ve replaced not only the thermostat but the water heater elements. What might be the problem?
This post explores the possible reasons why there might be no hot water available in the water heater even after replacing both the water heater elements.
Lastly, the thermostat outlines what checks and fixes you can do to get the hot water heater working again!
Why the Water may not be Working
The reasons listed below assume that you’ve checked and confirmed that the water heater elements are wired correctly and:
#1. that the circuit breaker supplying power to the heater elements is switched On. If the water heater has a disconnect switch, make sure it is switched on too.
#2. confirm that there is electricity from the grid and it reaches the heater elements.
If there is no hot water available in the water heater, even after confirming that the electricity is available at the heater elements, it might be that the water heater is working but there just isn’t hot water.
This can be caused by:
#1. leakages in the plumbing that result in the loss of hot water. Confirm that all hot water faucets are closed and that there are no leaks in the hot water lines whatsoever.
#2. the usage of hot water is higher than usual. In this case, you’ll have to allow enough time for the electric heater to generate hot water.
Note that during winter, the cold water temperature is lower than usual and it can take longer to heat the water.
#3. you’ve set your thermostat settings correctly. If the thermostat is set too low then the water will not be hot.
The thermostat temperature setting should be set to about 120°F or lower. You can set this using the thermostat dial.
Consult the water manual for your water heater model on where this is located and how to adjust it.
If the temperature is set to considerably lower then this might explain why the hot water is not hot enough.
Closing Thoughts
If the electric water heater is not working even after fitting nee heater elements and a thermostat, it could be that there is no power available at the electric heater.
Check that the circuit breakers are switched on and that the grid is available.
Another possible school of thought to explore is that the usage of hot water is high or you’ve not allowed enough time for the heater to work especially during winter.
