Replace water heater element3/2/2024 This step ensures the drain valve isn’t clogged so you can drain it in a moment. You’re not going to fully drain the tank yet. The drain valve will be located near the bottom of the tank. Once you’re certain there is no power going to the water heater, proceed by hooking your garden hose to the water heater’s drain valve. DO NOT proceed until you get a reading of 0 volts. If you’re detecting voltage, you may have flipped the wrong circuit breaker switch. If it’s off, you should see a reading of 0 volts.Touch one of the probes to one of the terminals, then touch the other probe to the water heater tank.Start by setting the meter at 120 volts.Then use your voltage tester to ensure the power is off. Locate the switch that is connected to your water heater on your circuit breaker. These make it easy to unscrew your heater element so you can remove and replace it. You might see them labeled as element tools. You can find a water heater element wrench at a hardware store or online through sites like Google Shopping. If you feel uncomfortable doing this project yourself, you can always call a qualified plumber to do it. Electric water heaters are filled with water and connected to power – a potentially dangerous or deadly combination.įollow the instructions below closely and in the correct order to minimize your risk. Safety First! Safety should be your main priority when changing a water heater element. 10 Steps To Change a Water Heater Element Once you’ve gotten a replacement element, you can move on to the actual project: Changing it out. Voltage and wattage should be stamped directly on the element. You can choose a lower wattage than your current element has.īut be aware that it won’t heat water as efficiently. You’ll need to select a replacement water heater element of the same style (screw-in or bolt-in), and voltage. You can always bring your old water heater element to a plumbing supply store to make sure you get the correct type. The first step to changing your water heater element is buying the correct replacement. Buying a Replacement Water Heater Element Bolt-in elements can easily be converted to screw-in elements with an adapter kit. With bolt-in elements, you’ll notice that they are bolted in place with 4 bolts. They are typically seen on older water heaters. Bolt-In Water Heater Elementsīolt-in water heater elements are the second (and much less common) type. Screw-in heater elements, like the name indicates, screw into place on your water heater. If your water heater was made less than 15 years ago, this is almost certainly the type of heater elements you’ll have. Screw-in water heater elements are by far the most common. Your lower and upper heater elements will be one of two types. Since the upper heater element doesn’t work as hard or get subjected to as much sediment, it’s usually not the one that needs to be replaced. Instead of bringing 40 or 50 degree water all the way up to the temperature set on your water heater thermostat, its job is to ensure the water stays at 120, 130, or 140 degrees before it leaves the tank. This is because it’s located at the top to “boost” the temperature of the already-heated water right before it leaves the tank to come out of the tap you’re using. The upper heater element doesn’t work as hard as the lower element. If you suspect that one of your water heater elements has gone out, it’s likely that it’s the lower element. This can reduce the lower heater element’s effectiveness and cause it to stop working sooner than it should. The lower heater element works hard to warm the colder water at the bottom of the tank to the right temperature and keep it from cooling down too much.Īnd since it’s at the bottom of the tank, it can get covered in normal sediment that settles to the bottom inside the water heater. As new, cold water enters the tank, it comes out of a tube that dispenses the water straight to the bottom. The lower heater element is responsible for doing most of the work in heating up the water inside the tank.
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