To get your hot water back on quickly, follow these troubleshooting steps based on whether you have an electric or gas water heater.
To turn your hot water back on, check if you have a gas or electric water heater. For gas, you may need to relight the pilot; for electric, you likely need to reset a tripped circuit breaker.
A sudden loss of hot water usually means your water heater has stopped heating or there is a plumbing crossover. Common culprits include a tripped circuit breaker, an extinguished pilot light, or a failed heating element.
To reset an electric water heater, turn off its power at your circuit breaker box. Remove the upper access panel and insulation on the tank. Press the red high-limit reset button until it clicks. Replace the panel, restore power, and wait 1 to 2 hours for the water to heat.
To get your hot water working, first determine if your unit is electric or gas. Common, quick fixes involve checking your circuit breaker, relighting the pilot light, or resetting the high-limit switch.
If you suddenly have no hot water, the very first step is to isolate whether the issue is with a single faucet or your entire home. If it affects the whole house, your water heater is the culprit, and you should check the following based on your system:
If your system doesn't have an igniter button, you'll need to manually light the flame using a long match or long lighter. With the gas regulator valve in the “Pilot” position, light your multipurpose lighter and depress the reset button, if your furnace or water heater has one.
If your hot water heater stops working, you need quick solutions. Here's what to check first: Electric heaters: Check the circuit breaker and reset if tripped. Gas heaters: Verify the pilot light is lit and blue.
When you have cold water but no hot water, the issue almost always stems from the water heater or a plumbing crossover, rather than the faucets themselves.
A tap or shower that keeps switching between hot and cold water could be a sign that the heat exchanger inside a combi boiler is blocked. Sludge and sediment buildup is fairly common in older boilers, especially when the filters are old. This blockage will then cause water to run hot and cold intermittently.
No hot water is usually caused by a tripped circuit breaker, an extinguished pilot light, a malfunctioning thermostat, or heavy sediment buildup in your tank.
Start by checking your hot water unit.
Water heating times vary — it may happen instantly, or it could take 60–80 minutes. It all depends on the type of water heater you're using. Here are some common heat up times for different water heaters, assuming the appliances are new and properly sized for the home: Electric storage tank water heater: 60–80 minutes.
Having no hot water in your shower while it works elsewhere is usually caused by an incorrect temperature limit setting, a broken anti-scald cartridge, or a failing mixing valve.
Resetting an electric water heater involves a few simple steps. Start by turning off the unit's power at the main breaker box. Remove the upper access panel and insulation on the water heater to expose the red reset button, firmly press it until it clicks, reassemble the panel, and turn the power back on.
Getting a water heater to work typically requires addressing basic power, fuel, or thermostat issues. First, identify if your unit is electric or gas, then follow the specific troubleshooting steps below.
Tripped Circuit Breaker: A very common reason for an electric water heater not working is a tripped circuit breaker. Fix: Reset the breaker and check for electrical system overloads. Faulty Heating Elements: Prevents heating. Fix: Replace faulty elements to restore heating efficiency.
Pushing the reset button on your electric water heater restores power to the heating elements. This button acts as a high-limit safety switch, often called an ECO (Emergency Cut-Off) switch. It pops out to cut power and prevent scalding or damage when internal water temperatures rise above a safe limit.
A little upkeep can go a long way toward restoring efficiency. Flushing the tank once or twice a year helps clear out sediment that reduces hot water capacity. Checking the thermostat setting and ensuring it is at the recommended level, usually around 120 degrees Fahrenheit, can also make a difference.
Signs That You Should Reset Your Thermostat
Nevertheless, during a power outage, this is not a problem. Standing pilot light models can ignite the gas burners of your water heater without any need for electricity. However, water heating units with electric-controlled ignition require a small amount of electricity to ignite their burners.
Relighting a gas water heater pilot yourself is free and takes about 5 minutes. If you hire a professional, it typically costs $50 to $150 for a standard service call. However, if the pilot won't stay lit, you may need a $15 to $30 thermocouple part, bringing total repair costs to $100 to $300.