Your water heater reset button is a safety device that shuts off power to your water heater when the water temperature inside it exceeds 180 degrees Fahrenheit. Side note: the reset button is also sometimes referred to as the ECO (emergency cut off) switch or “high limit safety thermostat switch”.
The reset button on your water heater keeps the appliance and your home safe. When the temperature in the tank exceeds 180 degrees, it powers down to prevent overheating. If you are repeatedly turning your water heater back on, this is a sign of an issue.
Locating the Reset Button
Remove the thermostat cover by either snapping it off or unscrewing it, depending on the model. Most modern thermostats will have a clearly marked reset button inside the panel. It's usually small and recessed, so you might need a pointed object like a paperclip to press it.
It's typically a small red button located on the upper thermostat of your water heater. The key purpose of the reset button is to protect your unit when at risk of overheating. If the internal water temperature exceeds 180 degrees Fahrenheit, the reset button will disconnect power to your water heater.
If the red button on the water heater keeps tripping, it can mean that your water heater isn't working at full efficiency. The largest reason behind these regular trips can be that the water heater is getting too hot, giving a signal for high temperatures.
What Goes Wrong: Loose or damaged wiring can create heat, which may trigger the reset button to trip as a precaution. This issue is particularly concerning because it poses a risk of electrical fires. Solution: A licensed plumber or electrician should inspect and repair or replace any loose or damaged wires.
If you have a programmable thermostat, follow these steps:
Press and hold the reset button for 5-10 seconds until the display goes blank. This clears any customized settings and restores factory defaults. Reprogram the thermostat settings like clock, temperature, and schedule.
Many computers, especially older models, have user accessible "reset" buttons that assert the reset line to facilitate a system reboot in a way that cannot be trapped (i.e. prevented) by the operating system, or holding a combination of buttons on some mobile devices.
To reset mechanical thermostats, simply turn off the thermostat and flip the circuit breaker. This can be done by going to the breaker panel and turning off the appropriate breaker switch for 30 seconds. After turning the breaker back on, turn the thermostat back on and the thermostat should be reset.
A 'warm reset' is a fundamental reset that is triggered without disconnecting power from the device. There appears to be no standard way of triggering a warm reset. A 'hot reset' is a conventional reset that is triggered across a PCI express link.
It will turn the thermostat off, and in most cases, it will restore the thermostat to factory settings. If you're experiencing problems with your HVAC system, you should try using the reset button. If that doesn't work, you can always contact an HVAC technician for assistance.
Outdoor temperature reset is a control strategy that continuously adjusts heating system supply water temperatures to compensate, providing more heat when it's colder and less heat when it's warmer.
You should not reset the burner more than two or three times, the reason is you may be pumping some fuel into the heat exchanger that is not igniting.
The reset button is typically located near the water heater thermostat. You will need to use a screwdriver to remove a cover plate to access the thermostat and reset the button.
Adjusting the top thermostat will change the temperature of the top heating element. Adjusting the bottom thermostat will change the temperature of the bottom heating element.
Signs of a Bad Heating Element
These signs include: Warm or cool water when you turn on the hot water handle. Hot water that does not last long. Having Your water heater's circuit breaker trip frequently.
A short in one of the heating elements allows power to flow through the element even after the thermometer shuts off its power. This means the heating element is still working and will continue to increase the water temperature, eventually tripping the reset button.
A "High Temp Shutdown" is a safety feature that activates when a water heater overheats, indicating a potential issue within the system. Several factors can contribute to this problem, including: Faulty Thermostat. The thermostat regulates your water heater's temperature.
Once you've reset the system, you have to wait for hot water (unless you have an on-demand water heater), but for how long? It depends on the size of the tank, but with any unit, you should be able to get in a hot shower with gas water heaters within 30-40 minutes and with electric tanks, about 60-90 minutes.
Unless you cannot turn off the power to your water heater, it's a job you can safely do yourself. However, if you attempt to reset your water heater and it either continues to shut off or refuses to work at all, you may have a bigger underlying issue.
Reset the hot water supply temperature set point within these ranges to meet the building demand. For warmer outdoor- air temperatures, start the hot water supply temperature set point on the lower end of the range (i.e., 120oF to 140oF for summer and 160oF for winter), and reset as outdoor-air temperatures get colder.
Water Heater Temperature Recommendations
The Department of Energy and water heater manufacturers have different opinions. 120 degrees Fahrenheit is the safety recommendation against scalding, but 140° is the common default setting.