It's most commonly a thermostat or heating coil issue, which can be verified with an electrical tester. Another sign a water heater component is going bad is when the unit triggers a shut down every time hot water is called. If the breaker is tripping, an electrician can determine why the unit is shorting out.
The average gas heater takes between 30 and 40 minutes to fully heat up the water in its tank. The average electric heater takes about twice as long as the average gas heater to fully heat up the water in its tank, so you can expect it to take between an hour and an hour and 20 minutes to heat up.
The short answer is yes, as long as you don't mind using cold water. Shutting off the input to your water heater will not affect your home's main water supply. You can still run appliances like your washing machine or dishwasher, flush your toilet, and use your shower, sink, or garden hose.
Hot Water Shortage
Finding yourself running out of hot water more quickly than usual is often a sign that your water heater is on its last legs. When water heaters start to go bad, they often lose their ability to heat water properly, which can result in shorter showers and less hot water overall.
Step 2: Find the reset button on your water heater. It's usually located near the bottom of the unit, but sometimes it can be on a side or back panel instead. Step 3: Press and hold the reset button for three to five seconds.
If the pilot light goes out, the gas will stop flowing and your unit will shut off. When heating is required, the gas control valve releases the gas into the main burner where the pilot light ignites the gas. Apart from lighting the main burner, the pilot light also provides warmth to the thermocouple.
If it is a gas water heater, go to your thermostat and switch the dial on top into the off position. If you have an electric water heater, switch off the corresponding circuit breaker. Turn off your water by locating the water valve and turning it as far as you can clockwise.
The thermostat switches on and off to keep the water at the set temperature. However, if the thermostat malfunctions, and fails to turn off when the set temperature has been reached, it will automatically shut down the power to the water heater when the water temperature reaches 180°F.
Hold down the reset button and relight the pilot at the same time. To safely do this, you'll need to use a long-stemmed lighter and hold the end of it very close to the pilot. Once the flame catches, release the reset button. Watch the pilot light on your furnace for a few minutes to ensure it stays lit.
These important safety tips can be followed in both our workplaces and homes: If the pilot light of an appliance goes out, turn off the gas at the appliance for several minutes before attempting to re-light it. Instructions should be attached to the appliance.
If the pilot light goes out on a storage or instantaneous hot water heater, space heater or a ducted heater, you will not have a gas leak. This is because all modern gas appliances with pilot lights have a fail-safe device that closes off the gas to the appliance in the case when the pilot may go out.
If an electric water heater is not producing hot water, it could be a simple problem like a blown fuse or tripped circuit breaker. Additionally, some electric water heaters have a circuit-style safety switch located near or on the thermostat.
Having to reset the water heater continuously isn't a good sign. This can be dangerous as electric water heaters are complex systems that need to work well in order to prevent fires or scalding. If the red button on the water heater keeps tripping, it can mean that your water heater isn't working at full efficiency.
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”.
Average Lifespan Of A Hot Water Heater
With regular inspection, draining, and flushing, you can expect a gas water heater to last anywhere from 8-12 years and an electric water heater to last anywhere from 10-15 years.
A tank water heater keeps a fairly hefty reserve of heated water, but the water is only going to stay hot for so long, maybe an hour or two, with the power keeping its element from doing its job. So yes, if you have a tank water heater and the power went out recently, you're probably good to take a shower!
WAPT spoke to four plumbing companies that all said that homeowners should turn off the water heater if the water is not running for more than 24 hours.
Another option during the warmer weather is a solar or camp shower. These are relatively simple items: You fill them with water (typically about 5 gallons or so), then leave them out in the sun to warm up.
The Cost of Relighting the Pilot Light
A plumber can help reignite the pilot light. They will charge you an hourly fee of $40 to $150. This is usually a fairly brief project, and may just take an hour.
With older furnaces, if the pilot light goes out, there is a fear that gas is still being supplied to your furnace and building up in your home. If there is gas buildup and the standing pilot flame relights, it could cause an explosion.
Although this is an area of concern for many people, the reality is that boilers are built so that the gas supply to the pilot light is shut off if the flame goes out. Whilst the cause of pilot light failure needs to be investigated, extinguished pilot lights aren't going to cause a gas leak.