If you have no hot water after installing a new water heater, the most likely reasons are (1) no electric power or (2) the upper
If it is electric you might not have power to the heating elements. Or you turned on the electricity before you had water in the tank and burned out the heating elements. If it is gas be sure you have the gas hooked up and is lit.
Now, if your new hot water heater is only lukewarm, then it may not have been used enough yet for sediment build-up—but if the unit isn't new, sediment build-up is the most common cause.
For an average 40-gallon electric heater it will take about 60 to 80 minutes and for an 80-gallon tank about 2 hours.
Check the circuit breaker.
If you have an electric water heater, the first thing to check when experiencing hot water issues is your circuit breaker. A tripped circuit means the current was disrupted. As a safety measure, the circuit breaker flips.
The most obvious reason for a lack of hot water is if your power or water supply is disconnected from your boiler. Whether you have a gas or electric boiler, it is essential that the right fuel is being supplied to the system at all times, as well as water arriving from the mains or from a separate storage tank.
Somewhere on your electric water heater, you'll find a reset button. It's usually red and often located near the thermostat. It may also be hidden behind a removable metal panel on the unit—and then behind some insulation. Once you find the button, push and release it.
For such systems, you need to run water for only 5-10 minutes, considering that the heaters don't usually store a lot of water. This time will be sufficient to clear out any debris resulting from installation.
The easiest way to tell if your water heater is working is to open a faucet and see if you have hot water. Keep in mind that if you've just installed a brand new water heater, it will take some time for the tank to fill and heat up.
Tank sediment: Minerals in your water supply settle to the bottom of the storage tank, where the burners often are. Sediment buildup in the hot water tank makes it hard for the burners to heat properly, and you end up getting lukewarm water from the water heater.
Over time, sediment can build up in the bottom of the tank, where the burner usually is. This can lead to slower heating or poor efficiency in your water heater, meaning lukewarm water rather than hot water. The solution for this is to drain the tank and to use a water softener.
Most homeowners should flush their water heaters every 6 months or so, but if you have extremely hard water, you may want to do it more often. Flushing your hot water heater could be necessary as often as every few months depending on the mineral content of your local water supply.
Potential Causes: It could be a tripped breaker, blown fuse, malfunctioning heating element, or incorrectly set thermostat. Solutions: Check and reset circuit breakers or fuses, examine the power cord, assess water pressure, and verify thermostat settings.
Hook up your drain hose. Shut off the water coming from the water heater but leave the cold water feed to the water heater on. Open the drain valve, the water pressure from the feed should stir up the sediment in the bottom and get the water moving. After it runs for a few minutes, turn off the cold water feed.
If you have no hot water after installing a new water heater, the most likely reasons are (1) no electric power or (2) the upper heating element was burned out during installation (dry fire). The information on this web site is supplemental to the printed instructions that came with your water heater.
Poor water heater performance can sometimes stem from an anode rod that's overdue for replacement. If you notice signs of poor performance, such as discolored or rusty water, sulfuric or rotten egg smells, popping sounds from the tank, or high heating bills, inspect your water rod to determine if it needs replacement.
Disconnect two wires from top element. Check continuity of element with ohm meter from terminal to terminal (should read around 13 ohms). Check continuity from each terminal to metal tank (should read 0 ohms - anything else and the element needs to be replaced). Check lower element the same way as the top element.
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. Propane storage tank water heater: 30–40 minutes. Propane tankless water heater: 0 minutes.
While these sounds can be scary and seem like serious issues, the cause is usually quite benign. Most often, a loud sound coming from your pipes is caused by trapped air. By turning off your main water supply and running all faucets for 10-15 minutes, you force any trapped air through your water pipes.
When the water temperature climbs too high, the reset button automatically shuts the unit off to protect it from overheating. Ideally, this button is only activated in emergencies.
If the thermostats within the electric water heater start to malfunction they can often stay switched on. This means that the high limit you have set on the temperature will be breached. When the temperature exceeds the limits of the water heater, the high limit button will trip causing frequent resets.