Plumbers Out There? Water Heater Issues

[Donnie Kennedy]

I have a single element/single T-stat electric water heater... it will make one tank of hot water then the reset button on the T-stat will pop. From what I've read online it seems to be the t-stat is bad, but I'd like some expert opinion before I start throwing parts at it.

 

[lorbay]

try turning down the temp a lttle bit to see if it will hold.

Lin

 

[Donnie Kennedy]

No dice... tried that already.

 

[Dragonlord85]

Depending on how old the water heater is I would go ahead and change out the t-stat and the heating element at the same time. In my 30 years of doing plumbing and HVAC I have found that once one or the other goes the other will follow shortly there after so you might as well do both at once.

 

[maxwell_smart007]

thermostats are cheap - nice place to start!

 

[Deadhead]

It wouldn't be a bad idea to change the safety valve either.

 

[Phillip Kelley]

Bad luck..

I have never had any good luck in dealing with an electric water heater. Lime or sediment may have built up around the element. Turn the power off & see if you can unscrew the element..or does it have 4 screw that hold on a backing plate? Vacumning any sediment out may help...

 

[glen r]

Change the t-stat first as that is likely the problem and is the cheapest and easiest to change. If the element goes that too will have to be changed but not required if it still works. If the tank is old you might possibly consider a new tank before spending any repair money on this one.