Electric Water Heater Repair in Raleigh
No hot water, water that's only lukewarm, or a breaker that keeps tripping? Electric water heaters fail in a few predictable ways. Here's what each symptom usually means and what is safe to check.
Calls connect you with an independent local plumber. How it works
- Elements and thermostats
- Breaker and reset button
- Lukewarm or no hot water
Most electric water heaters have two heating elements, each with its own thermostat, on a dedicated 240-volt circuit. No hot water at all often means a tripped breaker, a tripped high-limit reset button or a failed upper element or thermostat. Water that is lukewarm or runs out fast often points to the lower element. If the breaker or reset trips again after one reset, leave the heater off and call a plumber.
Electric heaters have no flame or venting, so the faults are electrical: elements burn out, thermostats stick, and the high-limit switch trips if the water gets too hot. The parts are behind access panels on the side of the tank, and the wiring carries 240 volts, so testing them is a job for someone with the right meter and training.
What you can safely do is check the breaker, press the reset button once with the power off, and note exactly what's happening.
If it's happening right now
- Breaker tripped? Reset it once. If it trips again, leave it off.
- No hot water? Breaker off, press the red reset button behind the upper panel, panel back on, breaker on.
- Water near the heater? Turn the breaker off before you touch anything.
- Burning smell? Turn the breaker off and keep it off.
Smell gas? Leave the house now, don't flip switches or relight anything, and call your gas utility or 911 from outside.
Call a plumber today if
- The breaker trips again after one reset
- You smell burning or see scorch marks at an access panel
- Water is leaking near the wiring
- No hot water and the reset didn't help
It can usually wait a few days if
- Water is lukewarm but usable
- Hot water runs out a bit sooner than it used to
- You hear a mild hiss or pop when it heats
Common electric water heater problems
No hot water at all
Breaker tripped, the high-limit reset tripped, or the upper element or thermostat failed.
Lukewarm, or runs out fast
Often a failed lower element or thermostat, sediment, or a broken dip tube.
Breaker keeps tripping
A shorted element or a wiring fault. Leave it off.
Hissing or popping
Sediment on the lower element, or scale on the element itself.
What is safe to check yourself
- Check the breaker. Find the double breaker for the water heater. If it tripped, reset it once.
- Try the reset button once. With the breaker OFF, remove the upper access panel and press the red high-limit reset. Replace the panel, then turn the breaker back on.
- Wait an hour. A full tank takes time to heat. Check again before deciding.
- If it trips again, stop. Turn the breaker off and leave it off.
- Never test live wiring. Elements and thermostats are on 240 volts.
What a plumber checks on an electric heater
- Power at the heater and the condition of the wiring and connections.
- Each element with a meter, and replaces failed ones.
- Both thermostats and the high-limit switch, and why it tripped.
- Sediment and whether a flush would help.
- The dip tube if cold water is mixing into the hot outlet.
Questions to ask the plumber
- Which element or thermostat failed, and why?
- Did the high-limit switch trip, and what caused it?
- Is sediment part of the problem?
- Does the price include both parts and labor?
- Is the heater worth repairing at its age?
Is it safe to keep resetting the breaker?
Reset it once. If it trips again, something is drawing too much current, such as a shorted element or damaged wiring, and resetting it again won't fix that. Leave it off until a plumber or electrician has checked it.
Is it a plumber or an electrician?
Elements, thermostats and the reset switch are water heater parts, so plumbers who work on water heaters usually handle them. If the breaker trips with the heater disconnected, or the wiring back to the panel is damaged, that's electrician work. Renters should report it to the landlord in writing. More on who pays for water heater work.
What to tell the plumber about an electric heater
Whether you have no hot water or just lukewarm water, whether the breaker or the red reset button tripped and how many times, and the tank size from the label. That pattern points straight to the upper or lower element. Full list: what to tell the plumber.
Upper vs lower element: why it matters
On a typical two-element tank, the upper element heats first and then hands off to the lower one. If the upper element or its thermostat fails, you often get no hot water at all. If the lower one fails, you get some hot water that runs out quickly. That pattern helps a plumber know where to start, and it's worth mentioning when you call.
Heat pump water heaters
A heat pump (hybrid) water heater is also electric, but it has a compressor and fan on top as well as backup elements. It needs space and air around it and a condensate drain. If yours is a hybrid, mention it when you call so the right technician comes out.
Frequently asked questions
Why does my electric water heater keep tripping the breaker?
A shorted heating element or a wiring fault are the usual causes. Leave the breaker off after one reset and have it checked.
Where is the reset button on an electric water heater?
It's usually behind the upper access panel, above the upper thermostat. Turn the breaker off before you remove the panel.
Why is my hot water only lukewarm?
On electric heaters this often means the lower element or thermostat has failed. Sediment, a broken dip tube or a thermostat set too low can also cause it.
Can a heating element be replaced, or do I need a new heater?
Elements and thermostats are replaceable parts. If the tank itself is leaking, the heater needs replacing.
How long does an electric water heater last?
The U.S. Department of Energy puts tank water heaters at about 10 to 15 years.
Related help
No hot water or a leaking tank?
Turn off the power or gas to the heater and close the cold-water valve above it if water is leaking. Then get help from an independent local plumber.