Official AO Smith parts

AO Smith offers well-designed water heaters that provide a reliable hot water supply throughout the home. However, these water heaters are complex pieces of equipment with many small parts that can get damaged over time.

Troubleshooting water heaters

There are some problems that are common to all AO Smith water heaters. Lack of electrical power will prevent the water heater from working at all. A faulty thermostat won’t control the heating system properly to provide hot water at the right temperature. Sediment in the tank can inhibit heating element performance.

Some common failures in AO Smith water heaters that you may deal with

  • If the electric heating element in your water heater breaks, the water heater won’t heat water at all. Check the heating element using a multimeter and replace the element if it’s bad.
  • A faulty thermostat won’t cycle the burner or element on and off to maintain the water in the tank at the right temperature. Disconnect power to the water heater and test the thermostat using a multimeter. Replace the thermostat if it’s bad.
  • Reaction of certain types of water with the anode rod can cause hot water to smell like rotten eggs. You’ll need to install a less-reactive zinc-aluminum anode rod to get rid of the rotten-egg smell. .
  • If you see water in the drain pan for your water heater, check for leaks at the water pipe fittings. Tighten the water pipe connections if necessary. Check the drain valve and temperature-pressure relief valve for leaks. Replace the drain valve or relief valve if they leak.
  • If your water heater doesn’t work at all, check the house circuit breakers for the water heater. Reset the circuit breakers if they’re tripped.