Official AO Smith electric water heater parts

What to do when you're not getting enough hot water from your AO Smith electric water heater

A failed heating element or defective thermostat could result in not having enough hot water. Examine your thermostats and elements and replace any defective components. A buildup of sediment in the bottom of the tank can also result in not having enough hot water. Shut off the electricity and water supply to the water heater and then drain the tank to flush out tank sediment. Refill the tank before restoring electrical power to an electric water heater to avoid damaging the heating elements.

Check the size of your water heater. Consider replacing your water heater with a larger capacity model if your current model doesn't supply enough hot water to meet your needs. A 40-gallon water heater typically supplies enough hot water for a family of four with normal water use. Sometimes, you'll use up the hot water in the tank and you'll need to wait for the tank to recover before hot water is again available.

Replacing a heating element in your AO Smith electric water heater

• Shut off the house circuit breakers to disconnect electrical power.
Turn off the cold water supply to the water heater and drain the tank.
• Remove the heating element's access cover.
• Disconnect the wires from the heating element.
• Use a heating element socket to remove the heating element from the tank.
• Install the new heating element and connect the wires to the new element.
• Reinstall the heating element cover.
• Fill the tank with water.
• Restore electrical power.