Official Whirlpool electric water heater parts

Dealing with smelly water conditions caused by your Whirlpool electric water heater

Certain water conditions cause a reaction between the anode rod and supply water, which results in hydrogen sulfide gas being dissolved in the tank water.

The anode rod protects the tank from corrosion. A chemical reaction between the supply water and the anode rod can produce hydrogen sulfide gas and cause the hot water to smell like rotten eggs in some conditions. Replace the anode rod with a less-reactive zinc-aluminum anode rod to combat the rotten-egg smell.

Troubleshooting steps for your Whirlpool electric water heater when you're getting no hot water

Check both house circuit breakers for the water heater. Reset the circuit breakers by shutting them off and then flipping them back on. A gas water heater will have a single circuit breaker. Reset that circuit breaker the same way-shut it off and flip it back on.

If the electric water heater doesn't begin to heat after resetting the circuit breakers, shut the breakers off and press the reset button for the high-temperature limit switch on the upper thermostat of the water heater. If the water heater works for a while and then trips the high-temperature limit switch again, you'll likely need to replace a failed thermostat that's causing the element to heat constantly. If an electric water heater element doesn't heat when activated, replace the heating element. Replace the thermostat if it doesn't activate the heating element. Our no-hot-water troubleshooting video can help you figure out which part to replace in an electric water heater that's not heating.