April 20, 2023

Water heater repair guides

Fixing your water heater is a breeze with our step-by-step repair guides and videos for parts such as heating elements and anode rods. Use the maintenance and DIY troubleshooting tips in our repair help section to keep the shower water hot and your utility bills low. Our expert advice covers common water heater brands such as Kenmore, State, Rheem and AO Smith. Search your model number for a complete list of replacement parts for your water heater and order the part you need.

water-heater

Repair guides for electric water heaters

How to replace a water heater element
November 20, 2022

How to replace a water heater element

If your water heater runs out of hot water quickly and one of the two heating elements has failed, replace the element f…

Repair difficulty
Time required
 30 minutes or less
How to replace an electric water heater thermostat
July 01, 2015

How to replace an electric water heater thermostat

If the water temperature fluctuates or you don't get enough hot water, follow these instructions to replace your water h…

Repair difficulty
Time required
 30 minutes or less
How to replace a water heater temperature and pressure (T&P) relief valve
July 01, 2015

How to replace a water heater temperature and pressure (T&P) relief valve

Replace a broken temperature/pressure (T&P) relief valve on an electric water heater using these instructions.…

Repair difficulty
Time required
 15 minutes or less
How to replace an electric water heater anode rod
July 01, 2015

How to replace an electric water heater anode rod

If your hot water begins to smell like rotten eggs, replace the anode rod with a zinc-aluminum anode rod following the i…

Repair difficulty
Time required
 15 minutes or less
How to replace a water heater drain valve
July 01, 2015

How to replace a water heater drain valve

If the drain valve on your electric water heater is leaking water, replace it following these step-by-step instructions.…

Repair difficulty
Time required
 30 minutes or less

Most common symptoms to help you fix your water heaters

Choose a symptom to see related water heater repairs.

Main causes: thermostats need adjustment, water heater capacity too low, bad heating element, thermostat failure, excess…

Main causes: loose water pipe fittings, leaky drain valve, bad temperature-pressure relief valve, leaky heating element,…

Main causes: water supply needs chlorine treatment, anode rod too reactive…

Main causes: lack of power, no gas supply, thermostat limit switch tripped, bad element, bad thermostat, gas valve failu…

Main causes: broken heating element, thermostat failure, excessive tank sediment, tank size too small, burner valve asse…

Main causes: thermostat temperature set too high, thermostats need adjustment, faulty thermostat, shorted heating elemen…

Main causes: faulty pressure relief valve, water is overheating…

Effective articles & videos to help repair your water heaters

Use the advice and tips in these articles and videos to get the most out of your water heater.

Wiring schematic symbols explained video

Wiring schematic symbols explained video

Learn some of the most common symbols found in a wiring diagram and what they mean.…

Using a wiring schematic to trace a current video

Using a wiring schematic to trace a current video

Find out what’s wrong with your appliance by following a circuit.…

Easy DIY water heater repairs

Easy DIY water heater repairs

Read about some water heater repairs that you can easily do yourself.…