There are few things as bad as waking up on a cold morning to find no hot water. It can ruin the rest of your day and maybe even your week if it isn’t fixed quickly. Knowing how to fix common water heater problems can help you get the hot water back on sooner rather than later. 

It is important to note that fixing problems in water heaters differs for gas and electric heaters. It may also differ depending on the particular brand and model of your heater. 

1. When you have a gas heater and have no hot water 

If you have cold water in your shower, you should start by checking other hot water inlets in your home. If there is no hot water throughout your home, you can proceed to inspect your heater. If you have a gas water heater, check to see if the pilot light is on. If the light is out, follow the instructions given on the heater to relight the pilot light. If the light is low or does not light, you could have an issue with your gas supply. Check to ensure the gas valve is turned on. 

If the pilot light won’t light, you may be having air in the gas line. Hold down the pilot knob to purge the air in the line. If the pilot light still doesn’t light, it could be an issue of a defective thermocouple or the gas pressure may be too low. Thermocouples are a frequent cause of issues in gas water heaters. Remove the thermocouple, clean and adjust it or replace it to get your hot water back on. 

If the issue is low gas pressure, get in touch with your gas supply company or water heater repair technician for assistance. 

If your pilot light stays low, turn your gas valve on to reignite the burner. Reset the thermostat and your hot water should be back. If the burner doesn’t ignite, set your thermostat to 120 degrees and turn on your hot water faucet. Leave the water running to lower the temperature. Wait to see if the burner reignites. If it doesn’t, you may need to replace the gas valve and thermostat. 

2. Cold water with an electric water heater

In many instances, having cold water with an electric water heater is an indication of the interruption of the supply of power to the heater or defective heating elements. 

Turn off the power supply to the heater before working on it. Check the fuses in your circuit breaker as well as the main switch to ensure that there is no power supply issue. Replace any fuse that is blown with a fuse of the same rating. 

Open the panel on the water heater and push the reset button. If the water heater doesn’t start working after pressing the button and turning the power back on, you could be having a problem with your high-temperature cutoff switch. 

Check for water inside the compartment. This can cause thermostat malfunctions. Check to see if there is leaking water too. You may need to have your heater replaced if there is a leak. 

If none of the above work, try replacing the heating elements. Follow the manufacturer’s instructions to ensure safety. 

You don’t have to suffer with cold showers. Use the tips above to troubleshoot and fix your heater.