Broken Hot Water Heater Element

An electric water heater uses an internal heating element to heat the water and keep it hot.

Broken hot water heater element. When you drained it to replace the element you probably noticed all of the brownish water draining out. If your water heater is over 8 years old we are most likely going to advise for you to replace it. Lmvrs in my water heater was out so i got replacement elements and thermostats. Water heater element broke off in tank.

The upper heating element really only contributes when there is a high hot water demand and only serves to heat water in the upper portion of the tank. A water heater that produces no hot water may not be getting power or it may have a tripped limit switch or one or more failed heating elements. Sometimes your water will slowly start to cool down and this could be because the element has burned out. If the breaker has tripped switch it off then switch it back on again.

Naturally sediment and other particles collect in the bottom of hot water heaters. If you have an electric water heater the heating elements inside the tank can break and lead to a loss of hot water. Hot water heaters are an important home appliance that heat water for use in your sinks dishwasher washing machine and shower. When the heating element goes bad the unit will no longer maintain a supply of hot water which necessitates a prompt replacement of the broken part.

The reasoning behind that is most warranties for water heaters end at 6 years and water heaters in our area last 12 years. Quite often the reason you won t be able to get any hot water is because of a broken hot water heater element. I would call the manufacturer of the water heater and ask them. If the water in your home doesn t get any hotter than a lukewarm temperature try turning up the heat if that doesn t solve the problem it s possible that 1 of the heating elements in the water heater is malfunctioning or broken.

The element will corrode and break apart possibly over time. This is a common problem and can be diagnosed by dismantling your boiler and using a multimeter to check the resistance of the element. Heating element hole in tank. Three causes of a broken electric water heating element.

First check the water heater s circuit breaker in the service panel to make sure it hasn t tripped. When i took the upper element out i found it was broken and over half of the copper is still in the tank is it safe to continue replacing parts.