I think my water heater is dead

[General Geoff]

When I went to take a shower this morning, no hot water. Didn't have time to mess with the water heater so I just took a cold shower and left.


Got back home and took a look at the water heater controls, made sure the timer is set right, and switched it on manually (normally I only keep hot water on in the morning), and waited a good 20 minutes. Still no hot water.

The water heater thinks it's on (indicator light is on), but I got nothing. My experience with water heaters is somewhat lacking, so I turn to you folks for suggestions.

If I can't troubleshoot this myself, how much do folks charge to professionally diagnose these things? And if the heater's dead, how much do they cost? Right now I have a pretty big electric tank heater, but I'm open to the idea of a tankless heater since I rarely use hot water, and don't use much when I do. I'd probably save some money in energy costs if I went tankless. But anyway, opinions are welcome either way.

[normanvin]

Does your wh have a reset button. It may have tripped.
I hear the tankless is nice. It must be sized properly. And the up front cost is not cheap.

I do my own plumbing so I could not help much with te cost to replace.

[PisnNapalm]

I think my water heater is dead

Shoot it just to make sure.

Seriously though... It'll probably cost you $80 or more just to have a repair guy look at it.

[AlbinoRhino]

Just make sure for now that it's not actually trying to heat the water if it's on. My water heater was messed up a few months ago and was cycling water or something weird because one of the valves was leaking causing hot water to constantly leak out leaving me with cold showers. I ended up with a $200 gas bill that month because it was constantly trying to heat the water. I'm not expert on this, but just throwing that out there as something to watch out for if it can help.

[General Geoff]

If it's close to $100 just to have someone look at it, that just makes me more eager to put that money towards a new tankless system. I'm scrounging around for the manual of this thing to see if there's anything else I can figure out.

(yes I already tried resetting the breaker, didn't help; I don't know if the heater itself has a reset button, but I'll look)

[normanvin]

Sounds like you might have a bad element.How old is it?

[normanvin]

Just remember that what ever you try won't make the water immediately hot.

[ReefBlue]

I'll be an advocate of tankless water heaters until the day I die.

But be prepared for about 1500 bucks worth of water heater parts and labor.

It uses a lot of power, either gas or electric. It needs either a 3/4" gas line all to istelf, which is what feeds most houses, or it needs for your house to have 200 amp service since it needs 3 dual-pole 40 amp breakers. If you don't have a 200 amp main, you'll dump your house if you're using the heater and people start with the vacuums, dishwashers, microwave, etc.

If you cheap out and get the smaller versions which run about 400 bucks, they won't have enough BTUs to heat water in the winter and you'll be stuck with cool showers.

The one I have can take water that is 40 degrees and make it 110 degrees, but that is its maximum capability, a 70 degree rise. I've held thermometers under my cold water faucet in the winter and get mid 40 degree water.

You'll also get that 110 degree water from the point you open the faucet until you close it, no matter how long you keep the water running. I had four people over for thanksgiving the first winter I had my water heater and we all took showers one right after the other and not a complaint about the water.

It may be way expensive, but it is very much worth it.

[Ramtuff]

Sounds like you might have a bad element.How old is it?

That would be my guess too.

But be prepared for about 1500 bucks worth of water heater parts and labor.

Just build it yourself and save $1300.

[DougX]

What kind of water heater do you have and why do you have it on a timer?I'm a plumber by trade so I'll help how I can.