You have easy access to adjust a home water heater. Electric water heaters have one or two heating elements that control hot water temperatures thermostatically. Each heating element on a hot water heater has a temperature setting outside the tank. The temperature can be changed if the heating elements are working and there's no need for any other water heater maintenance. Water heaters that do not respond to temperature adjustments will require new heating elements, maintenance or replacement. Before spending money on a service call, follow these steps to adjust an electric water heater. Does this Spark an idea?
Instructions
1. Shut off the power supply to the water heater at the breaker box. The breaker for the hot water heater will be clearly marked.
2. Unscrew the exterior access panels with a Phillips screwdriver. The panels are held on with one screw at the top and a slot leaf at the bottom. Put on protective gloves and pull out the insulation to expose the thermostats.
3. Set the thermostats by turning the dial pointer to the desired temperature with a slotted screwdriver. Set temperatures to 125 degrees or below for safety. For water heaters with two heating elements, both thermostats must be adjusted to change the water temperature.
4. Put the gloves on and place the insulation back over the thermostat. Slip the bottom leaf of the access panel into the hull. Replace the holding screw.
5. Turn the power back on to the water heater. Allow 45 minutes for the temperature change to take effect.
Tags: water heater, heating elements, water heater