How do you troubleshoot a Whirlpool water heater?

Troubleshoot any electric water heater that displays one of these conditions.

Check for leaks from the tank.
Check the breaker to be sure power is on for the water heater.
Unscrew the cover plates on the upper and lower access panels with a Phillips head screwdriver.
Check the limiter switch.

Keeping this in view, do all water heaters have a reset button?

The water heater reset button is the red button located on the water heater itself (just above the thermostat). Some water heaters may have two reset buttons-one for each thermostat. To access the reset button, you may have to remove the metal plate covering the thermostat that's held in place by screws.

Subsequently, question is, how do I reset my heater? Turn the power back on and then the main gas supply. Locate the reset button. It is labeled, sometimes in red. Press and hold the reset button for 30 seconds.

Also to know, how do I reset my water heater?

Part 2 Pressing the Reset Button

Locate the red reset button. There should be a red button in the center of the control panel.
Press the button firmly. The reset button can sometimes be sticky, especially if you haven't reset the heater in a while.
Wait to hear the button click.

What would cause a water heater reset button to trip?

While a bad thermostat is the most common reason your water heater's reset button may trip, it's not the only one. Other common causes include: A shorted heating element—It may be that the thermostat is working just fine and shutting off the heating element.

19 Related Question Answers Found

Is it dangerous if the pilot light goes out on water heater?

A device called a thermocouple is heated by the pilot light flame. As long as the thermocouple remains hot, gas is supplied to the pilot light. If the pilot light goes out, the gas is shut off and there is no danger of gas accumulating because the pilot light is out.

Why is the hot water not working?

First, reset any tripped circuit breaker, and replace any blown fuse. Next, check if power is being supplied to the electric water heating element thermostat. When the water's not hot enough, the problem can be an undersized water heater, crossed hot and cold connections, or a faulty heating element or thermostat.

How do I reset my thermostat?

Here are the steps you need to take to reset your AC thermostat.

Shut Down Your AC at the Thermostat. The first step in resetting your AC thermostat is to turn it off at the AC unit.
Find Your Circuit Breaker Box.
Reset the Circuit Breaker for Your AC Unit.
Wait 30 Seconds.
Turn the AC Thermostat Back On.

Why is the water in my house not getting hot?

Another cause of hot water not being hot enough is sediment buildup in the water heater tank. Many water heater burners are on the bottom of the tank. So this buildup of debris can make your water heater less effective at heating your water, leading to lukewarm water.

What to check when there's no hot water?

Need to hire a plumber?

No Hot Water – Electric Water Heaters. Faulty Heating Element. Faulty Thermostat. Tripped Circuit Breaker. Other Causes of Hot Water Not Working:
No Hot Water – Gas Water Heaters. No Gas Supply. Pilot Light is Out. Thermocouple.
Water is Not Hot Enough. Check Thermostats. Inspect Burner. Examine Dip Tube.

How do I know if my water heater needs to be replaced?

Some signs you need a new water heater are an old unit, rusty water, not enough hot water, noise, or leaks.

An Old Unit. If your water heater is older, you can find its exact age by looking for the serial number on the manufacturer's sticker near its top.
Rusty Water.
Not Enough Hot Water.
Rumbling and Noise.
Leaks.

What would cause a hot water heater to stop working?

Gas hot water heaters. If you have a gas hot water heater, then your problem may be caused by a leak in the gas line leading to the appliance. In the case of not enough hot water, or hot water that is not hot enough, it may be that you need to replace the heating element on your water heater. Sediment buildup.

What causes a water heater to overheat?

A malfunctioning thermostat is most likely the culprit of why your water heater is suddenly hot. A thermostat controls the on and off cycle of water heater elements. In the case of a malfunction, a safety feature is triggered if the thermostat fails to shut off power to the boiler elements during routine cycling.

How do you clean a thermocouple on a water heater?

Turn off the lever handle gas valve to the water heater and turn the knob on the top of the temperature control valve to “Off.” Use open-end wrenches to unscrew the nuts that connect the burner gas line, the pilot gas line and the thermocouple. Pull the gas tubes and thermocouple down out of the gas valve.

How do I know if my anode rod is bad?

Water looks rusty and smells bad

If this is the case, the tank and anode rods need to be checked, determine which is the culprit and repair or replace. Bad odor in water. This is also caused by sediment.

Can a water heater explode?

If the temperature is set too high or the pressure relief valve of a water heater malfunctions, a water heater can explode. This can happen with a gas or electric hot water heater. Although it is unlikely for water heaters to explode, when they do, they operate much the same as a rocket.