There’s no denying that your water heater is a very hard-working appliance that ensures that you can cook, clean and bathe more conveniently at home. But when your water heater doesn’t heat, you may want to know the reasons for no hot water.
So, why is your water heater not providing hot water? Before we jump into the reasons, it’s worth noting that you may be able to solve some of these problems yourself. But if not, let us know: we’re trained HVAC technicians who are certified in water heater & heating unit repair.
Reasons why your water heater has no hot water.
Make sure your furnace is working.
Homeowners experienced with winter seasons will likely acknowledge how important it is to check if your furnace works well before winter hits. They probably made the mistake of not checking their furnace in the past and learned their lesson. Before winter, make it a habit to fire up your furnace a couple of times then turn it off. This will help you detect any faults with the Heating HVAC system early on.
1 . Thermostat problems.
The water heater’s thermostat is normally located inside the water heater and it helps regulate the water temperature to the desired level. It does this by discontinuing the power supply once the desired temperature is reached. The problem with thermostats start when, for instance, it doesn’t turn on the water heater because it assumes the water is hot enough when it really isn’t. If you notice this, it could be time to replace your thermostat.
2 . Sediment or rust in the tank.
If you use hard water at home, certain residues can assemble at the bottom of the water heater. These residues can with time block heat from heating the water and you won’t get that hot water you desperately need.
3 . Too much use.
Another reason for no hot water could be as a result of doing multiple things with the water heater at once e.g washing dishes and running the washing machine at the same time.
Problems Specific to Gas Water Heaters
If you have a gas water heater, you may notice your heater not providing hot water and it could be due to these reasons:
- Problems with gas supply. Most of the time, you’ll find that you either accidentally turned off the gas supply or perhaps the button that turns on and off the gas is faulty.
- The pilot light is off. If you don’t see a flame, glow or spark on your water heater, it could signify your pilot light is off and it’s best you follow the heater’s manual to turn it on.
Problems Specific to Electric Water Heaters
If you have an electric water heater that doesn’t provide hot water, the reasons could be due to:
- Problem with cutoff switch. A problem with the cutoff switch may cause your electric water heater’s reset button to keep on tripping because of the hot water inside your heater.
- Tripped breaker. When your electric water heater’s breaker trips, you’ll know it since it won’t be facing the same direction as the others. If so, turn it off then on.
- The compartment is flooded. You may notice the heater’s compartment filled with water and this could cause malfunctions if the water finds its way to the thermostat.
