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Check the Heating Element

This is a continuation of previous steps. If you started here, please refer to previous steps to ensure you've followed all safety precautions.

No hot water is often caused by a problem with the home’s electrical wiring or circuit breakers. It can also be caused by a burned-out upper heating element.

The information on this web site is supplemental to the printed instructions that came with your water heater. To reduce the risk of property damage, serious injury or death, read and follow all labels on the water heater and the safety instructions in the printed owner's manual.

Step 1: Turn Power Off

If the water heater is getting the correct voltage, check to see if the upper heating element has burned out.
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  • If the water heater is getting the correct voltage, check to see if the upper heating element has burned out.

  • Turn the power to the water heater OFF at the circuit breaker (or remove fuses).

Step 2: Check for Electrical Power

<strong>WARNING! Working on an energized circuit can result in severe injury or death from electrical shock. Check wires with a volt meter or circuit tester to make sure power is off. </strong>
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  • WARNING! Working on an energized circuit can result in severe injury or death from electrical shock. Check wires with a volt meter or circuit tester to make sure power is off.

Step 3: Remove Power Wires

Remove the two power wires from the upper heating element.
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  • Remove the two power wires from the upper heating element.

Step 4: Set Multimeter to Resistance

Set the multimeter to read resistance (200 Ohm range or lower, depending on the type of meter you have).
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  • Set the multimeter to read resistance (200 Ohm range or lower, depending on the type of meter you have).

Step 5: Check the Resistance of the Heating Element

Check the resistance of the upper heating element using a multimeter. Measure the resistance between the two screw terminals on the upper heating element.
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  • Check the resistance of the upper heating element using a multimeter. Measure the resistance between the two screw terminals on the upper heating element.

  • A good element will have a resistance between 5 and 25 Ohms. If the reading is outside that range.

  • On a new water heater, a burned out upper heating element is almost always caused by turning the power on before the tank was completely full of water (dry fire).

Element was out of range
Element was in range