No Hot Water During Winter? Here's How to Troubleshoot Your Electric Water Heater

Whether it's for bathing, cleaning the dishes or doing laundry, hot water is a basic necessity during winter. Therefore, if your hot water faucets suddenly go cold, it's normal to panic. Water heaters can let you down when you need them the most, especially if you don't take proper maintenance measures. It's imperative to fix the problem and restore hot water in your home. Below are three potential issues to look out for.

Broken heating element

The most common cause of a lack of hot water is a broken heating element. The heating element is the component that transfers heat to the water. Over time, the device can wear due to age or exposure to mineral deposits. A worn element won't work; therefore, there will be no hot water. If you have an old tank water heater, there's a chance that your heating element is damaged. Replacing the element should restore hot water in your home.

Frozen hot water pipes

The low winter temperatures can cause water to freeze inside the piping. This problem is common in homes with uninsulated plumbing pipes. If you haven't used your water heater in a while, the piping may freeze due to the low temperatures. Freezing impedes water flow to the heater and cuts off access to hot water.

If you can access the frozen pipe, you can thaw it by using a hairdryer. Alternatively, wrap hot towels on the pipe or use a space heater. Unfortunately, most plumbing pipes are installed out of sight; therefore, it may be impossible to pinpoint the affected one. In this case, you have to contact your plumber for help. In the future, insulate all plumbing pipes that are exposed to the cold to avoid freezing.

Frozen water heater

Modern tankless water heaters come with built-in freeze protection. However, older tank heaters may not have this feature. When the tanks are left in the cold for extended periods, they may freeze. This lowers the water temperature, increases the heating time and limits the availability of hot water in the home. Water heater freezing is common with uninsulated tanks that are installed in uninsulated spaces such as the garage or basement. 

You can apply heat to the water heater to restore the performance of the system. However, freezing increases the risk of cracks on the heater's piping; therefore, ask your plumber to inspect the entire hot water system for faults. Install your tank in a warm space to avoid exposure to low winter temperatures. Also, if you intend to be away from home during winter, drain the water heater to prevent freezing.

Are you getting little or no hot water in your home? Contact an emergency plumber. They can offer proper diagnosis and repairs.