How To Turn The Hot Water Heater Up

If your water heater gets switched off, it means you won't take any hot water for taking a hot shower, washing the dishes or anything else, which, understandably is not an ideal state of affairs.

Still, turning a heater dorsum on one time it's gone out is usually a relatively simple job that anyone can do – so in this post, nosotros talk nearly how to turn on a h2o heater equally well as giving you some data virtually why they plough themselves off and what you tin can do most it.

Different types of water heater

Before nosotros talk nearly how to turn on h2o heaters, we need to say a few words about the different types that exist.

This is considering the type yous have will dictate how to get information technology started again if information technology goes off – as well every bit what you need to do to troubleshoot it if you have problems.

In the past, the nigh mutual type of water heater consisted of a tank of water that was heated by gas – and these types of heaters are still popular today.

Unless y'all have recently replaced your water heater or have recently bought a new house, there's a good hazard this is the type you volition have.

Another popular kind of h2o heater also features a tank, but instead of existence heated by gas, the water is heated by electricity.

These are a popular choice for smaller tanks, and since they don't directly burn fossil fuels, they are better for the environment. Still, it is unremarkably more expensive to rut water using electricity, so they are less economical if yous need a big heater.

Finally, the most mod type of water heater is the on-demand tankless heater. This blazon heats water as it is needed, so it doesn't need to be heated and then stored in a tank.

As a result, they don't waste matter gas or electricity heating water when it isn't needed, and since water is heated as it is required, nobody will ever need to take a cold shower considering the hot water has all been used up.

And so now we know about the main types of water heaters, we tin accept a look at how to plow each type on.

How to turn on a traditional gas-powered tank h2o heater

Let's start with the traditional gas-powered tank heater. Here'south how to plough ane on if it'due south been switched off – although behave in heed that unlike models part differently, and so y'all should also check the instructions that are attached to the side of your heater.

Stride one. Close whatsoever open faucets

If your h2o heater was turned off because yous were working on information technology, the first thing to do is to shut any faucets that you opened to release the pressure on the arrangement. This won't be necessary if the pilot went out past itself.

Step 2. Turn on water supply to fill the tank

Once again, if you were working on the tank, you probably turned off the common cold water and drained information technology. In this case, you need to plough the cold-h2o supply back on to refill the tank before lighting the pilot because heating an empty tank may damage the heating elements.

Footstep iii. Shut off the gas supply

Detect the gas shut-off knob and plough it to "off". The gas valve is usually located at the forepart of the heater towards the bottom and should exist conspicuously labeled. Once you close the valve, leave it for five minutes to allow whatsoever gas to dissipate.

Step iv. Open the pilot light comprehend or door

If your heater has a door or a cover that protects the pilot light, open up information technology. However, some heaters don't accept one, in which case in that location will just be a gap giving you access to the pilot light.

Step 5. Locate the burner

Look inside and try to notice the burner. You lot can place it by the two small-scale gas tubes leading to it.

Pace six. Turn gas knob to "pilot"

Plow the gas knob to the "pilot" position and and so concord it down. Putting it in pilot mode volition allow gas to menstruation to the burner, which you tin then light.

Alternatively, some burners take a split up button for lighting the pilot – if yours does, it volition probably look like a red button. If y'all find this, printing and agree information technology downward instead.

Pace seven. Lite the pilot

When the gas is reaching the burner, you need to low-cal information technology. Some heaters have an igniting button that you need to press – it will be either carmine or black. If your heater doesn't accept 1, you simply need to light it manually using a long lighter.

Step 8. Hold knob then release slowly

In one case the pilot has been lit, hold the knob for a further minute. After this, release the knob slowly to ensure the pilot stays lit.

Pace nine. Plough the gas on

Turn the gas knob dorsum to "on". Y'all will hear a distinctive whooshing sound as the principal burner ignites, which ways y'all've successfully lit the heater. Supplant the cover or door – and you're done.

What to do if gas-powered tank water heater keeps going off

Usually, a gas water heater goes off because the pilot light has been blown out, which can happen because of a gust of current of air or a modify in pressure. In this case, y'all just need to relight information technology once and everything should exist fine.

Nonetheless, if your heater keeps switching off, you demand to discover out why since it may bespeak a more than serious issue.

Commonly, gas heaters turn off due to a problem with the thermocouple, the device that switches the gas off to forbid a leak if the pilot gets blown out.

However, before looking at the thermocouple, cheque that the airplane pilot flame is receiving enough combustible air to burn down. Brand sure there is no ataxia effectually it and that the interior of the heater is make clean and costless of droppings, lint and anything else.

If this doesn't help, the side by side affair to check is if the thermocouple is bent. It should sit over the meridian of the pilot flame, but if it gets bent out of identify, information technology will keep switching the gas off when you light the pilot.

If it's bent, bend information technology back into position and try lighting the pilot again to see if the problem is fixed.

If this doesn't aid, yous can besides try cleaning the thermocouple with a microfiber cloth and some steel wool. If it is dirty, it may no longer work correctly, and then cleaning it may resolve the trouble.

If this doesn't resolve the issue, the next thing to try is replacing the thermocouple. They can be picked up from hardware stores for around $xv, then it isn't a particularly expensive fix.

If this doesn't work, it's probably time to telephone call in a professional person to check your plumbing to try to place the trouble.

How to turn on an electric tank water heater

Turning on an electric tank hot water heater is easier than turning on a gas 1. Hither's how to do it.

Stride 1. Shut any open up faucets

If you were working on the tank, close any faucets you lot opened while y'all were working.

Step 2. Plough on water and refill the tank

If you were working on the hot water tank, you probably emptied it, in which case yous need to turn the water supply back on to refill information technology and avoid damaging it by heating it while it'due south empty.

Stride 3. Remove lock-out tag

When working on electrical components in a organization, it'south practiced practice to place a safety tag on the billow panel to tell other people not to switch information technology dorsum on while you lot're working.

This elementary action is something that can forbid you from receiving a nasty electric shock and can potentially even relieve your life.

If you followed this process, once you are fix to turn the h2o heater back on, you can remove the tag from the panel.

Step iv. Turn the excursion breaker back on

Now only switch the power back on at the wall panel. With most electric h2o heaters, at that place's nothing to tell you lot that the heater is switched on, then you'll need to listen for the tell-tale signs that the heater makes as the water begins to warm up.

Step 5. Check after 30 minutes

After 30 minutes, open a hot h2o faucet and check the water. It should exist hot now, or at least information technology should be noticeably warming upward.

Step 6. What to do if it keeps going off

If an electrical heater keeps tripping the excursion billow, it means at that place'south a trouble – although unless you are competent in working with electric appliances, information technology may be difficult to work out where the problem is coming from.

If you don't know why the circuit breaker keeps tripping, it may be amend to call out a qualified electrician to observe the crusade.

How to turn on an on-demand water heater

An on-demand heater is probably the easiest of all heaters to switch on since it just requires you to turn it back on at the billow panel.

Flick the excursion billow switch back to "on" and cheque the temperature dial setting is correct – and that's all you demand to do.

What to do if on-demand water heater keeps going off

If your on-demand heater isn't working, check that it is plugged in and switched on. This might audio obvious, simply this is among the about common issues.

However, if the h2o heater keeps causing the circuit breaker to trip, you should call out a professional electrician to observe out where the problem is coming from.

Tips and advice

Here are a few actress tips and pieces of communication that will help you keep your water heater working well and help you detect the source of the problem when it stops working.

1. Check for gas smells

Earlier you relight a gas heater, sniff the air for gas smells before lighting the burner.

The propane and natural gas used in heaters are odorless and colorless, making them impossible to detect in their natural form. Even so, gas companies add a chemical called mercaptan that gives them that distinctive sulfur smell of rotten eggs.

If y'all detect this smell, don't light the burner. Instead, turn off the gas, and open all your windows – because if at that place is a gas leak, trying to light the burner can crusade an explosion.

If you remember there is a gas leak, afterward turning off the gas, yous should leave the house and phone call out professionals to inspect it.

2. Observe the reason if keeps going off

Whichever blazon of heater you have, if it keeps going off, you should try to find out why rather than only keep relighting it.

If information technology goes off constantly, it means in that location is something wrong with it, so you demand to find out what it is to become it working properly as well as to avert all danger.

iii. Check for clay and rust on your burner

If your gas burner won't light, check it for rust and clay because this is some other reason that sometimes they get out or won't lite.

4. Keep face abroad from pilot when lighting

When lighting a pilot calorie-free, keep your face abroad from the gap. This is considering a buildup of gas inside may ignite, creating a large flame – which is something you don't want happening most your confront.

5. Bank check for bare wires

If you lot have an electrical heater that is malfunctioning, fifty-fifty if yous don't accept advanced electric skills, something yous can practice is check for bare wires and any loose connections – since this could be what is causing the circuit breaker to trip.

vi. If a heater keeps tripping, it may need servicing

If a heater keeps tripping, information technology could be a simple case of the heater needing a service. Having heaters serviced regularly will keep them in working social club for longer, and having one serviced when it stops working correctly may prolong its working life.

seven. Check the manual

If in doubtfulness, don't forget to consult the user'due south manual that came with your heater since it will give yous the specific details well-nigh how your model works and how to troubleshoot it.

Many people don't think of checking information technology, but the user's transmission often contains many of the answers y'all're probably looking for.

An piece of cake job anyone can do

When your water heater gets switched off, you don't need to call out the pros right away since switching information technology back on is an like shooting fish in a barrel chore yous can manage yourself.

Yet, if information technology keeps switching itself off, it tin can point to an underlying problem, in which case you need to find out why it's doing it. That may mean calling out a qualified plumber or electrician might be your all-time choice.