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List of Key Controls & Parts for Electric Hot Water Heaters - Inspection, Diagnosis, & Repair
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Electric Water heaters: how to inspect, test, adjust, repair a water heater
How to find & identify the parts & controls on an electric water heater
How to test and repair an electric hot water heater
How to replace the heating element on an electric water heater
Guide to inspection of electric water heaters
No Hot water? how to get more hot water flow, quantity, performance from your water heater

Electric water heater controls, switches, & valves: This article describes the location, function, and troubleshooting of key controls and parts in electric hot water heater operation.

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Additional "hidden" controls on an electric hot water heater include its thermostat, high temperature cutout. We address these under-the-covers water heater controls beginning at Electric Water Heater Repair Guide. The articles at this website will answer most questions about electrical water heaters as well as many other building plumbing system inspection or defect topics. Page top sketch is courtesy Carson Dunlop. Reproduction of this web page electronically at other websites is prohibited.

Also see TIMERS for ELECTRIC WATER HEATERS. If you cannot find information you need here or if you have comments, questions, suggestions for inspecting and diagnosing water heaters Contact Us

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But watch out: sometimes an electric water heater is installed as an additional or backup hot water source, so you'll also want to see if you have other hot water heating equipment installed, such as a Tankless Coil for Hot Water.

List of Electric Water Heater Controls & Operation

Carson Dunlop's sketch describes the sequence of operation that turns on the electric water heater's heating elements. If one of these heating elements has failed, the quantity or the temperature of hot water provided will be substantially reduced.

A pressure/temperature relief valve - See RELIEF VALVES - TP VALVES
Cold water in and hot water out supply piping
A cold water inlet shutoff valve
A water tank drain valve
A thermostat to set water temperature, located at one (or both) of the electric heating elements - Refer to our diagnosis of a failed electric water heater element at Temperature of Hot Water is Too Low.
An electrical switch to turn power off to the water heater;
An energy-saving timer is installed on some electric water heaters - see TIMERS for ELECTRIC WATER HEATERS

Check the Sacrificial Anode & Dip Tube of Your Water Heater Tank

The dip tube on many water heaters functions as a sacrificial anode, as we show here. By constructing the dip tube of a metal which is more readily corroded than the steel of a steel hot water tank, the anode protects the hot water tank from early failure due to corrosion. Here Carson Dunlop's sketch shows the location of the sacrificial anode on an electric water heater.

If your water supply happens to be highly conductive or corrosive (see WATER TESTING GUIDE) then the dip tub/sacrificial anode in the water tank may indeed corrode away until it leaks (dropping the hot water temperature) or disappears entirely.

If your hot water smells like rotten eggs, you should definitely check the condition of the sacrificial anode on the hot water heater, no matter what kind of water tank you've got installed.

For details of how to inspect or replace the sacrificial anode or dip-tube on a water heater, please see Water Heater Anodes & Dip Tubes

Check the Hot Water Tank Temperature and Pressure Safety Relief Valve

Our photo (left) shows an unsafe extension tube on a water heater tank - the diameter of the extension(1/2") is less than the valve opening diameter (3/4").

This restriction could prevent proper valve operation should unsafe over pressure or over-temperature conditions occur at the water heater.

For details about water heater relief valves, please see Testing the Water Heater Temperature Pressure Relief Valve

Electric Water Heater Controls Behind the Removable Cover Panels on the Heater

Additional "hidden" controls on an electric hot water heater include its thermostat, high temperature cutout.

We address these under-the-covers water heater controls, including the water heater temperture thermostat next, beginning at Electric Water Heater Repair Guide.

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Carson, Dunlop & Associates Ltd., 120 Carlton Street Suite 407, Toronto ON M5A 4K2. (416) 964-9415 1-800-268-7070 info@carsondunlop.com. Thanks to Alan Carson and Bob Dunlop, for permission to use illustrations from their publication, The Illustrated Home which illustrates construction details and building components. Carson Dunlop provides home inspection education including the ASHI-adopted Home Inspection Training Program (home study course), publications such as the Home Reference Book, report writing materials including the Horizon report writer, and home inspection services. Alan Carson is a past president of ASHI, the American Society of Home Inspectors.

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The Home Reference Book - the Encyclopedia of Homes, Carson Dunlop & Associates, Toronto, Ontario, 2010, $69.00 U.S., is available from Carson Dunlop. The Home Reference Book is a bound volume of more than 450 illustrated pages that assist home inspectors and home owners in the inspection and detection of problems on buildings. The text is intended as a reference guide to help building owners operate and maintain their home effectively. InspectAPedia.com ^® author/editor Daniel Friedman is a contributing author. Field inspection worksheets are included at the back of the volume.

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List of Electric Water Heater Controls & Operation

Check the Sacrificial Anode & Dip Tube of Your Water Heater Tank

Check the Hot Water Tank Temperature and Pressure Safety Relief Valve

Electric Water Heater Controls Behind the Removable Cover Panels on the Heater

Questions & Answers regarding this article

Ask a Question or Search InspectAPedia

Technical Reviewers & References

Books & Articles on Building & Environmental Inspection, Testing, Diagnosis, & Repair