Some reasons an electric water heater would not heat up are bad water heater heating elements, bad water heater thermostat or thermostats, a tripped breaker or even a tripped thermostat breaker on the water heater.
An electric water heater has a little red button on the top thermostat located under the water heater element access panel that can be reset when it trips.
Usually if the temperature of the water heater gets too hot it can sometimes trip this little circuit breaker.
To reset the water heater heating thermostat breaker you simply turn the breaker off at the breaker panel and then push the button back in and turn the breaker back on.
The electric water heater should then heat up again but if not it could be that your water heater elements are bad or the thermostats are bad.
These can easily be replaced by yourself or a local handyman or if you're willing to spend the money a plumber could also replace these heating elements and thermostat.
However if the water heater is 10 years old or older and the heating elements are bad then it's best to replace the entire water heater if you can.
Electric water heaters last between 10 years to 15 years.
Most often it will be the electric heating elements or the thermostat that gives out before the tank.
If your electric water heater is 10 years old or older then you should consider replacing it soon as the tank could start leaking.
However if your electric water heater is less than 10 years old and is not heating then you can buy replacement heating elements and thermostats for it to fix it.
To replace the electric water heater elements you'll need a socket designed to remove the electric water heater eleements which you can buy at hardware stores.
Just make sure the water heater is drained of water before replacing the water heater elements or you'll have a flood.
Sometimes when an electric water heater is not heating up it can be a tripped breaker or the thermostat has gone bad.
In other cases the little red button on the water heater thermostat may have tripped due to overheating and caused the water heater to stop working.
The little red button to an electric water heater is most often located underneath the top access panel for the thermostat and heating elements.
To reset the water heater button you shut the breaker off to the water heater and then push the button in and then turn the breaker back on and the water heater should work again.
If the water heater still does not heat up then the water heater elements are most likely bad and need replaced or you need to replace the entire water heater with a new one.
Signs that your water heater is going bad and needs replaced include.
Leaking From the Tank. There's no going back from this one.
Dirty, Rusty Water. This is another sign that the inside of your tank has corroded.
Visible Rust on the Tank.
Less and Less Hot Water.
If your tank water heater is more than 10 years old, it may be time to consider replacing it.
With proper maintenance, a tank water heater tank should last six to 12 years.
A tankless water heater can last for more than 20 years.
Tankless water heaters typically have a lifespan of 20 years or more.
Traditional water heaters with standing water tanks can last around 10 to 15 years before you notice signs of age.
Regardless of what type of water heater tank you have, every system needs regular maintenance.
Usually, you need to check your water heater once or twice per year.
Gas, electric and tankless water heaters need to be flushed every 6-12 months.
This prevents the buildup of sediment, rust and corrosion.
Traditional water heaters that are more than 15 years old are likely to be much less efficient than new ones.
A tank-type water heater has a useful life of about 10 to 15 years, and the unit's efficiency is going to decline with time.