Replacing Electric Water Heater Heating Element

A broken heating element produces no heat causing the water heater to produce very little hot water or to run out of hot water quickly.

Replacing electric water heater heating element.

The lower element is typically the one that needs to be replaced. Follow the steps in this repair guide. Electric water heaters have one or more heating elements that look very much like one of those heaters you put in a cup of cold water to make an instant cup of hot tea. A typical electric water heater uses two heating elements to heat and maintain hot water.

Replace a broken heating element with the manufacturer approved replacement part. Replacing a hot water heater element is probably faster and easier than you thought and is only a fraction of what a new water heater costs the steps required are nearly identical for the flange and screw in models but screw in types are more common and will require the use of a special tool called a water heater element wrench. The upper heating element really only contributes when there is a high hot water demand and only serves to heat water in the upper portion of the tank. Electric water heaters have 2 heating elements.