Fixing Water Heater Reset Button That Won't Click In 2 Steps
It can get really uncomfortable to go without a working hot water heater in the months of winter. What to do if your appliance is not functioning? The most common solution is often so simple which is to simply hit the water heater reset button. But what if the button simply will not click? Here is what you need to know if this is the case for your appliance.
Resetting an Electric Water Heater
When the switch was tripped, it just needs to be reset. If you are still not aware of how you can achieve this, it is actually pretty easy. All you need is to find out where the reset button is located at. You do not need any skills at all! A water heater reset button is often located on the upper thermostat of the appliance. If you are not able to find it there, try searching for it on the lower part of the water heater. Some water heater models have a button in each location to make it easy for you to perform a reset.
Why Reset Button Will Not Click
What if the reset button of the water heater will not do its work? This may be the case of a faulty thermostat. If the hot water heater keeps tripping the reset button, it may be caused by the high limit switch. What is happening is that the thermostat is not able to properly manage the heat. The high limit switch is programmed to trip when the faulty thermostat makes it possible for the temperature to get to a dangerous level. You would not want to shower in boiling water that can injure you to a critical extent. This is why the trip feature is a huge necessity. The trip switch will continue tripping until you replace the faulty thermostat. Another possible reason for the constant tripping could be due to a grounded element that causes the water to become overheated. You can learn how to test a water heater element to determine if this is causing the tripping problem.
Other Causes of Continuous Tripping
A faulty thermostat is the most common reason but there may also be other common causes of this problem. Loose wiring that is comprised in some way may also be the reason behind this problem. Heating elements that might have a short on one or both sides may also be the cause of continuous tripping. Lastly, electrical problems in your whole home setup may also be causing the tripping and it may not even be a problem with your water heater.
Resetting a Gas Water Heater
- Re-light the water heater pilot and reset the thermal switch for newer models.
- Once the system has been reset, you need to wait for the water to get hot depending on the size of the water heater tank.
For most units, you can get in the hot shower within 30 to 40 minutes for gas water heaters. For electric tanks, you need to wait for approximately an hour to an hour and a half.