How to Fix a Shorted-Out Water Heater

Identify the hot water heater breaker switch on your household breaker panel and flip the switch to the “Off” position. Secure the switch by fixing it to the panel in the closed position with a strip of masking tape to prevent someone else from restoring power while you’re working.

Close the water inlet shut-off valve located on top of the water heater. Attach a garden hose to the drain outlet on the bottom of the heater. Open a hot water faucet to allow air into the pipes and open the drain outlet spigot. Once the water stops draining, remove the hose and close the spigot.

Remove both element inspection plates by removing their screws with a Phillips head screwdriver. Slide the flexible plastic insulating cover out of the cavity to expose the ends of the heating elements and the electrical connections.

Touch the probes of a neon circuit tester to both connections to ensure that the power has been cut off; if the tester lights up, you have turned off the wrong breaker switch.

Loosen the terminal screws on the lower element and remove both wires. Use an ohmmeter, or set a multimeter to the ohms setting, and turn the instrument on. Touch the probes to both terminals; if the readout moves to the mid-range, the element is sound; if the readout is zero, the element has burned out. Repeat by testing the upper element.

Slide a tubular water heater element wrench over the large hex end of the faulty element. Insert a screwdriver into the hole at the end of the wrench and force it counterclockwise to loosen the threads. Unscrew the defective element and discard it.

Clean out any hardened plumber’s tape or pipe dope from the threaded element opening with an old toothbrush and rag.

Stretch a layer of plumber’s Teflon tape counterclockwise over the threads of the replacement element. Ensure that the tape is stretched tight enough to expose the threads. Snap the end of the tape by stretching it then smooth the ragged ends into the threads.

Ensure that the element is fitted with a rubber gasket. Insert the replacement element into the cavity and start the threads by hand. Tighten the element securely with the wrench until it won’t turn any further.

Loosen the two terminal screws, insert the ends of the wires into the holes on the terminal posts and tighten down the screws securely. Replace the plastic insulating cover and the inspection plate.

Open the water inlet shut-off valve to fill the tank. Monitor the still open hot water faucet until trapped air in the pipes stops hissing out then close the faucet.

Reset the breaker switch and wait an hour before opening a hot water faucet to ensure that the water heater is working properly.