We all experience a situation where we have a water heater but no hot water in house, sometimes we step into the shower, expecting a warm, relaxing experience but we get chilling cold water to destroy our mood. It might be shocking or confusing us to make us think “do we have water heater?“. Don’t worry, our water heater expert Joseph with his experienced knowledge will share you several reasons why your house might not have hot water, and most of them are easily fixable. Let’s learn the common causes and how you can get that hot water flowing again.
1. Your Water Heater’s Power Is Off
When you are using hot water for a while and suddenly no hot water coming out, the first thing to check is whether your water heater is getting power supply. For electric water heaters, check if you have turned ON the heater and check if there is a tripped circuit breaker or a blown fuse which cause this power supply issue. For gas water heaters, the issue might be a pilot light that’s gone out.
What to Do:
- Electric Water Heater: Go to your house electrical panel and look for the breaker that controls the water heater. If it’s flipped down to OFF, turn it back ON and check the heater working, if the breaker falls back to OFF again there might be an issue, call a professional. If a fuse is blown, replace it by yourself or a professional.
- Gas Water Heater: Check the pilot light. If it’s out, relight it following the instructions on your water heater or from our article How to light a pilot light on a water heater. Still not working? check our troubleshooting guide on Water heater pilot light won’t stay lit.
2. Your Water Heater is low for your household
If your hot water runs out quickly, you might not have the right-sized water heater for your home. Maybe you’re trying to take a shower while someone’s doing laundry and running the dishwasher. It is just like trying to use a small garden hose to fill a swimming pool, there just isn’t enough hot water to go around if you’re running the shower, dishwasher, and laundry all at once. Your heater might just be too small to keep up with all that demand.
What to Do:
- Limit Hot Water Use: Try spreading out activities that use hot water. For example, don’t run the washing machine while using the shower.
- Upgrade Your Heater: If your water heater is too small, try to upgrade it with a larger one or even a tankless water heater that provides endless hot water by choosing correct GPM capacity according to your hot water needs.
3. Frozen Pipes
During colder months or winter season, your pipes might freeze when they are exposed to chilling atmosphere, if they’re in an uninsulated area and direct contact with cold weather like the attic or basement. Frozen pipes mean water inside the pipes got frozen and makes no water can get through including hot water until the ice inside the pipes gets melted.
What to Do:
- Thaw the Pipes: Use a hairdryer or space heater to carefully warm the pipes where they are frozen. Start from faucet and heat way back along the pipe. Never use an open flame.
- Prevent Future Freezing: Wrap your pipes with insulation or install heat tape in areas prone to freezing.
4. Thermostat is set to low heating
Sometimes, in summer you might have set the thermostat to low temperature and forgot about it, as soon as the weather outside turned cold you heater gives you cold water. Check the thermostat if it set accordingly comparing the temperature outside. If the temperature setting on thermostat is low, the water heater gives you lukewarm or cold water.
What to Do:
- Adjust the Thermostat: Check your water heater’s thermostat and make sure it’s set between 120°F and 140°F (about 49°C to 60°C). This is the ideal range for household hot water.
- Safety Tip: Be careful not to set it too high, as scalding water can be dangerous.
5. Sediment Build-Up in Your Water Heater
Over time, minerals and debris from your water can settle at the bottom of your water heater tank, creating scales. This build-up can make it harder for your heater to warm the water properly, leaving you with less hot water than usual and also cause irritating sounds from the heater.
What to Do:
- Drain the Tank: First drain your water heater to remove the loose sediment. Mostly every water heaters have a drain valve at the bottom which helps you to drain the tank. Drain water every year or six months to keep your tank clean. Use an Anode rod and check it every 6 months and replace it when its damaged.
- Flush the Tank: If you water heater has high amount sediment attached to the tank try to flush it with Descaling liquids or Just a White Vinegar.
6. Old or Worn-Out Water Heater
Water heaters typically last 10-15 years depending on how you maintain it. If your heater is older than that, it might be worn out. An old water heater can have trouble heating water or might stop working altogether.
What to Do:
- Replace the Heater: If your water heater is near the end of its lifespan, replacing it is probably the best option. With the increase in technology and eco friendly nature newer water heaters are more efficient and save your money in energy bills in the long run.
- Upgrade to a More Efficient Model: When replacing, consider a tankless water heater, which can provide continuous hot water and reduce energy costs.
7. Pilot Light Issues (Gas Heaters)
For gas water heaters, the pilot light is the main thing which is used to ignite the burner of the water heater. If the pilot light goes out, your heater won’t start and does not produce any hot water.
What to Do:
- Relight the Pilot Light: Follow the manufacturer’s instructions to safely relight the pilot light or check our guide “How to light a Pilot” . Always remember to turn off the gas before you start.
- Check for Drafts: Sometimes a breeze or draft can blow out the pilot light. Look for any draft winds near the water heater and make sure to seal them to prevent the pilot light from going out again.
- Thermocouple Issues: If the pilot light won’t stay lit, the thermocouple (a safety device) may need to be replaced. Call a technician if you’re not sure how to handle this.
8. Gas Supply Issues
If your water heater is powered by gas and if there is any issue with it, the heater wont turn on and gives no hot water in house. This could be due to an issue with the gas line, a faulty gas valve, if your gas valve is turned OFF, or (embarrassingly) simply forgetting to pay the gas bill.
What to Do:
- Check the Gas Supply: Make sure the gas supply is on. If your heater is using propane gas, check the propane gas tank to see if it is empty and needs to be refilled.
- Check the Gas Valve: Make sure the valve on the gas line is open. If you’re unsure, or if it seems faulty, don’t take any risk and call a professional for help as gas is hazardous and we cannot DIY it.
Conclusion:
All the above are the major reasons which cause the water heater to give no hot water in the house. Some of these issues gives no hot water even if the heater is turned on and running. So better check all these issues and fix them easily and early to potentially keep your house warm with hot waters and keep your water heater working longer without any issues.