How to Maintain an Electric Water Heater | This Old House

Keep the hot water flowing with This Old House plumbing and heating expert Richard Trethewey and Kevin O'Connor. (See below for a shopping list and tools.)

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Up in the loft, Richard showed Kevin a few ways to maintain and repair electric water heaters. Most electric water heaters have two electric elements to heat the water. The elements are controlled by thermostats mounted onto the tank. If an electric water heater is not providing hot water, Richard recommends first verifying that the unit is receiving electricity and then checking the "ECO," or Emergency Cut Off. The ECO acts like a circuit breaker, preventing the unit from overheating if the thermostats malfunction.

Tools for Maintaining an Electric Water Heater:
- continuity tester
- heating-element socket
- pipe wrench
- screwdriver

Shopping List for Maintaining an Electric Water Heater:
- heating element
- thermostat

Electric water heaters and replacement parts supplied by Gourley Co. [http://www.gourleyco.com/]

Electric water heaters and replacement parts can also be purchased at your local home center or plumbing supply house.

About Ask This Old House TV:
Homeowners have a virtual truckload of questions for us on smaller projects, and we're ready to answer. Ask This Old House solves the steady stream of home improvement problems faced by our viewers—and we make house calls! Ask This Old House features some familiar faces from This Old House, including Kevin O'Connor, general contractor Tom Silva, plumbing and heating expert Richard Trethewey, and landscape contractor Roger Cook.

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How to Maintain an Electric Water Heater | This Old House
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