A troubled Redditor, living with their parents, is stuck in a situation where only freezing water is available, and after a 40-hour standing-only workweek, a hot shower seems more like a necessity than a luxury.
What happened?
In a post on Reddit, an original poster described going a month without hot water even after a brand-new water heater was installed.
The person wrote that "both the old water heater and the brand new one don't actually make the water hot, it's freezing."
The fact that, as the poster put it, "the light on the heater does turn on so there is energy being delivered to it," pushed commenters to look past a completely dead unit and toward some other problem.
Some Redditors focused on one installation error that can affect electric water heaters: restoring power before the tank is full and all the air has been bled out.
One commenter explained, "If the new water heater was dry-fired (electrical turned back on before all air was purged from the new tank), then possibly the heating elements may need to be replaced."
Other commenters mentioned simple fixes as well, including a thermostat setting that was too low, valves that were not fully open, or an issue with a tempering valve.
Why does it matter?
A wrong diagnosis like that can become an expensive mistake.
Save $10,000 on solar panels without even sharing your phone number Want to go solar but not sure who to trust? EnergySage has your back with free and transparent quotes from fully vetted providers in your area. To get started, just answer a few questions about your home — no phone number required. Within a day or two, EnergySage will email you the best options for your needs, and their expert advisers can help you compare quotes and pick a winner. Solar panels can save you more than $50k over their 25-year lifespan, and EnergySage can help you save as much as $10k on installation. Which begs the question — isn't that worth an email or two? |
Buying and installing a whole new water heater costs a lot more than replacing a burned-out element or correcting an installation issue.
Losing hot water is an everyday disruption. The original poster made that clear, writing, "I just need hot water because I work 40 hours a week standing."
As commenters noted, the culprit could be the heater itself, the elements, the thermostat, or the plumbing. A more efficient model can also lower utility costs.
What can I do?
For anyone troubleshooting the same problem, experts and experienced DIYers often start with a few basics: check the thermostat setting, make sure the inlet and outlet valves are open, confirm the voltage is correct, and determine whether the unit may have been dry-fired during installation.
If a plumber installed the unit, having them come back and inspect the setup may be the fastest next step.
If dry-firing did damage the heating elements, commenters noted that replacing those parts can cost far less than swapping out the tank again.
One Redditor offered a checklist: "Shut down power, shut down water, replace elements, turn on water, purge air, turn on power."
If replacement really is necessary, homeowners may also want to compare efficient options such as Cala. Its customizable smart heat pump water heaters help homeowners decrease their energy bills by heating water exactly when it's needed. That means less wasted energy keeping water hot around the clock and more potential savings over time. For households looking for comfort and lower bills, it may be worth comparing a standard electric tank with a smarter option from Cala.
For the original poster, the fix seems complex, but the problem isn't: "I just need hot water."
Get TCD's free newsletters for easy tips, smart advice, and a chance to earn $5,000 toward home upgrades. To see more stories like this one, change your Google preferences here.
