Water heater element wrench

Sometimes a water heater element needs to be replaced. Just because the heating element is no longer working, doesn't mean that you need to purchase a new water heater.

The task of replacing a water heater element may seem difficult, but most homeowners can make this repair themselves.

If your water heater is slow to heat, runs out of hot water, or doesn't deliver hot water at all, there's a good chance that one or both of your heating elements are not working properly.

4500-watt water heater element

In this article, we'll show you how to determine if your element needs to be replaced, and how to do the repairs yourself.

If your water heater is 6 years or older, you may want to consider purchasing a new one.

Water heaters typically have a life span of 6 to 10 years, so if your heater is older, you can expect that it'll be experiencing problems sooner than later. Not only will you save money on repair costs, but since new water heaters are more energy efficient, you'll also reduce your monthly energy expenses.

replacing lower element in hot water heater

replacing heating element in hot water cylinder