Is replacing a thermostat on an electric water heater difficult?

Question

I have to replace my thermostat and I don't know if it's a headache to do so myself. How many screws are holding it in place? Is there a special tool for the job?

Answer 1

its an easy job.on mine there are some screws holding the cover on.turn the power off,or you can work it hot like i do I was an electrician for yrs.remove the wires from the old one and replace the stat.if for some reason the elements are bad you need to turn power off remove the elements after draining the tank.there is a tool for removing the elements you can pick it up at harware store.some times the thermostat pops and needs to be reset. and you will be back in business

Answer 2

(1) Turn Off The Cold And Hot Water Valve. Turn Off The Power To Heater. (2) Flush At Least Half Of Tank, That Should Be About 15 Minutes With Cold Water Off and Pressure Relief Valve Open. 5 Minutes With Just Cold Water On and Pressure Relief Valve Closed. (3) Electrical Shock If Power is On. Slips, Trips, Falls on Water Spills. Use Proper Socket and Wrenches on Screw Plug For Anode Rod. Cold And Hot Water Valves Must Be Off And Tank Drained To Replace Anode Rod. Use Electrical Tester To Ensure Power is Off. Have Old Towels Available For Any Water Spills. Be Sure Garden Hose Is Tight And Someone is Holding The End of The Hose or The Hose Will Whip Around With Water Pressure From The Tank. (4) Once The Water is Turned Off and Tank is Drained With Relief Valve Open, Use A Socket and Ratchet To Unscrew The Anode Rod From The Top of The Water Heater. You Will Have a Hot Water Spill if You Didn't Drain The Tank Enough. (5) The Pressure Valve is Designed as a Two Function Device. Pressure Greater Than 150 P.S.I. and Temperature Higher Than 150 Degrees F. This is To Prevent The Water Heater From Exploding. It is Always Best To Install A New Valve When Installing A New Anode Rod or When Manually Opening The Valve. Some People Don't Maintain Their Water Heater At All For The Entire Life of Water Heaters But I Change Out My Anode Rod Every Year, I Change Out My T&P Valve Every Year, I Change Out My Elements Every Year, I Change Out My Thermostats Every Year, I Flush The Water Heater For 30 Minutes With The Power Off Every Year. I Don't Have Any Problems With The Water Heater At All.

Answer 3

not really, you usually just need either a set of channel lock pliers or a special hexegonal wrench pipe that you can get from the plumbing section of home depot (I'd go with the channel locks, they work just as well so you dont really need a specialized tool, but the hax wrench may provide a little more torque if you need it), the replacement element itself (there are 3 standard types, one for single element heaters, and the top and bottom for double element heaters, make sure you get the right one, again, ask at home depot), and I use a volt detector just in case, as stated above, 2-20 can be nasty, (again, home depot, but this time in electrical. Greenlea is a good brand to get. volt detectors are just good things to have around the house anyway for testing electral sockets, cords, finding breaks, not touching live wires lol, but I digress. . .
1)Turn off the breaker going to the water heater AND the main, put a DO NOT TOUCH note one the breaker box, use the volt detector on the electrical cable going into the water heater to make sure its dead
2)turn off the water going into the house. In southern homes the shutoff is usually outside in the groung by the street, with a second shutoff usaully against the house. Northern homes should have the shutoff inside the house to prevent freezing in winter. Look in a utility closet or basement. Run a sink to get rid of the water in the system.
3)attach a hose to the bottom of the water heater drain with the oppsite end outside the house. Make sure the hose is going downhill for the enitire length of the run since its gravity (not pressure) fed and twist the drain valve open. Check to make sure the water is draining outside, and give the tank (depending on the size) an hour or two to drain.
4)Unscrew the panel over the element you wish to replace, and remove the patch of insulation also covering the element and set both aside. Touch the volt detector to each wire in turn to make sure its they're dead (yes, we're checking the electricty again, you really, really, really dont want to be wrong about electricty)
5) Take note of where each wire connects to the element, you'll need to replace them in the same way, then unscrew the wires and bend then to the side
6) Use the channel locks or hex wrench to turnm the hexagonal nut of the element counterclockwise. This part might require a little umph to get it loose, but dopnt get discouraged, it will come loose with a little backbone, and after its loosened, it should unscrew with ease
7)after the old element comes out, time to put the new one in. The hardest part here is holding the element steady and horizontal as you try to start the treads. its heavy and will probaly tip down from the other end. For this reason, hold it strongly with the pliers as you slide it in for better control. THis may take a couple tries the first time, so again, dont get discouraged. Afteryou have ti in the threads, it should be easy to tighten down the rest of the way. try to get it as tight as you can. remeber this is a water seal.
8) replace the wires and screw them down. Remember to keep the hooks clockwise so that the turning of the screw will tighten them in. Replace the insulation patch and panel.
9)close the drain valve and turn the water to the house back on. Remember WATER BEFORE ELECTRICITY. If you turn on the power first and the element heats up, then gets dowsed in cold water, it coiuld cause the new element to crack. Wait for the tank to fill completely (you should be able to hear the water stop).
10)Remove the DO NOT TOUCH sign and turn the breakers back on, give the ne element about half an hour to heat the water and test the hot water in the kitchen sink

Answer 4

Most modern water heaters have surface mounted thermostats which are simple to remove as opposed to the heating elements which are insertion mounted. The most important thing to remember TURN OFF THE POWER. Try to find a direct replacement product.

Answer 5

I have done it also.. its' not hard to do.. just be sure you turn off the circuit breaker or remove the fuse. one can't be too careful when working with electricity. It also helps to have a DIY book on electrical repairs or plumbing repairs. You can find a big variety at Menards or any large hardware store.
Mine was just a couple of screws and a couple of wires. My tank is also electric. I'm not sure about a gas water heater.

Answer 6

Difficult is a relative term... For those who know what they are doing, no. For those without a clue, yes. And the water heater itself may not be like mine. So try to find yours on line, by manufacturer, or by going to a dealer. Maybe give a call to a local electrician/plumber.

Answer 7

usually, its not a bad job. depends on the model sometimes. you will need to turn the thing off, especially if it's electric. getting the thing out might be a problem if it's badly corroded. Usually its just a couple of screws or hex head bolts. if it's difficult to remove once you have the screws out, tap it lightly with a hammer to break loose the corrosion.

Answer 8

Pete is correct - the phantom needs a hobby and http://appliancequickfix.com/ has all the answers of how this works. Its so easy, even a caveman could do it, but dont fry yourself......Oh ! by the way - what makes you think the thermostat is even defective ? Like I said, before you do anything, go to http://appliancequickfix.com/

Answer 9

The problem with electric water heaters is the voltage is usually 220V. You must be very careful if you don't know what you are doing so you don't shock or kill yourself.

If you are not sure of yourself call a pro.

Answer 10

If you are worried about the number of screws, you better hire a pro.