April 19, 2023

DIY electric water heater repair

Whether you're getting only a little hot water or no hot water at all from your electric water heater, Sears PartsDirect has the DIY troubleshooting help you need to fix the problem. Check out one of the common symptoms below to troubleshoot a specific problem with your water heater. If your unit is displaying an error code, look up what it means on our error code charts.

Once you determine the problem, replace the part with the help of our repair guides. You can also find out how to troubleshoot heating problems, learn how to drain the tank and find answers to common questions on our articles and videos page.

To find the owner’s manual or a complete list of replacement parts for your electric water heater, search for your model number.

electric water heater

Symptoms for electric water heaters

Main causes: excessive tank sediment, high voltage supply…

Main causes: thermostats need adjustment, bad heating elements, faulty thermostats, tank sediment build-up, broken dip t…

Repair guides for electric water heaters

How to replace a water heater element

How to replace a water heater element

If your water heater runs out of hot water quickly and one of the two heating elements has failed, replace the element f…

Repair difficulty
Time required
 30 minutes or less
How to replace an electric water heater anode rod

How to replace an electric water heater anode rod

If your hot water begins to smell like rotten eggs, replace the anode rod with a zinc-aluminum anode rod following the i…

Repair difficulty
Time required
 15 minutes or less
How to replace an electric water heater thermostat

How to replace an electric water heater thermostat

If the water temperature fluctuates or you don't get enough hot water, follow these instructions to replace your water h…

Repair difficulty
Time required
 30 minutes or less
How to replace a water heater drain valve

How to replace a water heater drain valve

If the drain valve on your electric water heater is leaking water, replace it following these step-by-step instructions.…

Repair difficulty
Time required
 30 minutes or less
How to replace a water heater temperature and pressure (T&P) relief valve

How to replace a water heater temperature and pressure (T&P) relief valve

Replace a broken temperature/pressure (T&P) relief valve on an electric water heater using these instructions.…

Repair difficulty
Time required
 15 minutes or less

Articles and videos for electric water heaters

Easy DIY appliance repairs that anyone can do

Easy DIY appliance repairs that anyone can do

Get advice on simple DIY fixes for appliances that you can safely do on your own.…

Top questions about Sears and Sears PartsDirect

Top questions about Sears and Sears PartsDirect

Get answers to frequently asked questions about Sears and Sears PartsDirect.…

No hot water: electric water heater troubleshooting video

No hot water: electric water heater troubleshooting video

Learn how to troubleshoot issues when your electric water heater is not heating your water.…

Water too hot: electric water heater troubleshooting video

Water too hot: electric water heater troubleshooting video

Learn how to determine if you have a shorted heating element or broken thermostat in your electric water heater.…

How to drain the tank on an electric water heater video

How to drain the tank on an electric water heater video

Find out how to drain the tank on your electric water heater.…