Having to reset the water heater continuously isn’t a good sign. This can be dangerous as electric water heaters are complex systems that need to work well in order to prevent fires or scalding. If the red button on the water heater keeps tripping, it can mean that your water heater isn’t working at full efficiency.
The largest reason behind these regular trips can be that the water heater is getting too hot, giving a signal for high temperatures. Most electric water heaters have built-in safety mechanisms to prevent damage to the appliance or fires. The button is one such mechanism; the temperature rising above 180° F can be dangerous so the button automatically trips.
To avoid burns or scalding from hot water, you will probably need to get the electric water heater repaired immediately. As a homeowner, it is important to stay educated on such issues.
Why Is It a Huge Problem?
Excess heat means that your electric water heater is overworking. The heating elements within the system may be working at full capacity and drawing a lot of electricity. This can mean an insanely high energy bill which is a waste of your hard-earned money.
The electric water heater may also begin to malfunction. High heat can cause the tank to weaken and develop leaks. If the electric water heater is exposed to heat for too long it may even catch fire. This damage can result in high costs of replacement.
It can also result in higher maintenance costs. Due to regular exposure to high heat, the electric water heater can sustain a lot of damage. Heating elements may begin to malfunction and insulation may also be affected.
What Are Some of the Causes of Tripping?
If your button continues to trip often, it could be due to a number of reasons. Each problem requires its own set of solutions so it is better to stay educated on potential causes of tripping.
Bad Thermostats
One of the biggest causes of high heat can be dysfunctional thermostats. Every electric water heater comes with two thermostats that control the water temperature: lower and upper.
These controls are responsible for the balance of heat within the water. If the water is cooler than your required needs, the thermostats kick in to raise the temperature. When the temperature you desire is reached, they automatically cut off the heat to ensure stable temperatures.
If the thermostats within the electric water heater start to malfunction they can often stay switched on. This means that the high limit you have set on the temperature will be breached. When the temperature exceeds the limits of the water heater, the high limit button will trip causing frequent resets.
To fix this issue, you need to call a professional to handle the electric water heater. Since most people do not have the knowledge to deal with complex machines like the water heater, it is not recommended to try and handle the situation yourself. If you do, it can result in burns, injuries, or greater damage to the appliance. To avoid replacement costs, simply hire a plumber.
They will test the thermostats using a millimeter. After inspecting the whole machine, they can change or repair the broken thermostat to fix the issue.
Damaged High Limit Button
The high limit button is placed by electric water heater designers as a safety mechanism. It is there to detect if the water heater temperature exceeds the limit that the appliance can bear.
If the button is malfunctioning it can trip when there is no need for it to do so. The electric water heater’s temperature can be working at normal levels controlled by the thermostats. Despite this, if the high limit button continues to trip, it is time to call a professional to fix the issue.
Loose Wiring
The wiring in the electric water heater keeps the temperature balanced to make sure that your needs are fulfilled. Issues with wiring may cause inefficiencies to appear in the electric water heater system.
If the appliance isn’t working properly, it can lead to a high generation of heat to keep up with the demand. This can result in excess which causes the high limit button to trip.
Heating Element Inefficiencies
Heating elements can often fuse out or fail. When the heating element is showing glitches, it can cause the thermostat to malfunction. For such a case, you need to call for repairs at once. Despite the command by the thermostat, these heating elements may continue to work causing the high limits to exceed quicker. Failure to repair may cause the electric water heater temperature to increase beyond what it can bear.
To find out if your heating element has shorted, disconnect one of the wires and take a continuity reading. The readings will be displayed near the terminals present close to the tank or on the element itself. If the reading is zero, then it means the heating element has shorted.
Bad Breakers
The circuit breaker that protects the electric water heater can also be the problem, due to which the high limit button keeps tripping. If the circuit breaker has failed due to wearing out, the electric water heater may be tripping for no apparent reason.
Wear and tear, age or corrosion due to humidity or chemicals may be causing the circuit breaker to malfunction. If this is the case, then it is better to repair the breaker immediately before it causes the electric water heater some serious damage.
Why Should You Call an Expert?
There are many causes due to which the electric water heater may be tripping again and again. Diagnosing the correct problem is difficult for people due to lack of knowledge on such issues.
This is why it is better to call an expert like Mesa Plumbing Company as they can inspect your machine properly to check the root cause of the problem. If you attempt to fix what doesn’t need to be repaired, it can create even larger problems.