Without a functional water heater, you would have to deal with cold showers, which are not pleasant. It’s always essential to evaluate the condition of a water heater now and then to make sure nothing is wrong. Saskatoon homeowners have to deal with various problems that heaters face during their lifetime. Understanding the functioning of a water heater will aid in providing it with the care it needs. It will also be easier to call for specific plumbing services when you notice a problem. Here is a look at water heater thermostats and elements.
What they Do
Most electric water heaters in Saskatoon have two elements, upper and lower. The thermostat is what connects to an element. Two elements require town thermostats. When there is a problem with the thermostats/element feature, then a water heater may not provide enough hot water. In a dual elements system, heating occurs in one element at a time, never simultaneously.
How they Work
When the water tank has cold water in it, the upper thermostat will heat the upper element. This thermostat then shuts down once the water in the top half of the tank reaches the required temperature. Power then distributes to the lower thermostat where it heats the lower element. As you use the hot water, cold water enters the tank from the bottom, consequently cooling the lower element and the lower thermostat starts heating. If the hot water usage is sufficient to let the upper elements cool, then the power goes to the upper thermostat, and the cycle begins.
Checking for Faults
When there is something wrong with one or two of the elements, you will have trouble receiving enough hot water. Any fault in the thermostats will affect the heating of the elements. In such an instance, you can call services for hot water tanks in Saskatoon to get the necessary repairs. An expert will usually get replacement elements to fix the problem.
Testing the elements of a water heater is not hard. You just need a multi-meter and a tester. However, before starting tests, you should ensure that the elements are really the problem. Lack of hot water may be due to other problems. One, check that the circuit breaker is on, and it’s not causing power interruptions to the heater. Another possible problem may be a tripped high-temperature cut-off button. After verifying that these two functions are in order, then you can look at testing the heating elements but calling a professional is always recommended.
Sources:
(Water Heater Element Testing, home-repair-central.com)
(Electric Water Heater Repair Problems, water-heater-repair-guide.com)
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