Boil down the source of the problem once and for all
Your hot water may not be working due to demand or a failing water heater unit.
To troubleshoot, check the circuit breaker, temperature setting, capacity, and your usage.
Water heaters cost around $590 to repair or $1,250 to replace.
When you find yourself with no hot water, some causes are easy to fix, while others require a pro.
When your hot water isn’t working, it can be a frustrating experience—especially if you only want to take a steamy bath at the end of a long, chilly day. Fortunately, with some know-how, you can identify why there’s no hot water in your house, such as a tripped circuit breaker or a misbehaving water heater. Read on to figure out why your tap is giving you the cold shoulder.
Many things can go wrong with the hot water in your house, making it a little tricky to troubleshoot. Let’s break down some of the biggest reasons why your home doesn’t have hot water to help you determine why your hot water won’t work.
If your faucets and showers start off hot only to run out of hot water quickly, you might simply run out of hot water at the end of the day. Ask yourself if your household recently started using more water, which could lead to too much demand and too little hot water.
If you have hot water that only runs out at night—and your water heater is only a few years old—then it might benefit you to decrease your water usage at the busiest times of day to conserve water and reduce the demand on your water heater. A few tips you can try include:
Running your dishwasher in the morning before you head to work
Staggering who showers when
Washing your clothes with cold water
Shortening the duration of your showers
On a similar note, if you’ve tried reducing your water consumption yet your water is not getting hot, you might have too small of a water heater tank. This may be the case if you have a growing family or recently added a new bathroom to your home.
Start by checking your water heater’s capacity. According to Energy Saver, a 50-gallon tank works for one to three adults, while an 80-gallon capacity is often necessary for a three- to four-person home. Larger homes may need to increase in capacity by 10 gallons per person.
If you see that your water heater is too small, you can either upgrade your water heater tank or go with a tankless water heater, which is more efficient at heating water and doesn’t require a giant tank to boot.
During summertime, a common energy-conserving hack is to lower the water temperature for water heaters. In fact, Energy Saver states that homeowners can decrease their water heater thermostats from 140 to 120 degrees to save money.
If you happen to lower the temperature setting in the hotter seasons, don’t forget to change it back once it starts to get colder outside, or you may find yourself with no hot water. You don’t have to increase it back up to 140 degrees, which can actually lead to scolding, but try increasing the temperature to 130 degrees and see if that does the trick.
A simple yet often overlooked reason behind having no hot water in the house is a tripped circuit breaker. A tripped breaker means your water heater can’t turn on in the first place, leading to an ever-constant, cold tap.
Check your breaker box for signs that the switch is set to the off mode. If that’s the case, flip the switch on, and see if your water heater starts to heat the water. If you notice that your breaker box continues to trip, you may need to hire an electrician near you to take a look for any problems with the electrical system in your home.
If your water heater is making rattling or tapping noises, leaking, or sending out smelly, cloudy water, then the culprit behind your lack of hot water is likely your water heater.
In most cases, you’ll need a local water heater repair pro to inspect your water heater, as there can be many causes of a malfunctioning water heater. A few common problems with water heaters include:
Your water heater is leaking.
The thermostat isn’t functioning properly.
You have a faulty heating element.
Sediment buildup inside your water heater tank is corroding the inner lining.
Not all vintage items around the house are valuable—this is definitely the case when it comes to water heaters. So, if your unit is over eight years old and has constant issues or struggles to keep up with the demand in your home, there’s a good chance your water heater has outlived its lifespan.
Depending on the root of the issue, you might be able to DIY your hot water problem. For example, changing the temperature setting and checking for a tripped circuit breaker are two at-home solutions you can easily tackle yourself.
However, if your hot water isn’t working due to a mechanical error within your water heater, your best bet is to contact a licensed plumber to help repair or replace it.
Water heater repairs cost $590 on average, but how much you’ll pay could vary depending on the type of unit and complexity of the repairs. Also, consider the cost of hiring a plumber to repair a water heater, which costs about $330 per hour.
If you plan on replacing your water heater entirely, installing a new water heater costs around $1,250.
If your central heating is on and working, but you don’t have any hot water, the likely reason is a faulty diverter valve. The diverter valve opens and closes to allow hot water into your faucets or showers. But if your water is lukewarm or hot water only works when your heater is on, then this valve may be stuck, and you might even see higher energy bills due to heat slipping out of the valve.
There are many reasons why your cold water may be working while the hot water isn’t, with most of the issues coming from your water heater or faucet. A few of the most common reasons involving a water heater include a leak, sediment buildup, or a defective valve. Common issues with a faucet include clogs, air pockets, or frozen pipes.
