Change Heating Element Hot Water Heater

This video from sears partsdirect shows how to replace a broken heating element in some electric water heaters.

Change heating element hot water heater.

Remove the gasket that seals the heating element to the water heater tank. Insert the element tool over the element and turn it counter clockwise. Remove a screw in type heating element by turning the element counterclockwise with a socket wrench and 1 1 2 inch socket. Some repair kits come with a socket that fits the heating element.

There s an upper element which is located. Gas fired models have a burner at the base of the heater that warms water inside the tank. A water heater element wrench also called an element tool is a specially designed socket that fits over the hex end of the element and has a hole in the other end that will accept the shaft of a screwdriver. Heating elements typically last for several years and hot water tanks outlast the elements.

This is the type we will be covering because they are the most common heating elements. A typical electric water heater uses two heat. This is a specialty tool with a wide mouth designed to fit over the element s nut in a tight space.