I know this is not a racing question, but I had a water leak into the line that feeds the house. I closed the water meter tap so I could drain the line in order to replace a fitting. In so, I also had to turn the taps to relieve the pressure in the house. After replacing the fitting and turning the water back on, I now have no hot water. since the new heaters have electric pilot lights, is it possible the breaker may have clicked off when no water was being sent to the heater? any suggestions will be helpful.

No experience with gas water heaters but in a simular situation with electric the tank will not be affected unless it is above faucet or whatever that you drained the line from. ain case the drain point is below the hot water heater you just turn off the breaker. You sure your tank is full? If not it will not ignite.

I have gas but mine has a pilot. I don't think the breaker would kick off but there may be a reset button on the heater. Usually gas water heaters have all of the instructions pasted to the side for how the reset and light. Have you bled out all of the air in the lines?

Plumbers are quick to say these are cold water heaters. Any time your tank may be low or out of water turn off power to the heater. The elements will burn out unless covered in water. This is electric heater of course.

On the newer electronic gas heaters you should just have to push the igniter button and the heater will do the rest.

I do 99% of my plumbing repairs but once in a blue moon I'll call the plumber. If you are really worried about it and can't figure it out, make the call. Good luck!

If you have a electric water heater, the thermostats for the upper and lower heating elements will also have a reset on them. One or both of them may have tripped.

Depending on the age and design of the heater, it may only have one reset on the upper thermostat that controls both elements.

You will find these behind the removable covers on the side of the unit. You may have to pull a bit of insulation aside to see them.

If it has a electronic control board in it they are a totally different critter and will cause the same issue of not turning on power to the elements if they have a failure.

Thanks for all the inputs. There is some new construction of homes nearby and the gas company had turned off the gas to hook up several at the same time. Coincidence, but now it's been relit and taking hot showers in this 100+ degree weather.

Thanks for the report back and glad you are back in Hot Water again.

quote:

Originally posted by Little Chief:
Plumbers are quick to say these are cold water heaters. Any time your tank may be low or out of water turn off power to the heater. The elements will burn out unless covered in water. This is electric heater of course.

I would never point that out. LOL.

Our hot water heater stopped working so I called a well advertised (TV) San Diego Plumbing Company. Their guy inspected the unit and said that it was dead and had to be replaced ($1100) . Before I could stop him, or approve any work he had the tank in the back of his truck. I told him not to replace it until I had a second opinion, which he did. Unfortunately in the process he reversed the out-going hot water pipe with the cold water pipe. Turned out it was just the thermocouple. I bought one at our local Hardware store for $1.39 and replaced it myself. That was eight years ago, it's still working.

Bob