What’s Causing Your Water Heater Reset Button To Trip
As a homeowner, you’re probably familiar with the thermostat controls on your water heater and know by now that the recommended setting is 120 degrees Fahrenheit. This temperature isn’t just “the sweet spot”. It’s hot enough to prevent the growth of certain harmful bacteria but cool enough to prevent scalding.
There are a couple of different reasons why your water heater reset button is tripping. Typically, when your water heater overheats the water in the tank, the emergency cut off (ECO) trips to shut down the appliance. Often, you’ll need to reset it by pressing down a red “reset” button on the ECO (which is usually attached to the upper thermostat on most traditional water heater models).
If your water heater reset button continually trips, it’s time to call your friendly, local plumber. There’s a chance the water in the tank is dangerously hot. If the problem is caused by a faulty part, the problem won’t resolve until the component is identified and replaced.
Here are a few other things that may cause your water heater reset button to trip:
One or both of your water heater thermostats are bad
Your water heater usually has two thermostats – one at the top of the tank and one at the bottom. Each of thermostats controls a heating element that heats the water. When the water in the tank reaches the right temperature, you thermostats tell the heating element to shut off. If one (or both) of the thermostats go bad, the heating element may continue to run. This can lead to overheating the water to dangerous temperatures.
The heating element is faulty
Age, spontaneous failure, or wear and tear can cause your heating element to fail. A short in a failed heating element can cause the heating element to receive power, even after the thermostat shuts it off. This can lead to overheated water, as well.
Your ECO is bad
The ECO can also fail, for the same reasons why your heating element would. Your ECO may need to be replaced but this problem alone doesn’t cause your water to overheat.
Faulty wiring
If the thermostats, heating element, and ECO are all working properly, it may be a loose wiring connection that’s causing heat inside of your water heater. Not only does this cause your water heater reset button to trip, it also presents an electrical shock hazard. Leave this problem to a trained professional.
No matter what’s causing your water heater reset button to trip, it’s a problem that needs to be resolved to prevent harm. If you’re experiencing this problem, don’t hesitate to reach out to a plumbing expert like A-Abel to find a solution, fast.
