Do you have to drain the hot water heater before replacing an element?

buy a heater continuity tester. $9.00 at home depot. Turn off breaker to hot water heater. test both elements, though i'd start with the top one first it's usually the one that goes bad. drain water before removing element that's burnt out. I open the pressure relief valve to speed that up. replace with like element same volts and watts is important.

Safest method:
Shut off electricity to heater.
Shut the water valve.
Drain heater to below the level of the element, open hot water valve in house to vent heater to speed draining.
If the element is on top, you don't have to empty the heater.
Remove old element, install new element.
Leave hot water valve open somewhere in the house.
Turn water on.
Once air is removed at hot water valve, turn electric on.
Shut water valve.

Gary

Warm water indicates a element is probally in need of replacement. For warm water only more than likely the top element is bad. If you get a burst of hot water for a little while then your bottom one is probally gone bad. Best to replace both elements when changing one out due to not being to exspensive and you have to drain it down anyway.

To change out shut water of and turn power of to water heater open hot side on a faucet to allow heater to drain down so you can change out element.

Warm water is an indicator of possiblity of the bottom element is the only one working. The best solution would be to replace them both due to the cost is not to exspensive and the other one will go out if you replace just one. One new element will work the older one harder and it may lats for a little while, but evenually it will be in need of replacement and sinec you are working on it. It would be easy to do them both .

Turn power and water off and connect water hose to bottom of tank to drain water heater. Open a faucet's hot side to break vaccum so it will drain down. Once drained remove the elements by disconnecting electrical wires and remove elements with a 1 1/2 " element wrench or socket.

Replace elements and connect electrical and turn water back on and leave the faucet open to get all air out of system and water flowing from hot side on all fixtures in your house before turning power back on to water heater.

Hope this is helpful with your water heater adventures. Thanks

Hello,

Hot water heaters are a touchy thing. There performance depends on your demand. If you are using an energy saving shower head I would expect you to have enough hot water for easily a couple of showers. But, if your using the "power flush" type shower heads that use 3.5 gpm or more, the 40 gallon heater is not enough. Also, consider type of water your heating. Is it well water or municipal. Unsoftened well (this includes some municipal well supplies too) water causes hardness ions to cake the heater element making them less efficient. If you have the low flow shower, it is likely you have an element burt out. They can simply be replaced and picked up at any big box store for less than $20 dollars. Each element can be tested in place with a continuity tester. If your not sure how to test, but would be willing to replace the elements - replace both of them. You will have to shut off power to heater and drain tank completely before removing elements. Replace elements with same wattage or higher. Most have two 2250 watt elements for a total of 4500 watts. you can easily install two 3000 watt elements and have a quicker recovery rate and more hot water than ever. Good luck.
BW

Turn off the electricity.
Turn off the water valve going into tank.
Open a bathtub spout to let hot water pressure off the tank.
Check top of tank for any leaks.
Open the top access panel and see if element is leaking.
Open bottom access panel and see if lower element is leaking.
The reduced pressure on the tank will slow the leak.

If element is the problem, you can squeak by for a while by turning on the hot water heater only when you need hot water.
Order the 'Marathon MR85245 replacement element' online
http://www.gpconservation.com/rheem/marathon-sp213670-titanium-4500w-lower-element
These elements may be available locally, but they are not the same as 'ordinary' tank-type electric heater elements that you buy at the hardware store.
Buy more than 1 element because the Marathon elements have problems.
One of the reported problems with marathon elements is the high price of stainless steel replacement elements.
Drain tank.
Replace element.

Another resource for water heater information is:
http://www.thetankatwaterheaterrescue.com/forums/forum3/

Check the breaker and top thermostat and make sure they are not tripped. Move onto replacing elements if above is not the problem.
Turn water and power off to heater and attach a water hose to bottom of heater to drain down tank. May have to open hot side on a facuet to get it to drain.
Once drained remove elements with 1 1/2" found at local hardware stores. once elements removed and new ones in place. Turn water on and get the air out of the system. Once water is flowing from the hot side from all of facuet's in house.
Once all air is out now yaou are resady to turn power onto heater.

If the lower heating element burns out the upper element will heat the top part of the tank then shutoff. homw depot/lowes etc should carry elements. 1 turn off breaker, remove element access cover (the 2 panels on the front of the heater) test for electricity at the reset button ( uppermost device in upper panel) to make sure power is off. 2 turn off water (I usually turn off the cold water main to stop water cross feeding into hot supply line back into heater) 3 disconnect the 2 wires on the lower element, test with continuity tester. shhould be no continuity between terminals and tank, but around 10 ohms between the 2 terminals. Check the thermostat for continuity if tank is cold thermostat should be closed ie zero ohms across the 2 terminals.
If stat is bad replace stat; disconnect wires push it up out of the spring clip insert new stat reconnect. If element is bad: drain tank. connect garden hose to tank drain valve, open tank drain valve turn water main on to clear rust sediment and get water flowing. Next remove filter screen from a hot water faucet then turn on ( a hot faucet upstairs or higher than tank drain). Now turn water main off, air will now go in through hot faucet and tank will drain, takes about an hour. Use a water heater element wrench about$10 to remove element(s) make sure no bits of rubber gasket are left in element opening- dig em out with a screwdriver if needed. Insert new element with its gasket and tighten. reconnect wires DO NOT TURN ON ELECTRICITY! BE SURE TO FILL WATER HEATER WITH WATER ! Turn water main back on -air will come out of the hot faucet for several minutes. When water runs without any air sputtering, turn off faucet and replace the faucet filter screen. check element(s) for leaks. turn breaker back on.