The water heater isn't heating: what to check before calling
When an electric water heater (termo) stops heating, first check whether it's getting power, then whether the temperature dial is set right, and last whether limescale and age have done their work. None of it means opening a cover. In ten minutes you'll know if it's a tripped breaker, a heating element or a heater ready for retirement.
Step 1 of 4
Safety first. Do you notice any of this right now?
An electric water heater has water and electricity in the same appliance, so before checking anything, rule out the dangerous stuff. Look at the heater, its plug or connection box, and the floor underneath. This test is for electric water heaters. If yours is a gas water heater (calentador), with a flame and a flue, don't touch anything on the gas side: that's a job for the manufacturer's service team or a registered gas installer.
Why an electric water heater stops heating
An electric water heater (termo) is a tank of water with a heating element inside and a thermostat that switches it on and off. If it isn't heating, one of three things has gone wrong: it isn't getting power, someone has touched the temperature dial, or a part inside has failed. And in hard water areas like Valencia there's a fourth that makes all the others worse: limescale building up at the bottom and burying the element.
What you can check yourself without opening anything
The heater's indicator light, the breaker in the fuse box and the temperature dial. Those three checks need no tools and solve a fair share of cases. If the breaker was down, flip it up once. If it trips again, don't keep trying. If the dial was low, turn it up and wait: a cold tank takes hours to heat right through. Don't open the heater's bottom cover, because the live wires are behind it.
When the RCD trips because of the heater
This is one of the most common electrical faults at home. The element cracks with limescale and age, water touches the wire and current leaks to earth. The RCD (diferencial) cuts the power, as it should. What you need to do is leave the heater off and replace the element, or the whole heater if it's already old.
Lukewarm water, not enough hot water or strange noises
If the heater crackles or fizzes as it heats and white grit comes out of the taps, it's limescale. The tank is drained, the bottom cleaned and the anode replaced, the rod that protects the tank from corrosion. If the casing is also rusty or water leaks from the body, the tank has corroded through and the heater needs replacing.
What we do
Tell us on WhatsApp or through the form what you found with these steps, with a photo of the heater's label. We give you a fixed price in writing, usually in under two hours, and an independent professional who works with us comes to your home. If something else turns up once it's opened, it's quoted separately and you decide.
Frequently asked questions
How long does a water heater take to heat the water?
It depends on the size of the tank, the power of the element and how cold the incoming water is, so there's no single figure that fits every heater. What is certain is that a heater full of cold water takes hours, not minutes. If the water is still cold after a whole night, waiting longer won't help.
Is it normal for the water heater's valve to drip?
A few drops while it heats, yes. Water expands as it warms up and the safety valve lets out the excess to protect the tank. What isn't normal is a steady trickle, even with the heater off, or drips from the nuts. Ideally the valve should have a small tube that takes those drops to a drain.
Can I replace the water heater's element myself?
It's not a job to do at home without experience. You have to cut the power and the water, drain the tank, remove the flange with its gasket and reseal it so it doesn't leak, all next to an electrical connection. A badly fitted gasket ends in a leak onto the electrics, which is exactly what you were trying to avoid.
Is it better to repair or replace the water heater?
If the heater is fairly new and a single part has failed, such as the element, the thermostat or the valve, it gets repaired. If it's old, has a rusty casing or leaks from the body, the tank is damaged and any repair won't last long. With a photo of the label and the heater's age, we'll tell you which makes sense before giving a price.