No Hot Water? What to Check Before You Call (and When to Call)

You turn on the shower, wait… and it never warms up. Before you panic, there are a few simple, safe things you can check yourself. Sometimes it's an easy fix. Sometimes it's a sign the water heater needs a pro.

Here's a quick checklist for Northern Virginia homeowners.

First: is it all the hot water, or just one faucet?

Turn on the hot water at a couple of different sinks.

• No hot water anywhere: the problem is likely the water heater itself. Keep reading.
• Only one faucet or shower: the water heater is probably fine. The issue may be that fixture's valve or cartridge. A shower that won't get hot is often a worn shower valve or cartridge, which is something we fix all the time.

If you have an ELECTRIC water heater

1. Check the breaker. Look in your electrical panel for the water heater breaker. If it's tripped, you can try resetting it once.

• If the hot water comes back and stays, great.
• If the breaker trips again, stop and don't keep resetting it. A breaker that keeps tripping usually means a failed heating element, thermostat or wiring problem, and that needs a professional.

2. Give it time. If the breaker was off, it can take a while for a full tank to heat back up.

If you have a GAS water heater

Safety first: if you smell gas, don't touch anything. Don't flip switches or try to relight anything. Leave the house and call your gas utility from outside.

If there's no gas smell:

1. Check the gas supply. Are other gas appliances in your home, like the stove or furnace, working? If none of them are, the issue may be your gas supply, not the water heater.

2. Check the pilot or status light. Many gas water heaters have a small window or a status light on the control. The label on your water heater explains what the lights mean and how to relight the pilot for your model. Only relight it if the label's instructions are clear and you're comfortable doing it. If it won't stay lit, or you're unsure, that's a job for us.

Signs it's time to call a plumber

Call us if:

• There's water leaking from the tank
• The breaker keeps tripping (electric)
• The pilot won't stay lit (gas)
• You hear loud popping or rumbling along with the loss of hot water
• The hot water is rusty or smells bad
• The water heater is 10+ years old and this keeps happening

What we'll do

When we come out, we'll find the actual cause, whether that's an element, thermostat, gas control, valve or the tank itself. Then we explain your options and give you a written price before any work begins. If it can be repaired, we'll repair it. If it's time for a new one, we install tank and tankless, gas and electric water heaters, mostly Rheem and A.O. Smith, permit handled, old unit hauled away if needed.

Need hot water today?

We offer same-day service in most cases across Fairfax, Centreville and the rest of Northern Virginia.

Call Plum Pro at (202) 557-9978, open 7 days, 9 AM–7 PM, or request service online.