- 1). Turn off the power to the water heater at the main breaker. If necessary, post a sign at the breaker box to let anyone else know not to turn it on again while you are working.
- 2). Remove the access panel from the side of the water heater. Don't touch any of the wires until you are sure there is no power to the heater.
- 3). Touch one of the probes of the multimeter to one of the screws located directly above the red reset button. Touch the other probe to the side of the heater. Scratch the side of the heater with the probe first to get a good connection.
- 4). Check the reading on the meter. If no reading shows, the power to the heater is off. When a reading is present, you have turned off the wrong breaker and electricity is still present. Touch both screws with the meter to determine if the current is live.
- 5). Turn off the water supply to the heater. You will find the knob on the water line running into the water heater. Turn on the hot water in your kitchen faucet all the way. This will allow air into the heater to enable draining. Let the water in the faucet continue to run.
- 6). Connect a hose to the drain valve at the bottom of the water heater. Run the other end of the hose outdoors. The hose should be lower than the heater to ensure that all the water drains. Open the valve all the way and allow it to drain until no more water comes out.
- 7). Loosen the screws holding the wires on the element and pull the wires loose. Attach the element wrench to the element and turn it to the left until you have unscrewed it completely. Pull the element straight out.
- 8). Push the replacement element straight into the opening. Use your hand to screw the element back in until the gasket is flush with the heater. Use the element wrench to tighten it down.
- 9). Loosen the screws on the element and hook the two wires under them. Screw them back down tightly.
- 10
Remove the garden hose and turn the valve off. Turn on the water supply to the heater. - 11
Turn on all hot water faucets in the home and allow them to run until all the air is removed from the tank. Once water is flowing without any interruptions, turn off the faucets. Check the element to ensure that no water is leaking and replace the access cover. - 12
Turn the power to the heater back on at the breaker box. It will take about an hour to have a tank of hot water.
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