Most Horry County and Georgetown County homes have either a gas or electric hot water heater.  While tankless water heaters provide water on demand, gas and electric hot water heaters use a storage tank as a ready reservoir.  Do not be nervous about fixing these traditional storage water heaters, no matter how large or daunting they may seem.  Even if you are standing in your towel, staring at the seemingly large and daunting cylinder, which just wrecked your shower, rest assured you are the bigger being.  When you are dry and calm, ready to confront the unruly apparatus, there are some quick and easy measures you can take to lend a helping hand and revive the heater (and your hot water).

Necessary Precautions Before Any Fixing:

1. Flip the circuit breaker or fuse to turn the power off.
2. Switch the pilot control valve to “pilot” setting.
3. The heater water supply needs to be shut off.

Probable Reasons For Not Getting Hot Water:

• Broken Gas Pilot
• Broken Gas Pilot Control Valve
• Broken Gas Thermocouple
• Broken Upper Electric Heating Element
• Broken Electric Thermostat

Some Quick and Easy Repairs YOU can make:

1. Check to see if the pilot operation and gas pilot flame to figure out if they are working.  Remove the metal cover at the bottom of the water heater.Is the flame lit at the end of the pilot gas supply tube?  If the flame is no longer lit, follow the guidelines on your tank to relight the flame.
2. If the problem is the gas thermocouple, you may need to tighten, reposition , or replace it.
3. Sometimes the gas pilot control valve just needs to be replaced.
4. When you remove the thermostat cover, check the high limit switch.  If the switch has tripped, reset it.
5. Replace the upper thermostat if the upper heating element is without power.
6. Is power going to the electric thermostat?  If power is provided, but the thermostat is not working right, replace the thermostat.

Hopefully by now, you have shown your hot water heater who is boss and come to be on better terms.  In the event none of these solutions did the trick, the problem may be more serious.  You can call your Myrtle Beach, Georgetown County, or Horry County plumber to answer any questions you have, or to have him come out and give your hot water heater a look.