My hot water heater is not heating water, it just stopped what can I do?

mballen- First go to your electrical panel and check to see if the doubble breaker has tripped, if it has it will kind of in center position, push all the way to off then back to on. go to tank take off, take the top element off , and if you have aomn meter touch the probes ,one to each in comeing wire ,one will be ,(BLACK THE OTHER WHITE ) { BE sure to have meter set on ac220 or above IF 220}THE needle will move fully to right on scale IF it don't the use hot side of the two probs , one on black and the other on ground ground can be the metal tank , do this also on white wire also.this check is to see if you have power on both wires if you only have power on one wire then you only have 110 comeing in if these checkes come out OK ,turn YOUR POWER TO TANK OFF AT BREAKER> Now take a #2 phillips screw driver and disconnect one wire end of element, set meter on contunuity, put probs on each screw if needle moves fully to right ,showes element is OK ( BUT it will lie to you ,because when it blowes ahole in it ,it fills with water (BEST ELECT> CONDUCTOR THERE IS>) so to make sure touch one prob to one screw the other to metal tank, if the element is blown neddle will all to right sid of meter other wise needle won't move, do bottom same way. IF checks are good go to thermostates next, top and bottom, most of time it will be the bottom. I almost forgot on first steps of check ,check to see if red button on thermostates is poped out . I hope this answers your question . F.B.E.

There are also gas hot water heaters. The pilot light often goes out. They are about the same as the ones for a furnace, covered in the best sticky on AMHD at https://www.askmehelpdesk.com/heating-air-conditioning/heating-cooling-maintenance-repair-troubleshooting-frequently-asked-questions-58313.html

Lab man-:: you didn't read the questio right :::: she did not say which one she so i answered for electrical:::"""::: and i knew about gas long before you were ever born f.b.e.