[jason_silvestry]

We are selling our home to which an inspector came by the other day, in the process of checking the t&P valve it has since been stuck in the open position I realize after reading the label that it should have been replaced every 3 years, the unit is 8.5 years old.

So after about 36 hours of a slight leak, I left for work today and my wife calls me and told me we have no hot water, so I come home unplug power from unit, drain unit, take out old valve, off to ferguson supply, and then replace unit only to find out I still have no hot water.

Could the constant draining of valve have caused something else to have failed, Last night we had hot water so what ever was the cause happened overnight.

I have opened up cover of unit, and pressed the red button, however after some internet searching I think I need to go and unplug unit again to try resetting the red button.

Please help I have to have this repaired by Monday,

PS first time poster.

Jason:confused: :confused:

[RichardBondMan]

Understand that I am not a plumber but have had similar issues with my hot water heater. A TMP valve that is opened/shut many times rather than just once a year or so, might need replacing but you have done that - just don't continue to check it by opening and closing it very often. The hot draining slowly could have caused the hot water to flow out leaving you little or no hot water but if the water heater has a good element(s) (I will assume it's an electric unit) and the hot water is not draining out too fast, the heater should give you at least some hot water depending on whether you have just finished using the last of the hot water say for example by taking a hot /warm shower. It takes some few minutes for most hot water heaters to replenish cold water with hot. Quite often the main reasons for no hot water are 1) the heating element(s) have gone bad and need replacing or 2) the thermostat has gone bad and needs replacing. I believe, though I am not sure, that there are ways to check if the thermostat is bad but if's beyond my expertise to advise you exactly how. But good old common sense and my experinece changing the element(s) and the thermostat tells me that is perhaps what you should do next. Elements costs about $20. And your unit (keep in mind I am assuming it's elec not gas) probably has two elements, one upper and one lower. A themostat costs probably less or about the same - very easy to change but as always, when working with electricity, take every precaution to prevent shock, don't stand is standing water, DO cut the power soure off, use an electrical tester to make sure no current is flowing when you even touch the unit on the outside or anywhere for that matter. If you have not changed the elements in the last few years, you may want to do that also if though the problem might be the thermostat. The thermostat change out is probably the easiest quick fix, so I might suggest that you attempt that first or search for the correct method, if there is one, to test the existing thermostat. Good luck and if you have time, I am sure an experienced plumber will perhaps give you some good advise. The average life of a water heater is normally about 12 years but I may be off on that estimate, so if yours is older, you might want to consider replacing it and not hassle with reparing it.

[ballengerb1]

Wait a moment, how did the T&P get stuck in the open position? Did the inspecter open it, they don't stick open but can leak after someone messes with them. If it was not leaking and the inpsector caused the leak he must repair it. Now for your current situation, not hot water, lets atrt with a bunch of questions. When you open a hot water tap do you get cold water or no water? Get back to us and I 'l try to not send you down too many unnecessary roads. In the meantime, if my guess was correct, call the inspector and tell him his inspection damages your home and it most be fixed immediately.

[letmetellu]

If it is possible that you turned on the power before you had the heater full of water it could be that you burned out your heating element.
Do you have two elements? If so the upper element may not have been immersed in water when you turned the power on and if the upper element is bad you will not get any hot water because when first heating the upper element heats first and then switches to the bottom thermostat and after that only the lower element heats until the upper thermostat gets cold and calls for heat. At that time the upper element will heat if it is good.
To do any checking you need an amp meter and a volt meter.

Let me know if you have a 240 volt heater or a 120 volt heater. I ask you to do this because in your post you said you unplugged the power from the unit. Well most heaters that unplug are 120 volts.