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Changing a water heater element is not a hard job but can turn into a messy one. When you have determined which element is bad and also which type of element your water heater takes then it is time to actually change the element. We will explore how to do this job. If you need to check for a problem with your water heater you can refer to this article, How To Fix A Water Heater. Okay, you will need a hose pipe at the water heater. Make sure that the water and the power has been turned off before beginning this project. At the bottom of the water heater there is a water spigot. Screw your hose pipe onto the spigot and run the other end of the hose outside somewhere that will give the hose a downhill slope to drain. Open the spigot on the water heater and slowly pull up the handle on the pop off valve to give the draining water a vent. If the top element is the bad one you really only need to drain the tank down enough for the water level to be below the top element opening in the tank. If it is the bottom element, in which is usually the case, then you will need to completely drain the tank before attempting to remove the bottom element.

Remove the two wires that are attached to the heating element. When the water level has dropped below the bad element, (depending on which type of element you have as some types screw into the tank and others bolt to it), you will either need an element socket for the screw in type or a ratchet and a regular socket for the bolt on kind. Unscrew or unbolt the element from the tank and pull it straight out. Make sure the gasket is on the new element and insert it straight into the tank and tighten. Hook the two wires back up on the element. Some people like to change both elements at the same time and this is probably not a bad idea but this is strictly your choice. Close the bottom spigot on the water heater and go to each bathroom and kitchen sink and open the hot and cold faucets wide open. Turn the water back on and go to the water heater. Check for any leaks. Open the pop off valve handle while the water heater is refilling to let the air escape. When the tank is full close the pop off valve handle and close the faucets. Check again for any leaks and turn the power back on. You are finished.