How to fix your Kenmore electric water heater when it stops working
- Make sure the water heater has power. A Kenmore electric water heater needs 240 volts of power to heat water. Check both house circuit breakers for the water heater. It's often hard to spot a tripped breaker so shut off both breakers for the water heater and then turn them back on.
- Reset the high-temperature limit switch. Shut off the house circuit breakers for your water heater. Remove the upper heating element cover to access the high-temperature limit switch. Press the red button on the switch to reset it, then reinstall the cover. Turn the circuit breakers back on and check to see if your Kenmore water heater is heating normally.
- Check the power supply wiring. Shut off the house circuit breakers for your water heater. Make sure you cut off the correct circuit breakers for the water heater. If the power is connected when checking supply wires, it could shock or kill. Remove the cover to the junction box that houses the power supply wiring. Make sure that none of the wires are loose and all wire nuts are tight enough to make secure connections. Reconnect any loose wires then reinstall the cover. Turn on the house circuit breakers and check to see if you’re getting any hot water now.
- Test for a short circuit. Shut off the house circuit breakers for the water heater. Remove the wire nuts to access the water heater supply wires, which will lead directly in to the water heater cabinet. Set the multi-meter to measure ohms of resistance. Measure the resistance from the black wire to the bare metal on the junction box. Repeat the same test with the red wire. If you measure a resistance reading during this test, then damaged wiring or a broken electrical part is touching the metal cabinet and causing the short circuit. Find and fix the broken wire or bad component.
- Check the heating elements and thermostats. Follow the procedures in our No Hot Water: Electric Water Heater Troubleshooting Video to find and repair a heating element or thermostat failure.
Draining the tank on your Kenmore water heater to preserve the tank
Once a year, you should empty out all the water from your water heater. This helps prevent a buildup of mineral sediment in the bottom of your tank that could reduce the water heater's effectiveness and possibly damage the heating elements. This video from Sears PartsDirect shows how to safely drain your electric water heater tank to flush out sediment.
Get your genuine Kenmore hot water heater parts from Sears PartsDirect
Sears PartsDirect has the Kenmore water heater parts you need to repair your appliance when it isn't working. We have parts for all Kenmore models including Kenmore Power Miser 9 parts. Look up Sears water heater parts for your model on our convenient parts list diagram pages. We have the Kenmore water heater element you need when your electric water heater stops working. Get your Sears hot water heater parts today and get your water heater fixed quickly.
When you’re looking for hot water repair near me, trust the pros at Sears Home Services to fix your water heater fast.