Electric water heater, no hot water. Check the breaker, then the reset button.
A tripped breaker is a one minute fix. A breaker that trips again, or a reset that does not hold, means a failed element or thermostat and a same-week repair.
What is probably happening
- The water heater breaker tripped. A. O. Smith calls this a very common reason an electric heater stops.
- The high limit safety cut out tripped because the water overheated. That is the red reset button behind the upper access panel.
- A burned out heating element or a failed thermostat. Angi puts an element at $200 to $300 and a thermostat at $150 to $200.
Do this in the next five minutes
- At the panel, find the water heater breaker (usually a double 30 amp). If tripped, switch it fully off, then on, once.
- Wait 30 to 60 minutes and test a hot tap.
- If still cold: turn the breaker OFF, remove the upper access panel and pull back the insulation. Press the red reset button firmly until it clicks. Replace the panel, breaker back on.
- If the reset trips again, or the breaker trips again, stop. That is a fault.
- Check the serial plate for the age. Storage heaters last 10 to 15 years.
Do not
- Do not open the access panel with the breaker on. The terminals inside are live.
- Do not keep resetting a breaker or reset button that trips again. Something is shorting or overheating.
- Do not run the heater if the tank is not full. Elements burn out dry.
Who to call
A licensed plumber
Elements and thermostats are plumbing parts on a plumbing appliance. If the breaker itself is faulty, that is an electrician.
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What it should cost
$228 to $1,017, averaging $616
Water heater repair, national range. Heating element $200 to $300, thermostat $150 to $200
Source: Angi, water heater repair cost, updated August 2026. View source
National published range, not a quote for your job. The full cost table for this trade is on the plumbing page.
Ask this contractor, on the phone, before anyone comes out
Tap each one as you ask it.
- Which element or thermostat failed, and did you test both?
- Why did the high limit trip? Is the thermostat set too high, or is the element shorting?
- How old is the heater, and is a repair sensible at that age?
- Will you flush the tank while it is drained, and is that included?
End the call if
- A replacement quote with no element or thermostat test.
- A plumber who resets the button and leaves without finding why it tripped.
- No serial number check.