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Electric Water Heater Repair in Pickering

Electric tanks have few moving parts: two elements, two thermostats, a high-limit switch and the wiring between them. When one fails, the symptom usually tells us which.

  • On the truck: multimeter, combustion and draft check, drain hose and pipe wrenches
  • First look: the rating plate, venting, T&P valve and drain valve
  • No permit usually needed for a like-for-like repair
  • Booked within the week, often sooner
  • A price range on the phone, a firm quote before work
Call now(365) 334-6645

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No forms, no waiting list.

Contemporary bathroom with toilet bowl and cabinet with towels against washstands under mirror in hotel
Contemporary bathroom with toilet bowl and cabinet with towels against washstands under mirror in hotel.

Open 7 daysEmergencies any hour

  • Licensed plumbers, details on request
  • Quote before any work starts
  • Pickering and Durham Region
  • Residential and commercial

How we handle the job

Before any panel cover comes off, the breaker is switched off and the circuit proven dead with a meter. Then we test each element for resistance and each thermostat for continuity. That takes the guesswork out of it: we replace the part that is actually faulty rather than swapping everything.

  1. Power off and verified
  2. Element and thermostat testing
  3. Tank drained below the failed element if it needs replacing
  4. New element or thermostat matched to the tank wattage and voltage
  5. Refill with a tap open so the element is never powered dry
  6. Temperature check at a nearby tap
Keeper's warning: never restore power to an electric tank that has been drained. A dry element burns out within seconds, and you will be buying a second one.

Signs you need electric water heater repair

  • Hot water lasts a few minutes, then turns lukewarm (often the lower element)
  • No hot water at all (often the upper element or the high-limit reset)
  • The breaker for the tank trips
  • Water that is scalding or barely warm despite the dial setting
  • Popping or hissing as the elements heat
  • A drip from the element gasket or the relief valve line

Electric tanks turn up in Pickering condos and townhouses around the City Centre, in some basement apartments, and in rural homes north of Taunton Road that have no natural gas.

Pickering homes and this problem

Electric tanks turn up in Pickering condos and townhouses around the City Centre, in some basement apartments, and in rural homes north of Taunton Road that have no natural gas. Many rental tanks in the area are gas, so check your hydro or rental bill before calling to know which type you own. Scale from Durham water settles on the lower element and shortens its life, so flushing helps; see hard water in Pickering.

What affects the price

  • Which part has failed
  • Whether the tank is owned or rented (rental tanks are serviced by the rental provider)
  • Tank age and condition
  • Whether the tank must be drained
  • Access in tight closets

If the tank itself is leaking from the body, repair is off the table. We will explain the replacement options, including tankless water heaters, and the trade-offs in how long a water heater lasts.

What you can do first

Look at the breaker. If it has tripped, reset it once; if it trips again, leave it off and call. Behind the upper access panel there is usually a red reset button on the high-limit switch, but only press it with the power off at the breaker, and only once.

Questions callers ask

Can a homeowner replace an element?

Handy owners do, but it involves live electrical parts and draining the tank. If you are not confident with a meter, leave it to us.

Why does my electric tank go cold sooner than it once did?

A failed lower element is the usual reason. Sediment buildup on that element is the second.

Related pages

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