Quick takeaways
- Gas tank: check pilot light first.
- Electric tank: check the breaker, then the upper thermostat.
- Tankless: check the error code on the display.
- All types: rule out a tripped temperature limit before assuming the unit is dead.
If you have a gas tank water heater
Find the gas control valve at the bottom of the tank. There's usually a small window showing the pilot status. If the pilot is out, follow the relighting instructions printed on the unit — it's a standard procedure on every modern gas heater. If it lights but won't stay lit, the thermocouple has failed (a $150-250 repair). If it won't light at all, you may have a gas supply issue or a failed control board.
If you have an electric tank water heater
Start at the breaker panel — water heater breakers do trip. Reset it once. If it trips again immediately, stop and call us (could be a shorted element, which is dangerous to keep resetting). If the breaker holds but there's still no hot water after an hour, the upper thermostat or upper element has failed — both are user-replaceable but require shutting off power and draining the tank.
If you have a tankless water heater
Tankless units have a digital display that shows an error code when something's wrong. Common codes: 11 (no ignition), 12 (flame failure), 14 (over-temp), 90/92 (combustion). Look the code up in the manual or call us with the code — we usually know the exact fix from the code alone.
When to call
If you've checked the basics and still have no hot water, or if you smell gas at any point, stop and call us. Same-day response for hot water issues is standard across Kanata.
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