No Hot Water? How to Troubleshoot and Repair Your Water Heater

Our plumbing experts explain how to repair the most common causes of water heater failuresr

There is no such thing as a good time for your water heater to fail, and the winter months are a particularly bad time to be left without hot water. It is essential to get professional maintenance for your HVAC system routinely, but even the best-maintained system can fail at the worst time.

While you should call in water heater specialists for any needed repairs and routine maintenance, there are several things you can do yourself to help keep your water heater running smoothly and help troubleshoot any issues if they occur.

When there’s a problem, things can get uncomfortable in a hurry. That’s why you need to understand these essential water heater troubleshooting tips:

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Table of Contents

Our plumbing experts explain how to repair the most common causes of water heater failuresr
FAQ

» Is it worth it to repair a hot water heater?
» What is the most common problem with water heaters?
» Can I fix a water heater myself?
» What are the signs that your water heater is going out?

No Hot Water

The lack of hot water from your electric water heater is a common problem you can resolve by looking for loose connections and resetting any tripped fuses in the circuit breaker. After about an hour, your home will be resupplied with warm water if the breaker tripped. If the circuit breaker continues to trip, push the reset button and If there’s still an issue, contact a qualified electrician for electric hot water heater repairs.

If you instead have a gas-powered water heater that won’t heat water, the issue is possibly related to the gas supply. Check if the pilot light has gone out, and attempt to relight it.

Low Supply of Hot Water

If your water heater can not produce enough hot water according to your needs, this could be because of one of two things:

Your water tank is too small
Your aging water heater needs replacing

Perhaps your water heater was more than sufficient when it was just you and your partner. However, when your family expanded, so did your hot water needs. If this is the case, it’s about time you upgrade your hot water tank size. However, if your water heater unit produces less hot water according to its capacity, it might have an issue with one or two heating elements.

Water is Too Warm or Cold

Does the water in your shower feel uncomfortably hot or cold? Your water heater may produce too hot or too cold water because the thermostat is incorrectly set. Fortunately, this is one of the easier solutions to the problem of water that’s too hot or too cold, so it is best to start here. Ideally, you should set your water heater thermostat between 120 and 140 degrees Fahrenheit.

Low Water Pressure

Dealing with low water pressure in the shower can be frustrating. When your hot water pressure is lower than usual, the first thing you’ll likely think of is whether your water heater could be behind the low water pressure issues.

Since many common water heater problems could cause low-pressure issues, knowing where the issue lies is vital. It doesn’t make much sense to replace your water heater only to discover that the problem persists due to corrosion or water line clogs.

Here are several issues that may be causing your low hot water pressure issues:

Hard-water buildup in the pipes
Partially closed shut off-valve
Pipe problems

While a water heater may be the reason behind low hot water pressure, it is far from the only cause. A skilled plumber can help find and fix water pressure problems.

Hot Water Smells

Maybe your issue has nothing to do with the temperature or pressure of your water. Instead, when you run a shower, your hot water comes with an unpleasant odor, maybe smelling like rotten eggs.

Typically, this happens when you leave hot water sitting in your tank for too long. If you don’t smell anything when only running your cold water, the problem likely originates from your water heater. Usually, it happens when warm water sits too long in your heater’s tank, leading to a buildup of bacteria. Unfortunately, there is no easy way to DIY water heater repair with this issue. You’ll need to contact a professional plumber to clean and disinfect your water heater’s tank.

To avoid similar issues in the future, don’t leave hot water in your water heater if you are planning to leave for two weeks or more. Before leaving, ensure that you turn the gas or electricity off to your water heater, and you won’t have any issues.

The Water Heater is Leaking

It’s an unpleasant surprise: You venture into your basement only to splash in a pool of water surrounding the base of your water heater. Since the water heater often sits in a rarely visited area, many tend to fall into that “out of sight, out of mind” trap.

You will likely need a professional plumber to find the source of your water heater tank leak and fix it properly. The good news is that Conejo Valley Home Services Plumbing & Rooter services water heaters in Conejo Valley, San Fernando Valley, and Surrounding Areas, so reach out to us.

Odd Noises in Water Heater Tank

A low, vibrating noise or rumbling noise is most likely caused by sediment buildup in the bottom of the tank. You can fix this by draining the tank to get rid of the sediment, or descaling it with organic chemicals. We don't recommend either of these solutions, though, and chances are that you need a new hot water heater.

FAQ

» Is it worth it to repair a hot water heater?

Although you can call in an expert to fix most of your electric hot water heater repair problems, whether or not you should do it depends on the cause of the issue, the severity of it, and the age of your water heater.

Frequent water heater repair and major efficiency problems can cost much more than replacing the unit with a newer, more efficient water heater.

» What is the most common problem with water heaters?

Water tank leaks are perhaps the most common type of water heater problem you’ll face. No matter how long it takes, a tanked water heater will eventually start to leak as water slowly corrodes your tank, creating microscopic cracks or fractures.

» Can I fix a water heater myself?

Yes. With the essential tools and expertise, you can save money handling DIY electric water heater repairs in your home. However, should the repairs get too technical, don’t hesitate to seek professional assistance. Just get your phone and look up “ electric water heater repair near me ".

» What are the signs that your water heater is going out?

Unsure if it’s time to replace your water heater? Here are six signs you need a new water heater in your home:

The water heater is a decade old or showing signs of age
Inadequate heating
Recurrent leaki
Discolored water
Unusual noises
Sediment buildup

Trusted Water Heater Repair & Replacement in the Conejo Valley

Family-Owned & Locally Trusted in the San Fernando Valley Since 1927

Diagnosing and fixing problems with your water heater can sometimes be simple, but often it is better to leave it up to the professionals. If the cause of a problem is unclear or the fix is complicated, it’s time to call in the experts. Conejo Valley Home Services Plumbing & Rooter has years of experience diagnosing, fixing, and maintaining water heaters.

Are you looking to request emergency water heater repair services in the Conejo Valley area? Contact us Online or call us today at (805) 499-0448 for immediate help!

Conejo Valley Home Services Plumbing & Rooter

4.9

Based on 174 reviews

Michelle Perez

18:37 12 Dec 25

I have used Conejo Seviced a couple of times now, and they have done a fantastic job both times. They were prompt, professional, easy to talk to, honest, and did the job in the specified time frame. I will happy to continue using them.

Lana Light

02:38 12 Dec 25

Owen was my electric tech,
and from the conversation over a couple of electrical issues here, I understood quickly that Owen knows the line of work very well: educated, smart, polite, with down the the earth professional demineur... He checked the wiring, and explained the possibilities why my appliance keeps tripping the breaker..
Thank you Owen.
The company has a right set up. They would also remind you about the appointment, and would convinietly call you a few minutes ahead.

They have the right codes... they won't walk in their shoes on your floors either...
I strongly recommend the Conejo company for your electrical issues...

Robert Lewis

22:40 11 Dec 25

Juan did an outstanding job. He is very professional and personable. He kept us informed on what he was doing. It was a pleasure working with him and Conejo Services. We have used you before and we have always had prompt and professional service. Thank you so very much.

Leslie Hackney

18:30 08 Dec 25

When our 31 year-old furnace suddenly stopped working, they were out within 24 hours of my call. It was a quick and easy replacement part, but something we wouldn’t dare do ourselves. It’s good to know we’ve found a reliable repair service!

Alejandra Aldana

01:20 05 Dec 25

It was excellent service from the initial request to schedule an appt for electrical repairs and the installation updates as to the time and date of service technician arrival at work site. The service person was timely in his arrival time, considerate , respectful and courteous.

Major Tom

13:06 03 Dec 25

David G. was patient, personable and explained things. He was thorough and cleaned up after himself. He is an asset to the company and exemplifies the level of professionalism and quality that I have come to expect from Conejo Services.

Linda Munday

04:49 03 Dec 25

The entire staff were wonderful. The crew that came out to do the installation were so nice and respectful. I would recommend them to anyone.

Carol Riccobono

23:09 01 Dec 25

Juan did an excellent job checking out our furnace and dryer vent. He was very informative and thorough. And he did not try to upsell us on other services.

Ted Haber

03:36 29 Nov 25

Omar was our electrician. He was very professional and easy to work with. He gets my vote.

Matt Bovard

22:26 26 Nov 25

I like supporting local Ventura county companies and then when they do such a great job it’s double gratification…

Joe F.

00:18 26 Nov 25

Heesse was on time, performed a HVAC tune up, and solved the problem of the thermostat not working. I know who I will contact for future hone repair needs.

Steve Kurasch

21:18 25 Nov 25

Jesse was here right on time to do testing and inspection of our furnaces. He was very thorough, professional and knowledgable and corrected several problems that other companies missed. He also gave us some options to look at in the future. We signed up for their maintenance plan and feel very confident that Conejo Services will meet our needs now and in the future. Thank you for giving us peace of mind!

Mary O'Sullivan

00:55 14 Aug 25

This company really stands behind its work. I have the platinum maintenance for my both HVAC and plumbing, both installed by them and it really pays off. The plumbing area, especially, led by Andrew Dilger and team are honest, thorough, skilled and offer options from minimal to full overhaul with pro’s and cons and short vs. long-term financial differentials of each approach. I have an older home with pipes at end of their 60 year shelf-life and it’s a new area for me. It’s really great to be able to trust a company when the product isn’t visible, but buried in the ground. I liked Derek who identified a potential issue during normal maintenance and the oversight of Andrew confirming it and best approach. I think it’s the honest approach set by senior management, including Andrew, Ralph and others. And highly professional! Kudos!

Jennifer Friedman

00:45 10 Apr 25

We were on Conejo’s maintenance plan for a while. We found they were very thorough in checking our A/C, plumbing and electric systems. It is worth considering these plans.

We had other work done where we felt the pricing was quite high, like for a garbage disposal and for installing a tankless hot water heater. So consumers should be sure to do price comparisons.

When they put in our tankless hot water heater, there were a couple of code violations that needed to be corrected, plus we had some questions about the costs. But when our concerns finally reached the Customer Service managers, their response was excellent and all our concerns were immediately and satisfactorily resolved.

Rick Phillips

00:10 03 Feb 25

I strongly suggest getting cost estimates from other companies before hiring Conejo. I was provided an estimate of $7149 to perform what turned out to be 7 hours of work by two (relatively low paid) employees and a couple hours to use specialty equipment to pinpoint failure point. I had a blockage in my home sewer system caused by root intrusion. By using their tool inserted into the sewer pipe they said the blockage was 8 feet deep and under my concrete entryway walkway and would therefore take two workmen 2 to 3 days to complete the repairs. I questioned that pricing since it seemed too high and was provided a reduction of $850 to $6299. That still seemed like a high price but I needed to get the work done quickly so I accepted the bid. (My big mistake.) I monitored the work when their two workmen came to make the repairs. I am retired from SoCalGas so have some knowledge about excavating and fixing damaged pipe. The sewer pipe was only 3 feet deep, not 8 feet deep. The work involved digging and exposing the 4-inch plastic sewer pipe and then cutting out a 3-foot section and installing new pipe, then backfilling the excavation (which was done poorly – was not well compacted – I did this after they left as best I could. I hope my entryway sidewalk doesn’t fail/crack in the future.) They completed the work in 7 hours. I then contacted Conejo and asked to them to reconsider the price since the basis of the estimate was incorrect. I eventually spoke with their plumbing manager, Nick, who said he would speak with the person who developed the estimate and get back to me. Nick never got back to me even though I called their offices twice and texted Nick. The next contact I had from Conejo was a revised bill reducing the charge by $500, leaving me with a bill of $5799. On the positive side, the people I spoke with in their billing and/or scheduling department with friendly and responsive.

Ben Rogers

17:47 26 Jan 25

Conejo installed a new furnace and water heater at my home, and I’m so impressed with the quality of their work. Their prices are competitive and their team is the best!

Pav G

20:40 08 Aug 24

Outstanding Service from Alfredo at Conejo Valley Heating and AC

We’ve had ongoing AC issues for a couple of years, and after trying other companies, we finally found the solution with Alfredo from Conejo Valley Heating and AC. The level of professionalism and quality of work Alfredo delivered was unparalleled.

From the moment he arrived, Alfredo impressed us with his attention to detail—respecting our home by wearing booties and carefully assessing the situation. He identified the root cause of our AC problems, taking his time and staying late into the afternoon, even after a long, busy day. As the last appointment of the day, Alfredo made sure our AC was fully repaired before leaving.

Beyond fixing the immediate issue, Alfredo also provided valuable advice and options for maintaining our AC in the future, along with some helpful plumbing suggestions. His dedication to his craft and customer service is truly world-class.

We highly recommend requesting Alfredo if you’re considering Conejo Valley Heating and AC. We’ve permanently requested him as our go-to technician for any future needs. His work is simply outstanding, and we couldn’t be more satisfied with the service.

Jason D

19:01 13 Jun 24

A home inspection was done for the sale of our home and the inspector flagged our furnace as not having a furnace door switch and being a potential fire hazard. Parker arrived to open the furnace door to find that the switch had a piece of black tape over it to protect it, he removed said tape, job done. Unreal. Thanks Parker.

Cindy Gooden

22:09 04 Jun 24

Gave us an estimate and we decided to wait a few months before booking. I called when we were ready to book, but the person they directed us to never called us back!

We ended up choosing another local plumber who charged half what CVHAPR quoted us. I'm so glad we got a second opinion.