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Terms of Use wikiHow is where trusted research and expert knowledge come together. Learn why people trust wikiHow
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Home and Garden
Heating and Cooling
Heating Systems
Water Heating Systems
How to Reset a Water Heater Download Article Co-authored by Rob Calame
Last Updated: July 10, 2025 Fact Checked
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Opening the Water Heater
|
Pressing the Reset Button
|
Reassembling the Water Heater
|
Video
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Expert Interview
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Tips
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Warnings
|Show more|Show less X
This article was co-authored by Rob Calame. Rob Calame is a Training Manager at Barnett Plumbing & Water Heaters, based in Livermore, California, and the Lead Instructor of their Water Heater Training Program. Founded in 2005, Barnett Plumbing & Water Heaters specializes in servicing and installing all water heater types including tank, tankless, and heat pump water heaters throughout the Bay Area. This article has been fact-checked, ensuring the accuracy of any cited facts and confirming the authority of its sources. This article has been viewed 169,616 times.
If your water heater stops producing warm water, resetting the heater will usually solve the problem. As long as you can find the water heater and identify the reset button, the process is simple. All you need to do is open the heater, press the button, and close the heater again. In most cases, your water should be back to normal within a few hours. If you find that you have to reset your water heater regularly, the problem may be related to a weak controller or an element that is shorting out.
Steps
Part 1 Part 1 of 3:
Opening the Water Heater
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1 Disconnect the electricity to the heater. Never tamper with a water heater that's still powered on. Before you begin opening the heater, figure out where it's plugged into the wall and turn off the electricity.[1]XResearch source
Most heaters are plugged into a wall with a cable. You may have to unscrew the cable or turn a knob near it to shut off the electricity.[2]XResearch source
If your water heater is wired in directly you'll need to turn it off at the breaker box.
2 Remove the cover plates. Near the bottom of your water heater, you should find a metal plate that's held in with screws. Use a screwdriver to unscrew each screw and then lift the plate off the heater using your hands.[3]XResearch source Many water heaters have a second cover plate near the top, underneath this plate is usually where you will find the reset button.
Whether you need a Phillips or flat head screwdriver depends on your plate.
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3 Remove the insulation pad. There will be a foam installation pad just inside the heater. This conceals the buttons you'll need to access to reset the heater. Simply pull the pad out with your hands and set it aside for now.
If there is any moisture on the pad or near the reset button, it is likely that an element gasket is leaking, which will need to be fixed before resetting the water heater.
Advertisement Part 2 Part 2 of 3:
Pressing the Reset Button
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1 Locate the red reset button. There should be a red button in the center of the control panel. In some cases, this button is actually labeled as the reset button.[4]XResearch source
2 Press the button firmly. The reset button can sometimes be sticky, especially if you haven't reset the heater in a while. Press down very firmly with your fingers to get the reset button to push inward.[5]XResearch source
3 Wait to hear the button click. Usually, a click indicates the heater has been successfully reset. Keep your finger pressed against the button until you hear a clicking noise.
If you don't hear a click when you press the button, or if it pops right back out, check all the heater's wiring for nicks or loose wire nuts. If the wiring is fine, then the controller probably needs to be replaced.
Every heater is different. Some heaters may not click when you press on the reset button. If you don't hear the click even after pressing on the button for about five seconds, reassemble the heater anyway. It will probably still restore hot water.
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Reassembling the Water Heater
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1 Put the insulation pad back in place. Take the insulation pad that you removed earlier. Use your hands to put it back in the heater in the exact place where you removed it earlier.[6]XResearch source
2 Screw the door back in place. Place the door back over the control panel. Screw it back in place.[7]XResearch source
3 Turn the power back on. Plug the cable back in or flip the necessary switch to restore power. Your water should be running as usual within a few hours.
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Video
Tips
Check the breaker and make sure that it isn't still tripped. Then, flip the deadman switch or the on/off switch—by toggling that, the water heater should fire right back on.[8]X Expert Source Rob CalameTraining Manager at Barnett Plumbing & Water HeatersExpert InterviewThanks Helpful 1 Not Helpful 0
Submit a Tip All tip submissions are carefully reviewed before being published Name Please provide your name and last initial Submit Thanks for submitting a tip for review! Advertisement
Warnings
If you can't figure out how to switch off the electricity, contact a professional to help reset the water heater. It's extremely dangerous to tamper with a water heater while it's still turned on. Thanks Helpful 3 Not Helpful 3
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Expert Interview
Thanks for reading our article! If you’d like to learn more about heating systems, check out our in-depth interview with Rob Calame.
↑ Rob Calame. Training Manager at Barnett Plumbing & Water Heaters. Expert Interview
About This Article
Co-authored by: Rob Calame Training Manager at Barnett Plumbing & Water Heaters This article was co-authored by Rob Calame. Rob Calame is a Training Manager at Barnett Plumbing & Water Heaters, based in Livermore, California, and the Lead Instructor of their Water Heater Training Program. Founded in 2005, Barnett Plumbing & Water Heaters specializes in servicing and installing all water heater types including tank, tankless, and heat pump water heaters throughout the Bay Area. This article has been viewed 169,616 times. 4 votes - 50% Co-authors: 10Updated: July 10, 2025 Views: 169,616 Categories: Water Heating SystemsArticle SummaryX
If your water heater stops producing warm water, resetting it will usually solve the problem. First, disconnect your heater from the electricity. Then, remove the cover plate on the front of your heater with a screwdriver. Some heaters have a second plate covering the reset button. Remove the foam insulation pad behind the plate, then press and hold the reset button. On most water heaters, you should hear a click when it resets. All you need to do now is replace the pad and cover plate, and reconnect your heater. For more tips, including how to disconnect your water heater if it’s wired in directly, read on!Did this summary help you?YesNo
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Thanks to all authors for creating a page that has been read 169,616 times.
Reader Success Stories
Stacey Orum
Jan 27, 2023
"Hey, I did everything in this video & my water heater is working. Thank you. I am a very happy lady!"
More reader stories Hide reader stories Share your story
Did this article help you?
Yes No Advertisement Cookies make wikiHow better. By continuing to use our site, you agree to our cookie policy. Co-authored by: Rob Calame Training Manager at Barnett Plumbing & Water Heaters 4 votes - 50% Click a star to vote 50% of people told us that this article helped them. Co-authors: 10Updated: July 10, 2025 Views: 169,616
Stacey Orum
Jan 27, 2023
"Hey, I did everything in this video & my water heater is working. Thank you. I am a very happy lady!"
Bruce
Jul 23, 2021
"I know my water heater a lot better now." Share yours! More success stories Hide success stories
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Co-authored by: Rob Calame Training Manager at Barnett Plumbing & Water Heaters This article was co-authored by Rob Calame. Rob Calame is a Training Manager at Barnett Plumbing & Water Heaters, based in Livermore, California, and the Lead Instructor of their Water Heater Training Program. Founded in 2005, Barnett Plumbing & Water Heaters specializes in servicing and installing all water heater types including tank, tankless, and heat pump water heaters throughout the Bay Area. This article has been viewed 169,616 times. 4 votes - 50% Co-authors: 10 Updated: July 10, 2025 Views: 169,616 Categories: Water Heating Systems Article SummaryX
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1 Disconnect the electricity to the heater. Never tamper with a water heater that's still powered on. Before you begin opening the heater, figure out where it's plugged into the wall and turn off the electricity.[1] 
2 Remove the cover plates. Near the bottom of your water heater, you should find a metal plate that's held in with screws. Use a screwdriver to unscrew each screw and then lift the plate off the heater using your hands.[3] Many water heaters have a second cover plate near the top, underneath this plate is usually where you will find the reset button. 
3 Remove the insulation pad. There will be a foam installation pad just inside the heater. This conceals the buttons you'll need to access to reset the heater. Simply pull the pad out with your hands and set it aside for now. 
1 Locate the red reset button. There should be a red button in the center of the control panel. In some cases, this button is actually labeled as the reset button.[4] 
2 Press the button firmly. The reset button can sometimes be sticky, especially if you haven't reset the heater in a while. Press down very firmly with your fingers to get the reset button to push inward.[5] 
3 Wait to hear the button click. Usually, a click indicates the heater has been successfully reset. Keep your finger pressed against the button until you hear a clicking noise. 
1 Put the insulation pad back in place. Take the insulation pad that you removed earlier. Use your hands to put it back in the heater in the exact place where you removed it earlier.[6] 
2 Screw the door back in place. Place the door back over the control panel. Screw it back in place.[7] 
3 Turn the power back on. Plug the cable back in or flip the necessary switch to restore power. Your water should be running as usual within a few hours. Advertisement 
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