Tank & Breaker
Reviewed

Written by the Tank & Breaker editorial teamReviewed by Eric Jackov, plumbing & heating professionalReviewed Oct 20, 2026Fact-checked against 4 sourcesUpdated

How-to

How to Replace a Water Heater Element

Short answer

To replace a water heater element, you shut off the power, drain the tank below the element, unscrew the old one with an element socket, thread in a new one with a new gasket, then refill the tank completely before you turn the power back on. It's an afternoon job for a handy homeowner, and the part that ruins most attempts is restoring power before the tank is full.

Test before you buy anything. If you haven't confirmed the element is bad, do the water heater element test first, because a dead thermostat or a tripped reset button looks exactly the same from the shower.

Tools and parts

  • An element socket or wrench. Bradford White calls for a 1-1/2 inch deep-well socket or an appropriate wrench.
  • A breaker bar or long ratchet. Old elements are often seized.
  • A garden hose for the drain valve.
  • A multimeter or non-contact voltage tester.
  • A screwdriver for the access panel and terminal screws.
  • The replacement element, matched to the old one.
  • A new gasket. Bradford White says the old gasket is not recommended to be reused. Most elements come with one in the box.

Get the right element

State's service handbook says replacement elements must be rated at the same wattage and voltage as the heater's rating plate. The plate is the sticker on the side of the tank. Also match the mounting style: screw-in elements and bolt-on flange elements aren't interchangeable.

If your water is hard, consider a low-watt-density or stainless element. It's the same wattage over a bigger surface, so it runs cooler and scales more slowly. Our water heater heating elements guide explains wattage and types.

Step by step

These steps follow Bradford White's element replacement procedure, with the practical bits filled in.

  1. Turn off the power

    Switch off the double breaker for the water heater. Tape a note on the panel so nobody flips it back on.

  2. Shut off the cold water supply

    Close the valve on the cold inlet line at the top of the tank.

  3. Open a hot water tap

    A tub spout works well. This lets air into the tank so it drains instead of glugging.

  4. Drain the tank below the element

    Connect a hose to the drain valve, run it to a floor drain or outside, and open the valve. Bradford White's procedure drains the tank to a level below the element you're changing. For the lower element that's nearly the whole tank. For the upper one, you only need the level below it.

  5. Remove the access cover and insulation

    Push the insulation aside and pull the plastic safety guard over the thermostat if there is one.

  6. Confirm the power is off

    Touch your tester to the element terminals. No voltage, no exceptions.

  7. Photograph and disconnect the wires

    Two wires per element. A phone photo saves guessing later.

  8. Unscrew the element

    Fit the socket over the hex and turn counter-clockwise. If it won't budge, use the breaker bar with steady pressure. Jerking it can flex the tank wall.

  9. Clean the threads and the seat

    Wipe off old gasket bits and scale so the new gasket sits flat.

  10. Install the new element

    Seat the new gasket flat against the element flange and thread the element in clockwise by hand first, then snug it with the socket. Tight enough to seal, not cranked.

  11. Reconnect the wires

    exactly as they came off, and tighten the terminal screws.

  12. Close the drain valve and refill

    Open the cold supply with the hot tap still open. Wait until water runs out of that tap in a steady stream with no spitting air. That's your proof the tank is full.

  13. Check for leaks

    at the new element before you put the insulation back.

  14. Restore power

    Bradford White's instructions put it in capitals: be sure the tank is full of water before restoring power. Replace the insulation, the guard and the cover, then turn the breaker on.

Tap a number to tick off a step. 0 of 14 done.

Expect the first full tank of hot water in an hour or more. A.O. Smith puts electric tank recovery at about 60 to 90 minutes.

Mistakes to avoid

  • Dry firing. Turning on the breaker with the element out of water can burn out a new element almost at once. Bradford White describes dry firing as an element partly or fully exposed to air and says it can make the element inoperative. It's the most common way people kill a brand-new part.
  • Reusing the old gasket. It's crushed and hard. It will weep.
  • Stripping the hex. A thin stamped wrench slips on a stuck element. A deep socket on a breaker bar grips all six sides.
  • Wrong wattage or voltage. It might heat, but it won't match the thermostat setup or the circuit. Match the rating plate.
  • Skipping the sediment. With the tank drained low, flush it while you're there. HomeGuide notes that sediment corrodes the lower element and that a yearly flush extends element life. Our water heater drain and flush guide covers it.
  • Ignoring a reset button that tripped. If the old element was grounded, the high-limit may have tripped too. Press the red reset button with the power off once the job's done. A.O. Smith says repeated trips point to shorted elements or faulty thermostats.

Should you replace both elements?

Only replace what tests bad. The lower element usually fails first because it sits in the sediment, so it's common to change only that one. If the tank is old, the water is hard and you've drained it anyway, swapping both at once saves a second drain-down later. That's a judgment call, not a rule.

If both elements test good and you still have no heat, the problem is elsewhere. Check the water heater thermostat next.

When it's a pro job

Call a plumber or electrician if the element is seized and the tank flexes when you push, if the threads in the tank are damaged, if you see scorched wires or melted terminal blocks, or if the breaker trips the moment you restore power. Also call if you aren't comfortable around high-voltage wiring. Nobody should learn electrical work on a live tank.

HomeGuide puts the cost of having a pro replace a water heater element at $100 to $350. On a tank that's old and rusting, compare that with water heater repair cost and replacement before you sink money into it.

FAQ

How hard is it to replace the heating element in a water heater?

It's one of the easier water heater repairs. The hard parts are a stuck element and the patience to drain and refill the tank properly. If you can use a multimeter and a breaker bar, you can do it.

Should I replace both water heater elements?

Not automatically. Test both and replace the one that fails. Some people replace both on an older tank to avoid draining it twice, which is reasonable if the tank is otherwise sound.

What is the average lifespan of a hot water heater element?

There's no fixed number, because water hardness and sediment drive it. HomeGuide says yearly flushing extends element life, and a scaled element will fail sooner than a clean one.

How do I test an electric water heater element before replacing it?

With the power off and the wires disconnected, read the resistance across the two terminals. Bradford White's spec for a 4500-watt, 240-volt element is 12.8 ohms, plus or minus 6%. Our element test guide has the full method.

Sources

Trade reviewReviewedReviewed by Eric Jackov, plumbing & heating professional with Plumbing Cor Inc, Bayside, NY, on Oct 20, 2026.
Updated

Eric works under NYC Master Plumber License #2128, held by John D'Auito (Tru-Flo Mechanical, Inc.), NYC Department of Buildings. Verify on the DOB list (opens in a new tab)

The numbers on this page come from the sources listed above. How we research and check pages