Cold Water

• If the faucets in your home won't produce any hot water, and you have a gas water heater, more than likely the pilot light has burned out. Remove the cover at the bottom of the heater to gain access to the pilot light. Follow the directions on the water heater to relight the pilot. On most heaters, you will start the process of relighting the pilot by turning the electric switch and temperature dial to "pilot." Next, depress the reset button and hold it for a minute. Light the pilot at the thermocouple. Once the pilot is lit, turn the electric switch back and turn the temperature dial to the desired setting.
  
  Solving this issue will be different with an electric heater. There are a few different things that could cause this with an electric heater, such as a faulty thermostat or a tripped high-temperature cutoff. Most of these components will be behind an electrical door on the tank. To test these devices, locate them by using your owner's manual and test them with a multimeter. A multimeter will measure an electrical current in the component. If you don't get a reading from the meter, the component probably needs to be replaced.
  
  

A Noisy Tank

• A hot water tank can have more than just heating problems. If you notice that your tank is making noise, it could have sediment in the bottom. In some cases, if hard water builds up in a hot water tank, it can leave contaminants behind. Those contaminants will turn into a layer of sediment that settles to the bottom of the tank. It really doesn't matter what kind of tank you have, sediment can build up in gas and electric heaters. If the tank doesn't make noise, another clue there is sediment in the tank is if you get dirty water from your faucets.
  
  To cure the problem, or stop it from occurring, drain the tank at least once a year. This is done by shutting off the power to the tank and closing the cold water supply valve. Open a hot water faucet in the home to expedite the draining. Attach a hose to the tank's valve and let the water run out. The tank is refilled by closing the drain valve and reopening the cold water supply. When water starts coming from the faucet you turned on in the house earlier, the tank is full. You can now turn the power back on.
  
  

Leaks and Drips

• Electric and gas water heaters can also leak. This usually happens when the pressure relief valve is venting water. The problem can be fixed by just operating the lever. You'll find this lever at the top of the overflow pipe. If the leak continues from this location, get a plumber to replace the valve.
  
  Leaks can be caused from an electric heater by a leaking gasket on the heating element. There are two heating elements in an electric water heater, one at the top and one at the bottom. These can be found behind the same panels where the thermostat is located. Once you have opened the panel, locate the gasket and try to tighten it. If the leak still persists, the gasket needs to be replaced.