De-winterized and lost water heater

[Helotes2010]

I de-winterized my 5th this past week and now my water heater won't work. Electric gives me nothing. Propane wants to ignite but doesn't. So I need to have a shop access problem and fix it. Anyone have any experience with this? I have never taken the 5th in for any repair, what should I expect? Cost?

[Larry & Linda]

Most of the time when you winterize, the water heater is by-passed and drained. The by-pass allows less antifreeze from being used during the winterization process.

If you de-witerized and did not return the water flow through the heater, you will not have hot water with gas or electric and may damage the heating unit.

Disregard the above if you have already verified it!

[ralper]

If you turned on the 120 volt to the water heater without the heater being full of water you can now replace the burned out electric heating element.

First go outside and open the access panel to get at the water heater controls. Be sure the power is off. Remove and replace each wire 2 times. This will clean any corrosion off the terminals. I have to do this at least once a year and I am a full timer.

[Ray,IN]

Originally Posted by ralper

First go outside and open the access panel to get at the water heater controls. Be sure the power is off. Remove and replace each wire 2 times. This will clean any corrosion off the terminals. I have to do this at least once a year and I am a full timer.

It cost me $85 to learn this trick from a mobile RV repairman.

[Jbpatton]

If you shut off your gas or removed it to refill the tank the gas line to the water heater maybe empty and it will take some time to get it to stay lit