Water Heater Repair in Aberdeen, SD
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What Aberdeen winters do to a water heater
Groundwater coming into your house is already cold, and on nights that average 6°F from December through February, it's colder still. Your water heater has to work harder to close that gap, and it runs longer to do it. That extra runtime wears on the heating element or burner, and on the thermostat that tells it when to fire.
When a tank starts to lose ground, you feel it at the faucet. Water that used to run hot comes out warm instead, or the hot water runs out sooner than it used to. Either one means the unit isn't keeping up anymore.
- 6°F
- the average winter night, and colder incoming water means longer heating
- 9 months
- September through May, the months homes here need heat
NOAA nClimDiv, 1991–2020 normals
A new water heater would cut about $50 a year off hot water for a typical South Dakota home.
Estimates for a typical South Dakota home, compared with an older unit built to the federal minimum, from EIA household energy data and South Dakota fuel prices. Your home will differ.
Repair makes sense when an element, thermostat or gas valve has failed.
Replacement makes sense when the tank itself is leaking.
- Why is my water heater leaking from the bottom?
- Most bottom leaks come from the tank itself rusting through, and once that happens the tank needs to be replaced, not patched. Before you assume the worst, check whether the leak is really the tank or something above it, like the drain valve or a loose fitting, since water can run down the side and pool at the bottom either way. A cracked drain valve or a failed temperature and pressure relief valve can also drip from that area and those are simple to fix. A contractor can tell within a few minutes which one you have.
- Why won't the pilot light on my water heater stay lit?
- This is usually the thermocouple, the small part that senses the pilot flame and tells the gas valve to stay open. When it wears out or sits out of position, it reads the flame as out even when it is lit, so the gas shuts off. A weak pilot flame or a draft blowing across it can cause the same thing, so check for drafts around the unit first. If the flame looks strong and steady and it still won't hold, the thermocouple is the likely part to replace.
- Can a tankless water heater be repaired?
- Yes, most problems with a tankless unit are repairable. Mineral buildup on the heat exchanger is common and is cleared with a descaling flush, especially important if the unit has been running a while. Igniter failures, sensor errors and blocked intake or exhaust vents are also things a contractor can fix without replacing the whole unit. Replacement usually only comes up when the heat exchanger itself has failed.