Water Heater Repair in Brookings, SD
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Nine months of cold groundwater, and winter nights near zero
Your water heater works longer here than in most places. Heat is on in the house from September through May, and the water coming into the tank stays cold that whole stretch. On the nights it drops to 8°F, the incoming water is about as cold as the tank ever sees, and the burner or the element has to work harder and longer to bring it up to temperature.
That extra work falls on the same parts every time. A gas water heater's burner cycles more often, which wears on the igniter and the thermocouple. An electric water heater's heating element stays on longer to make up the difference, which shortens its life. You will usually notice it first as water that used to run hot taking longer to get there, or hot water that runs out sooner than it used to.
- 8°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 often the tank itself has rusted through from the inside and is cracked, and once that happens the tank has to be replaced, not repaired. The other common cause is a loose drain valve or a fitting that has failed, and those can be fixed without replacing the tank. There is also a chance the leak is actually condensation, especially on a cold water line or during winter when incoming water is much colder than the air around the tank. A contractor can tell within a few minutes which one it is by drying the tank off and watching where the water comes from.
- Why won't the pilot light on my water heater stay lit?
- The most common reason is a worn out thermocouple, the small sensor that sits in the pilot flame and tells the gas valve it is safe to keep sending gas. When it wears out it can no longer sense the flame properly, so the valve shuts the gas off and the pilot goes out. A dirty pilot orifice or a draft blowing across the flame can cause the same thing. This is a gas valve component, so it should be handled by a contractor rather than repeatedly relit.
- Can a tankless water heater be repaired?
- Yes, most tankless water heater problems are repairable. Common issues are a buildup of mineral scale on the heat exchanger, a failed igniter, a clogged inlet filter, or a sensor that needs replacing. A tankless unit only needs full replacement when the heat exchanger itself has cracked or corroded through. A contractor can run the fault code the unit displays to tell you which one you are dealing with.