Water Heater Repair in Madison, SD
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Nine months of hard use, then a hard freeze
Your water heater works from September through May here, and on winter nights averaging 9°F it has to work harder to keep up. Groundwater coming into the tank is colder, so the burner or element runs longer to get water up to temperature. That extra runtime wears on the thermostat and the heating element in an electric tank, or the burner assembly in a gas one.
Madison has had 27 winter storms and 48 damaging wind events over the past ten years. Storms like that can knock out power for hours, and when it comes back on, most tanks fire back up on their own. If yours does not, or if you notice the water taking longer to heat than it used to, that is worth a look before it fails outright.
- 9°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 can't be patched. It can also be a loose drain valve or a fitting that's worked its way loose, which a contractor can tighten or replace. The only way to tell the difference is to have someone look at it, because a tank leak means replacement while a fitting leak is a simple fix. Either way, shut off the water and power to the unit until it's checked, since water pooling at the base can damage the floor around it.
- Why won't the pilot light on my water heater stay lit?
- Usually the thermocouple has worn out and can no longer hold the gas valve open once you let go of the button. It can also be a weak pilot flame, a draft blowing it out, or a clogged pilot tube keeping the flame too small to heat the thermocouple. A contractor can test the thermocouple in a few minutes and replace it if it's the cause. Don't keep relighting it over and over if it won't hold, since that's a sign the part needs attention, not the lighting technique.
- Can a tankless water heater be repaired?
- Yes, most problems with a tankless water heater are repairable. Igniters, flow sensors, and heat exchangers can all be replaced without swapping out the whole unit. Mineral buildup inside the unit is common too, especially if it's never been flushed, and that can usually be cleared rather than requiring a new unit. A contractor can pull the error code the unit is showing and tell you exactly what's failed.