Water heater repair cost can vary a great amount.

Water heater repair cost can vary from inexpensive to very expensive. There are some problems that just have to be handled by a professional plumber and some are so simple you may be able to do it yourself. You may be in a situation that requires a completely new hot water heater. Such as those offered by rheem, ao smith, bosch, state, lowes or a tankless water heater like those offered by rinnai.

You may need just a simple inexpensive repair such as replacing the anode rod if your water has odor or replacing the pop off valve if it is leaking.  Do your homework and study sites such as this one to educate yourself to be better prepared to evaluate your problem before attempting to be deal with any hot water heater, because they can be dangerous.

The good news is that there are only a small amount of things that can go wrong with water heaters because they have only a few parts.

If your heater is electric and it quits heating your water, check  your electric circuit breaker. Your electric elements inside the heater may be burned out or your thermostat may have failed if your power supply is good.

If you have a gas powered water heater, check your heater for a flame. Is your pilot light out? How is your gas supply? Are there any problems there?  

Hot Water Heater
Hot Water Heater

 

Let’s take a look at the basic way a water heater operates. Which is a fairly simple process.

* Cold water enters the tank

* The water is heated by a gas burner or an electric element

* A thermostat controls when the gas burner or the electric elements shuts off when the water reaches a certain temperature. Which is usually between 120-140 degrees.

* Water pressure inside the tank sends the heated water to your faucet.

* Turn on your faucet and you have hot water.

Water heater repair cost generally run between $150.00 to $300.00 for any of the basic functions if done by a professional plumber. But, if your tank is leaking from the inside which in most cases is caused by minerals in the water and its reaction with the steel, it usually cannot be repaired and you will have to purchase a new unit.

Whether you choose to repair or replace just always remember to put safety first. Your water is heated by either gas or high voltage electricity and both can be very dangerous.

 Hot water heater repair can be something of a mixed bag. There are minor repairs that you can attempt yourself if you know how and there are problems that should only be handled by a licensed professional plumber. It is important to know what you are looking for and what your capabilities are when attempting to deal with any hot water heater repair.

Because water heaters contain so few moving parts, only a few things can go wrong. Such as:

  • Circuit breaker for an electric heater trips.
  • Burner or heating element fails.
  • Pilot light on gas water heater flickers out.
  • Pop off safety valve sticks and leaks.
  • Thermostat fails .
  • Anode rod dissolves and water as order
  • Inside tank develops a leak

But if the tank is more than 10 years old, or if it is leaking, a new water tank is likely in your future. 

Water heater repair costs can be expensive, but failure to make the needed repairs could result in property damage and risk the health and well-being of your family.