Water Heater Repair in London, KY
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What London winters do to a water heater
Your water heater works harder from October through April, when it has to bring water up from colder groundwater to begin with. On nights that average 28°F, a tank in a garage or basement loses heat faster, so the burner or element cycles on more just to hold temperature.
Laurel County sees its share of winter storms and wind events that knock out power. Most gas water heaters with a standing pilot will keep working through an outage, but electric units and any gas unit with electronic ignition will not heat water until power is back. If yours has gone cold after a storm, that is often why.
- 28°F
- the average winter night, and colder incoming water means longer heating
- 7 months
- October through April, the months homes here need heat
- 24%
- of Kentucky households lost power for a day or more in 2024, and a heater with an electric element or electric ignition stops without it
NOAA nClimDiv, 1991–2020 normals
A new water heater would cut about $270 a year off hot water for a typical Kentucky home.
Estimates for a typical Kentucky home, compared with an older unit built to the federal minimum, from EIA household energy data and Kentucky 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?
- The tank itself has likely rusted through and is holding water that's now finding a way out. This happens as the glass lining inside the tank wears down over years of use, letting the steel underneath corrode. A leak from the bottom is different from a loose drain valve or a fitting weeping at the top, which a contractor can sometimes repair. Once the tank itself is leaking, the unit needs to be replaced, not patched.
- Why won't the pilot light on my water heater stay lit?
- The most common cause is a worn thermocouple, the small part that senses the pilot flame and tells the gas valve it's safe to stay open. When it wears out, it reads the flame as out even when it's lit, so the gas shuts off. A dirty pilot orifice or a draft blowing out the flame can cause the same problem. A contractor can test the thermocouple and replace it if that's the cause.
- Can a tankless water heater be repaired?
- Yes, most problems in a tankless water heater are repairable. Mineral buildup on the heat exchanger, a failed igniter, or a faulty flow sensor are common issues a contractor can diagnose and fix without replacing the unit. Regular descaling helps prevent the mineral buildup that causes many of these repairs in the first place. A contractor can look at the specific unit and tell you what's wrong.