Water Heater Repair in Gillette, WY
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Cold like this is hard on a water heater
Winter nights in Gillette average 13°F, December through February. Groundwater coming into the tank is already cold, so the burner or the element runs longer to bring it up to temperature. That extra runtime wears on the thermostat and the heating element in an electric unit, or the burner assembly and thermocouple in a gas one.
Campbell County has seen 49 winter storms and 202 damaging wind events over the past ten years, and 8% of Wyoming households lost power for at least 24 hours in 2024. When the power goes out and comes back, most water heaters start up again on their own. If yours does not, or if you notice the water taking longer to heat or running out faster than it used to, that is usually the tank telling you a part inside it is wearing out.
- 13°F
- the average winter night, and colder incoming water means longer heating
- 10 months
- September through June, the months homes here need heat
- 8%
- of Wyoming 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 $70 a year off hot water for a typical Wyoming home.
Estimates for a typical Wyoming home, compared with an older unit built to the federal minimum, from EIA household energy data and Wyoming 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 most common reason is that the tank itself has failed on the inside and is leaking through the metal. Water heaters corrode from the inside out over years of use, and once the tank rusts through, no amount of tightening fittings will stop it. It can also be a loose drain valve or a fitting at the bottom, which is worth checking first since those can be fixed without replacing the tank. If the leak is coming from the tank body itself, the water heater needs to be replaced, not repaired.
- Why won't the pilot light on my water heater stay lit?
- Usually the thermocouple has worn out and can no longer sense that the pilot is lit, so it shuts the gas off. A weak or dirty pilot flame can cause the same problem, and so can a draft near the burner blowing the flame around. A thermocouple is a simple, inexpensive part to replace, and a licensed contractor can tell within a few minutes whether that is the cause or something else, like a bad gas valve.
- Can a tankless water heater be repaired?
- Yes, most problems with a tankless water heater are repairable. Common issues are a clogged inlet filter, a buildup of scale on the heat exchanger, or a failed igniter, and all of these can be cleaned or replaced without buying a new unit. Error codes on the display usually point a contractor straight to the cause. A full replacement is only needed if the heat exchanger itself has cracked or corroded through.