Water Heater Repair in Kemmerer, WY
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Kemmerer keeps a water heater working almost year round
Heat is on in these homes from August through June, which means the water heater is feeding a system that barely gets a break. Winter nights average 8°F from December through February, and cold groundwater coming into the tank makes the burner or element run longer to hold a set temperature. That extra runtime wears on the thermostat and the heating element in an electric unit, or the thermocouple and burner assembly in a gas one.
Lincoln County has seen 307 winter storms and 29 damaging wind events over the past ten years, and power interruptions come with that kind of weather. Most water heaters pick back up on their own once power returns, but a unit with a standing pilot never needed the power to begin with. What you notice first is usually water that takes longer to heat up, or runs out faster than it used to.
- 8°F
- the average winter night, and colder incoming water means longer heating
- 11 months
- August 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 $260 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?
- Most of the time this means the tank itself has rusted through and is failing. Water heaters don't develop small leaks that stay small. Sediment collects in the bottom of the tank over years, and once it corrodes a hole, water finds its way out and won't stop. A leak from the bottom is different from water dripping off a fitting or a valve above it, which a contractor can usually repair. Once the tank itself is leaking, the tank 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 sensor that sits in the pilot flame and tells the gas valve it's safe to stay open. When it wears out, it stops sensing the flame correctly and shuts the gas off even though the pilot is lit. A dirty or misaligned pilot orifice can cause the same problem. Either way, this is a gas valve or sensor issue a contractor needs to diagnose, not something to keep relighting on your own.
- Can a tankless water heater be repaired?
- Yes, most tankless problems are repairable. The heat exchanger, igniter, flow sensor and venting are all parts a contractor can test and replace individually. Mineral buildup inside the heat exchanger is a common cause of reduced hot water or error codes, and it can usually be flushed out rather than replaced. A contractor can pull the error code from the unit's display and tell you what part is behind it.