Water Heater Repair in Rawlins, WY
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Cold groundwater and long winters wear on your water heater here
Rawlins winters push nights down to 13°F on average from December through February, and the water coming into your tank is close to that cold for most of the year. The burner or the heating element has to work harder and longer to bring it up to temperature, and that extra runtime is what wears out an igniter or burns out an element before its time.
Carbon County sees storms often enough that the power grid feels it. Statewide, 8% of households went at least a full day without power last year. A gas water heater with a standing pilot will keep working through that. One with electric ignition or an electric tank will not come back on by itself until the power does, and you will notice when the hot water runs out and stays 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 tank itself has likely rusted through and is leaking from the inside out. Water heaters corrode over years as the glass lining that protects the steel tank wears down, and once the steel underneath is exposed, it rusts and eventually leaks. It can also be a loose drain valve or a fitting at the bottom, which a contractor can tighten or replace. If the tank itself is the source, the water heater needs to be replaced, not repaired, since there is no way to patch a rusted tank.
- Why won't the pilot light on my water heater stay lit?
- The most common cause is a worn thermocouple, the small sensor that tells the gas valve the pilot is burning. When it wears out, it fails to signal the valve fast enough and the gas shuts off. A weak pilot flame, a draft near the burner, or a dirty pilot orifice can cause the same thing. A contractor can test the thermocouple and replace it if it is bad, which is a straightforward fix on most tanks.
- Can a tankless water heater be repaired?
- Yes, most problems with a tankless water heater are repairable. Common issues include a clogged inlet filter, a buildup of scale on the heat exchanger, an ignition failure, or a faulty flow sensor, and all of these can be cleaned or replaced without swapping out the whole unit. Mineral buildup is one of the more frequent causes of trouble since it restricts water flow and can throw error codes on the unit's display. A contractor can read the error code and tell you exactly which part needs attention.