Water Heater Repair in Riverton, WY
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Cold ground and long winters wear on your water heater in Riverton
Winter nights here average 10°F from December through February, and incoming water runs cold for months at a stretch. Your water heater works harder just to bring it up to temperature, and that extra runtime adds up on the heating element or the burner. Sediment that settles at the bottom of the tank bakes on harder when the unit is firing that often, and that layer is what usually leads to a tank that leaks or a heater that runs but never gets the water hot.
Fremont County also sees its share of winter storms and power loss. If your water heater loses power for a while and doesn't come back on by itself, the pilot or the igniter is worth checking before you assume the worst.
- 10°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 cause is the tank itself, rusted through from the inside after years of sediment sitting at the bottom. Once the steel is compromised, the leak will not stop or seal itself, and the tank needs to be replaced rather than repaired. Water at the bottom can also come from a loose drain valve or a fitting that has failed, and those a contractor can fix without replacing the tank. Shut off the water supply to the tank and have someone look at it before it sits and causes more damage.
- Why won't the pilot light on my water heater stay lit?
- Usually the thermocouple has worn out and stopped sensing that the pilot is lit, so the gas valve shuts it back off. A weak pilot flame, a draft reaching the pilot, or a clogged pilot tube can cause the same thing. A contractor can test the thermocouple and replace it if that is the problem. Do not keep relighting it over and over if it will not hold. That points to a part that needs replacing, not a fluke.
- Can a tankless water heater be repaired?
- Yes, most tankless water heater problems are repairable. Mineral buildup on the heat exchanger, a failed igniter, or an error code from a sensor are all things a contractor can diagnose and fix without replacing the unit. Tankless units also have parts made to be serviced, unlike a tank that fails from the inside out. If the heat exchanger itself has cracked, that is a bigger repair and a contractor can tell you whether it is worth it once they have looked at the unit.