Water Heater Repair in Austin, TX
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Travis County water heaters answer to the grid, not just the weather
The bigger risk to a water heater here isn't the cold, it's the power going out from under it. Statewide, a third of Texas households lost power for at least 24 hours in 2024, and Travis County has logged 9 winter storms and 103 damaging wind events over the past ten years.
A gas water heater with a standing pilot rides out an outage fine. One with electronic ignition does not, and most units come back on by themselves once power returns. If yours has stayed cold since the last outage, it may need to be relit or reset by hand.
- 40°F
- the average winter night, and colder incoming water means longer heating
- 5 months
- November through March, the months homes here need heat
- 33%
- of Texas 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 $290 a year off hot water for a typical Texas home.
Estimates for a typical Texas home, compared with an older unit built to the federal minimum, from EIA household energy data and Texas 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 often the tank itself has rusted through, and once that happens the tank has to be replaced, not repaired. Sediment builds up in the bottom of the tank over years and corrodes the steel from the inside until it gives way. A leak can also come from the drain valve or a loose fitting, and those are worth checking first since they're an easy fix. If water is pooling under the tank itself and not from a pipe or valve, a contractor needs to look at it before you use it again.
- 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 fails, the valve shuts off the gas as a safety measure even though the pilot lit fine a moment ago. A dirty pilot orifice or a draft blowing out the flame can cause the same thing. A standing pilot doesn't use any power, so if it won't stay lit the problem is with the gas side, not your electricity.
- Can a tankless water heater be repaired?
- Yes, most problems with a tankless unit are repairable. Mineral buildup on the heat exchanger, a failed igniter, or an error code from a blocked vent are all things a contractor can fix without replacing the unit. Tankless heaters run longer than tank models, so repair is usually the first option, not replacement. If the heat exchanger itself has cracked, that's the one failure that usually means a new unit.