Water Heater Repair in El Paso, TX
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El Paso winters are short, but they still get cold
El Paso County homes only need heat from November through March, but winter nights average 32°F in December through February. That's cold enough for a water heater to work harder than it does the rest of the year, especially first thing in the morning when everyone wants hot water at once.
Power is the bigger risk. A third of Texas households went at least 24 hours without power in 2024, and the county has seen 5 winter storms and 70 damaging wind events over the past ten years. A gas water heater with an electronic igniter won't relight on its own once power comes back. A standing pilot will stay lit through the outage, but if the pilot goes out for any reason, someone has to relight it by hand. Either way, you'll notice when the water runs cold and nothing you do brings the heat back.
- 32°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 $80 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?
- The tank has likely rusted through from the inside and is leaking, and that means it needs to be replaced, not patched. Water heaters corrode from the inside out over years of use, and once the steel gives way, no sealant on the outside will hold. A puddle could also come from a loose drain valve or a fitting at the bottom, and those a contractor can tighten or replace. Shut off the water and power to the tank and have someone look at it before it gets worse.
- 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 reads the flame as out even when it is lit, and the valve shuts off the gas. A dirty pilot orifice or a draft blowing the flame out can cause the same thing. A contractor can test the thermocouple and replace it if that is the problem, and it is not something to keep relighting on your own.
- Can a tankless water heater be repaired?
- Yes, most problems with a tankless water heater are repairable. Mineral buildup on the heat exchanger, a failed igniter, or a fouled flow sensor are common issues, and each one can be cleaned or replaced without needing a new unit. Hard water buildup is the most frequent cause of reduced hot water output over time, and it can usually be flushed out. A contractor can run a diagnostic to find which part is causing the trouble before deciding what needs replacing.