Water Heater Repair in Asheville, NC
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Cold groundwater and winter outages both take a toll
Water heaters in Buncombe County work harder from October through April, seven months of the year, when incoming water runs cold and the tank has to make up more ground to get hot water to your tap. That extra cycling puts more wear on the heating element or burner assembly, and it's often in these same months that a unit that was already struggling finally quits.
Winter storms here add another problem. The area has seen 8 winter storms and 55 damaging wind events over the past ten years, and statewide, a quarter of households lost power for at least 24 hours in 2024. An electric water heater does nothing until the power is back, and most gas units with electronic ignition won't relight on their own either. If your water heater is cold after an outage and staying cold, that's usually why.
- 28°F
- the average winter night, and colder incoming water means longer heating
- 7 months
- October through April, the months homes here need heat
- 25%
- of North Carolina 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 $300 a year off hot water for a typical North Carolina home.
Estimates for a typical North Carolina home, compared with an older unit built to the federal minimum, from EIA household energy data and North Carolina 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 is holding water inside its steel shell. Once that happens, the tank cannot be patched or sealed, it needs to be replaced. Sometimes what looks like a tank leak is actually water dripping down from a loose fitting or the temperature and pressure relief valve above it, and that kind of leak can often be fixed without replacing the unit. A contractor can tell the difference by drying everything off and watching where the water shows up first.
- Why won't the pilot light on my water heater stay lit?
- The most common cause is a worn thermocouple, the small part that senses the pilot flame and tells the gas valve 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 pilot orifice or a draft blowing on the flame can cause the same problem. A standing pilot does not run on electricity, so power outages are not the cause.
- Can a tankless water heater be repaired?
- Yes, most problems with a tankless water heater are repairable. Common issues are a failing igniter, a buildup of scale on the heat exchanger, or a sensor giving a false reading, and all of these can usually be fixed without replacing the unit. Because these units run on circuit boards and sensors, diagnosing the exact fault takes a contractor with the right equipment for that brand.