Water Heater Repair in Yakima, WA
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Yakima County keeps your water heater working most of the year
Winter nights here average 24°F from December through February, and homes need heat from September through June. That means your water heater is working hard most months, not just in the deep of winter, and the parts inside it get less of a break than they would somewhere milder.
Power is part of the problem too. Nearly a quarter of Washington households went at least 24 hours without power in 2024, and the county has logged 62 winter storms and 21 damaging wind events over the past ten years. When the power drops and comes back, most water heaters restart on their own, but a storm that hits your area hard enough can still leave you checking why the water isn't heating when it should be.
- 24°F
- the average winter night, and colder incoming water means longer heating
- 10 months
- September through June, the months homes here need heat
- 23%
- of Washington 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 $280 a year off hot water for a typical Washington home.
Estimates for a typical Washington home, compared with an older unit built to the federal minimum, from EIA household energy data and Washington 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 cracking from the inside. Sediment builds up at the bottom of the tank over years, and once it wears through the steel and the glass lining, water finds a way out. A loose drain valve or a fitting can also leak from the bottom, and that one is worth checking first since it can be tightened or replaced. If the tank itself is the source, it needs to be replaced, not patched.
- 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 shuts the gas off even though the flame is lit. A dirty pilot orifice or a draft in the area can also blow the flame out. If you relight it and it goes out again within a minute or two, the thermocouple is the likely culprit and a contractor can replace it.
- Can a tankless water heater be repaired?
- Yes, most problems with a tankless unit are repairable. The heat exchanger, the flow sensor, and the igniter are the parts that fail most often, and each can be replaced on its own. Mineral buildup from hard water is a common cause of reduced flow or error codes, and flushing the unit clears it. A contractor can run the diagnostics built into the unit to find which part is causing the problem.