Water Heater Repair in Beaver Dam, WI
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What Beaver Dam winters do to a water heater
Your water heater works harder from October through May, close to eight months a year. On nights near 14°F, the incoming water is colder than it is most of the year, so the burner or heating element runs longer to make up the difference. That extra runtime wears on the thermostat and the heating element in an electric unit, or the igniter and burner assembly in a gas one.
Dodge County also sees its share of winter storms and wind, and with them, power that goes out and comes back. Most water heaters restart on their own once power returns, but a unit that was already struggling can fail right after. If your water is taking longer to heat, running out fast, or the pilot won't stay lit, that is the cold months catching up with it.
- 14°F
- the average winter night, and colder incoming water means longer heating
- 8 months
- October through May, the months homes here need heat
- 18%
- of Wisconsin 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 $40 a year off hot water for a typical Wisconsin home.
Estimates for a typical Wisconsin home, compared with an older unit built to the federal minimum, from EIA household energy data and Wisconsin 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 itself has likely rusted through from the inside and is starting to fail. Water heaters corrode from the inside over the years, and once the tank wall gives way, the leak won't stop or seal itself. It could also be a loose drain valve or a fitting at the bottom, which a contractor can check before assuming the tank is done. If it is the tank, replacement is the only fix, since a leaking tank can't be patched or resealed.
- Why won't the pilot light on my water heater stay lit?
- The most common cause is a worn thermocouple, the small sensor that sits in the pilot flame and tells the gas valve it's safe to stay open. When it wears out or gets coated in soot, it stops sensing the flame correctly and shuts the gas off. A dirty pilot orifice or a draft blowing the flame out can cause the same thing. A standing pilot doesn't run on household power, so this isn't related to an outage, and it's worth having a contractor check the thermocouple and the flame itself rather than relighting it over and over.
- 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 a clogged inlet filter are all things a contractor can clean or replace without swapping out the unit. Error codes on the display usually point to the specific part causing trouble, which speeds up the diagnosis. Full replacement is only needed when the heat exchanger itself has cracked or corroded through.