Water Heater Repair in Manitowoc, WI
Tell us what your water heater is doing, and a licensed contractor who covers Manitowoc County will get in touch.
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What winter here does to your water heater
Water heaters in Manitowoc County work through nine months of heating season, September through May, and the incoming water is colder for all of it. On the nights that average 15°F, the tank runs longer to hold its set temperature, and the burner or heating element cycles more to keep up. That extra cycling wears on the thermostat and the heating element in an electric unit, or the burner assembly and thermocouple in a gas one.
The county has logged 25 winter storms and 52 damaging wind events over the past ten years, and 18% of Wisconsin households lost power for at least a day in 2024. A gas water heater with a standing pilot keeps running through an outage. One with electronic ignition will not relight until the power is back, so you may need to relight it yourself once it returns.
- 15°F
- the average winter night, and colder incoming water means longer heating
- 9 months
- September 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?
- Most often the tank itself has rusted through from the inside and is cracked. Water pools at the bottom because that is the lowest point, even if the failure started higher up on the tank wall. A leak like this means the tank needs to be replaced, not patched. It could also be the drain valve or a fitting nearby, so a contractor needs to check before you assume the tank is done.
- Why won't the pilot light on my water heater stay lit?
- A pilot that won't stay lit is usually a thermocouple that has worn out or is out of position. The thermocouple's job is to sense that the pilot is burning and keep the gas valve open. When it fails, the valve shuts the gas off as a safety measure, even though you just relit the flame. It can also be a draft blowing the pilot out or a clogged pilot orifice, so a contractor will need to look at it to know which.
- Can a tankless water heater be repaired?
- Yes, most problems with a tankless water heater can be repaired rather than requiring a new unit. Common repairs include descaling the heat exchanger, replacing an igniter, or clearing a blocked vent. A contractor can diagnose what's failing and tell you whether repair makes sense for your unit's age and condition.