Water Heater Repair in Arlington, VA
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What winter and power outages do to a water heater in Arlington County
Cold groundwater in the winter months means your water heater works harder to hit the same set temperature, and it does this from October through April, seven months of the year. The burner or heating element runs longer on each cycle to make up the difference. That extra run time wears on the thermostat and the heating element in an electric unit, or the thermocouple and burner assembly in a gas one.
Power still goes out here. Statewide, 22% of households lost power for 24 hours or more in 2024, and the county has logged 77 damaging wind events and 8 winter storms over the past ten years. A gas water heater with a standing pilot keeps working through an outage. One with electronic ignition will not light until the power is back, and you will notice when the hot water runs out and stays cold.
- 29°F
- the average winter night, and colder incoming water means longer heating
- 7 months
- October through April, the months homes here need heat
- 22%
- of Virginia 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 $320 a year off hot water for a typical Virginia home.
Estimates for a typical Virginia home, compared with an older unit built to the federal minimum, from EIA household energy data and Virginia 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 most common reason is that the tank itself has corroded through and is failing. Sediment builds up on the bottom of the tank over years, and it wears through the steel from the inside until water finds a way out. A loose drain valve or a fitting can also leak and look like the tank is the problem, so it's worth checking those first. If the leak is coming from the tank itself, the water heater needs to be replaced, not repaired.
- Why won't the pilot light on my water heater stay lit?
- Usually the thermocouple has worn out and can no longer sense that the pilot is burning, so the gas valve shuts it off. A dirty pilot orifice or a draft blowing across the flame can cause the same thing. If the thermocouple is the issue, replacing it is a straightforward repair. A weak or flickering pilot flame that won't hold is the clue that points to the thermocouple rather than something else in the gas line.
- Can a tankless water heater be repaired?
- Yes, most problems with a tankless water heater are repairable. The igniter, the flow sensor, and the heat exchanger are the parts that tend to fail, and each can be replaced on its own without swapping the whole unit. Mineral buildup inside the heat exchanger is also common and is cleared with a descaling flush rather than a repair. A contractor can check the error code the unit is showing to find out which part is at fault.