Water Heater Repair in Springfield, MO
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Winter here is hard on a water heater
Groundwater coming into your house is already cold on nights that average 25°F from December through February. The burner or heating element has to run longer to close that gap, and it does this every day from October through April. That extra runtime wears on the thermostat and heating element in an electric unit, or the burner assembly and thermocouple in a gas one.
Missouri also loses power. Statewide, 19% of households went at least 24 hours without it in 2024, and this county has logged 14 winter storms and 302 damaging wind events over the last ten years. When the power drops, an electric water heater stops making hot water until it's back, and when it comes back on, that's often when a weak heating element or a bad thermostat finally gives out.
- 25°F
- the average winter night, and colder incoming water means longer heating
- 7 months
- October through April, the months homes here need heat
- 19%
- of Missouri 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 $80 a year off hot water for a typical Missouri home.
Estimates for a typical Missouri home, compared with an older unit built to the federal minimum, from EIA household energy data and Missouri 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 of the time this means the tank itself has rusted through and is failing. Water heater tanks are lined, but once that lining wears thin or cracks, the steel underneath corrodes and starts to weep. A leak can also come from a loose drain valve or a fitting where a pipe connects, which is worth checking first since those can sometimes be tightened or replaced. But water pooling under the tank itself, not at a fitting, usually means the tank is done and needs to be replaced, not repaired.
- Why won't the pilot light on my water heater stay lit?
- This is usually the thermocouple, the small sensor that sits in the pilot flame and tells the gas valve it's safe to keep the gas flowing. When it wears out or gets coated in soot, it stops sensing the flame and shuts the gas off even though the pilot lit fine a moment ago. A weak or dirty pilot orifice can cause the same problem. Either way it's a straightforward part to replace, and a contractor can tell which one it is by testing the sensor's reading while the pilot is lit.
- Can a tankless water heater be repaired?
- Yes, most tankless water heater problems are repairable without replacing the whole unit. Common issues are a clogged inlet filter, mineral buildup on the heat exchanger from hard water, or a failed igniter, and each of those can be cleaned or swapped out on its own. Error codes on the unit's display usually point straight to which part is at fault, which makes diagnosis quicker than with an old tank system. A contractor can read that code and confirm what needs replacing.