Water Heater Repair in Lakeville, MN
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Cold groundwater keeps your water heater working longer
From October through May, the water coming into your water heater starts out cold, and on nights near 10 degrees it starts out colder still. The burner or heating element has to run longer to bring it up to temperature, and it does that for eight months of the year. That extra runtime wears on the thermostat and heating element in an electric unit, or the burner assembly and thermocouple in a gas one.
Dakota County also sees winter storms and damaging winds most years, and power can go out along with everything else in the house. Most water heaters come back on by themselves once power returns. If yours does not, or the water comes out lukewarm after an outage, something in the ignition or heating system needs a look.
- 10°F
- the average winter night, and colder incoming water means longer heating
- 8 months
- October through May, the months homes here need heat
- 13%
- of Minnesota 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 $50 a year off hot water for a typical Minnesota home.
Estimates for a typical Minnesota home, compared with an older unit built to the federal minimum, from EIA household energy data and Minnesota 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 probably rusted through and started to fail. Water heaters corrode from the inside out over years of use, and once the tank wall gives way, no amount of tightening fittings will stop the leak. It could also be a loose drain valve or a fitting on the bottom of the tank, which a contractor can check before assuming the tank is done. If it is the tank, the unit needs to be replaced rather than repaired.
- Why won't the pilot light on my water heater stay lit?
- The most common cause is a worn thermocouple or flame sensor, the part that tells the gas valve the pilot is burning. When it fails, the safety system reads the pilot as out and shuts the gas off, even while the flame is lit. A dirty pilot orifice or a draft in the area can cause the same thing. A standing pilot doesn't need power to run, so a power outage isn't the issue here.
- Can a tankless water heater be repaired?
- Yes, most problems with a tankless unit are repairable. Mineral buildup on the heat exchanger, a failed igniter, or a clogged inlet filter are common issues, and each can be serviced without replacing the unit. A contractor can look at the error code on the unit's display to know exactly what part is failing.