Water Heater Repair in Jackson, MS
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What Hinds County does to a water heater
Winter nights here average 38°F from December through February, so your water heater pulls in colder groundwater and has to work harder to bring it up to temperature. That extra cycling wears on the heating element and the thermostat that controls it.
Power outages add to the problem. Statewide, 30% of households went at least 24 hours without electricity in 2024. An electric water heater usually resets on its own once power returns, but a gas unit with an electronic igniter may not relight on its own. You will notice it fastest as a shower that turns cold partway through, or water that never gets hot at all.
- 38°F
- the average winter night, and colder incoming water means longer heating
- 5 months
- November through March, the months homes here need heat
- 30%
- of Mississippi 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 $260 a year off hot water for a typical Mississippi home.
Estimates for a typical Mississippi home, compared with an older unit built to the federal minimum, from EIA household energy data and Mississippi 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 rusted through from the inside and is starting to fail. Sediment builds up on the bottom of the tank over the years, and once it wears through the metal, water finds its way out. It can also be a loose drain valve or a fitting that has failed, which is worth checking first since that can be fixed without replacing the tank. If the leak is coming from the tank itself, a contractor will need to replace the water heater rather than repair it.
- Why won't the pilot light on my water heater stay lit?
- Usually the thermocouple has worn out and is no longer telling the gas valve the pilot is lit, so the valve shuts the gas off as a safety measure. A dirty or clogged pilot orifice can cause the same problem by starving the flame. Wind or a draft near the water heater can also blow the pilot out repeatedly if the unit sits in a spot with airflow. A contractor can test the thermocouple and replace it if that is the cause.
- Can a tankless water heater be repaired?
- Yes, most problems with a tankless water heater can be repaired without replacing the whole unit. Common repairs include cleaning mineral scale out of the heat exchanger, replacing an igniter or flow sensor, or clearing a blocked vent. How much of the unit can be saved depends on its age and what has failed, which a contractor can tell you after looking at it.