Water Heater Repair in Lewistown, MT
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Ten months of heating season wears on a water heater here
Homes in Fergus County need heat from September through June, ten months of the year, and your water heater runs alongside that whole stretch. Winter nights average 14°F from December through February, so the unit is working through the coldest part of the year for months at a stretch, not just a few cold snaps.
The county has logged 28 winter storms and 147 damaging wind events over the past ten years, and statewide, 18% of households went at least 24 hours without power in 2024. A tank that runs on an electric element or an igniter needs power to heat water. When the power goes out, the water runs cold and stays cold until the power comes back and the unit fires up again.
- 14°F
- the average winter night, and colder incoming water means longer heating
- 10 months
- September through June, the months homes here need heat
- 18%
- of Montana 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 $60 a year off hot water for a typical Montana home.
Estimates for a typical Montana home, compared with an older unit built to the federal minimum, from EIA household energy data and Montana 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 in the bottom of the tank over years and traps moisture against the steel, which eats through it from the inside out. Water can also drip down from a loose fitting or a failing valve higher up on the tank, so it's worth drying everything off and checking where the water first appears. If the leak is coming from the tank itself, the tank needs to be replaced, since a rusted-through tank cannot be sealed or patched.
- 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 that the pilot is lit, so the valve shuts the gas off. A dirty or misaligned pilot orifice can cause the same problem, and a draft near the pilot can blow the small flame out before the thermocouple heats up. Some of this a homeowner can check by looking at the flame color and position, but replacing the thermocouple or cleaning the orifice is a job for a licensed contractor.
- Can a tankless water heater be repaired?
- Yes, most problems with a tankless water heater are repairable. Common issues include a clogged inlet filter, mineral scale buildup on the heat exchanger, a failed igniter, or an error code pointing to a sensor. A contractor can diagnose which part has failed and replace it, and a unit is usually only replaced outright when the heat exchanger itself has cracked or corroded.