Water Heater Repair in Missoula, MT
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Ten months of hard use, then a hard freeze
Your water heater works from September through June here, almost year round. That means the tank sees more heating cycles than it would somewhere warmer, and every cycle wears on the heating element and the thermostat that controls it.
Winter nights average 17°F from December through February, and cold water coming into the tank makes the heating element work harder to keep up. Missoula County has also seen 164 winter storms and 69 damaging wind events over the past ten years, and statewide, 18% of households went at least a full day without power in 2024. If your water heater loses power during a stretch like that, a gas unit with a standing pilot will keep heating water on its own, but an electric unit or one with an electronic ignition will need to be reset once power comes back. If yours isn't heating after an outage, that's often the reason.
- 17°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?
- Most often the tank itself has rusted through from the inside and is starting to fail. Water heaters corrode with age, and once the tank is compromised, no seal or fitting will stop the leak, since the steel itself is what gave out. It can also be the drain valve or a loose fitting near the bottom, which a contractor can check before assuming the tank is done. If the tank is the source, 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, the small part that senses the pilot flame and tells the gas valve to stay open. Once it wears out, it can no longer confirm the flame is lit, so the gas valve shuts off even though the pilot was burning fine. A dirty pilot orifice or a draft in the area can also blow the flame out. A contractor can test the thermocouple and replace it if that is the cause.
- Can a tankless water heater be repaired?
- Yes, most tankless water heater problems are repairable. Issues like a failed igniter, a clogged inlet filter, mineral buildup on the heat exchanger, or an error code from a sensor can usually be fixed without replacing the unit. A contractor can read the error code the unit displays and diagnose the exact part causing it. Replacement is usually only needed when the heat exchanger itself has failed.