Water Heater Repair in Denver, CO
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Denver winters put water heaters to work
Denver homes need heat from October through May. That's eight months where your water heater is drawing in cold groundwater and pushing it up to temperature, night after night, with winter lows that average 19°F from December through February. The colder the water coming in, the harder the burner or the heating element has to work to catch up.
That steady demand shows up in the parts that wear first. A gas water heater's igniter or thermocouple can fail after enough cycles, leaving you with cold water and no flame. Storms play a part too. Denver County has logged 32 winter storms and 64 damaging wind events over the past ten years, and outages follow. Statewide, 13% of Colorado households lost power for 24 hours or more in 2024. When the power comes back, most electric water heaters restart on their own, but a gas unit with an electronic igniter usually needs a hand to relight.
- 19°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 Colorado 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 Colorado home.
Estimates for a typical Colorado home, compared with an older unit built to the federal minimum, from EIA household energy data and Colorado 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 cause is the tank itself has corroded through and is failing from the inside. Sediment builds up at the bottom of the tank over years and traps moisture against the steel, and once it rusts through, water finds its way out. A leak can also come from a loose drain valve or a fitting at the bottom, which a contractor can tighten or replace. If the tank itself is leaking, it needs to be replaced, since a corroded tank cannot be patched or sealed.
- Why won't the pilot light on my water heater stay lit?
- Usually the thermocouple has worn out and can no longer sense that the pilot is burning, so the gas valve shuts it off. A dirty pilot orifice or a weak gas supply can cause the same thing. Wind or a draft in the space around the water heater can also blow the flame out repeatedly. A contractor can test the thermocouple and clean or adjust the pilot assembly to fix it.
- Can a tankless water heater be repaired?
- Yes, most problems with a tankless water heater are repairable. Mineral buildup on the heat exchanger is common and is cleared by flushing the unit with a descaling solution. Igniters, sensors, and fans can also fail on their own and be replaced without swapping out the whole unit. A contractor can diagnose which part is causing the problem and repair it.