Water Heater Repair in Montrose, CO
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Montrose winters are hard on a water heater
Cold groundwater feeds your water heater from October through May, and on nights that average 18°F the tank has to work harder just to hold temperature. That extra cycling wears on the heating element or the burner, and it shows up first as a shorter supply of hot water or a pilot that won't stay lit.
Montrose County has logged 202 winter storms and 53 damaging wind events over the past ten years. Storms like that knock out power, and across Colorado 13% of households lost power for 24 hours or more in 2024. Most water heaters come back on by themselves once power returns, but a unit already struggling with the cold has less room to recover.
- 18°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 failing from the inside out, where years of sediment and mineral buildup wear through the steel lining and let water seep out at a seam or fitting. It can also be a loose drain valve, a failed T&P valve, or condensation, so the leak is not always the tank. Once a tank starts leaking from the bottom, though, it is usually at the end of its life and will need to be replaced, not repaired. A contractor can tell you which one you're dealing with in a few minutes.
- 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 it shuts off the gas as a safety measure. A dirty pilot orifice or a draft in the area can also blow the flame out. Sometimes the gas valve itself is failing, which is a different repair. A contractor can test the thermocouple and the valve to find out which one is causing it.
- Can a tankless water heater be repaired?
- Yes, most problems with a tankless water heater are repairable. Common issues are a clogged inlet filter, a failing igniter, buildup on the heat exchanger from hard water, or an error code pointing to a sensor. A contractor can read the unit's error code and diagnose it from there.