Water Heater Repair in Aurora, IL
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Kane County winters are hard on a water heater
Groundwater feeding your tank runs cold from October through May, and incoming water is coldest on nights that average 18°F from December through February. The burner or element has to run longer to make up that difference, and the extra runtime wears on the thermostat and heating element in an electric tank, or the burner and thermocouple in a gas one.
Power matters too. Across Illinois, 16% of households lost power for a full day or more in 2024, and this county has logged 19 winter storms and 190 damaging wind events over the past ten years. When the power drops, an electric water heater stops heating until it's back, and a gas one with an electronic igniter won't relight on its own. You'll notice it as water that takes longer to get hot, or doesn't get hot at all.
- 18°F
- the average winter night, and colder incoming water means longer heating
- 8 months
- October through May, the months homes here need heat
- 16%
- of Illinois 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 Illinois home.
Estimates for a typical Illinois home, compared with an older unit built to the federal minimum, from EIA household energy data and Illinois 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. Once the steel lining breaks down, water finds its way out through the bottom seams or the drain valve area, and that damage does not repair itself. A leak could also come from a loose drain valve or fittings, which a contractor can check before assuming the tank is done. If it is the tank, replacement is the only real fix, since a rusted tank will keep leaking and can fail suddenly.
- Why won't the pilot light on my water heater stay lit?
- The thermocouple is usually the cause. That small sensor sits in the pilot flame and tells the gas valve to stay open. When it wears out or sits at the wrong angle, it reads the flame as out even when it is lit, so the valve shuts the gas off. A dirty pilot tube or a draft blowing the flame around can cause the same problem. A contractor can test the thermocouple and replace it if it is not holding a reading.
- Can a tankless water heater be repaired?
- Yes, most problems with a tankless unit can be fixed without replacing the whole system. Common repairs include descaling the heat exchanger, replacing an igniter or flow sensor, or clearing a blocked vent. Because the parts are more specialized than a tank water heater, a contractor familiar with tankless units should be the one to diagnose it.