Water Heater Repair in Chicago, IL
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Cold groundwater and winter power loss both work against your water heater
Your water heater works harder from October through May, when the water coming into it is coldest and it has to raise the temperature further to give you a hot shower. That extra work falls on the heating element or the burner, and it's the part that wears first.
Illinois lost power to 16% of households for 24 hours or more in 2024, and Cook County has seen 20 winter storms in the last ten years. When the power drops, a gas water heater with an electronic ignition won't relight on its own, and you'll notice cold water until it's reset. A standing pilot stays lit through the outage, but if yours has gone out, that's the first thing worth checking.
- 20°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 of the time this means the tank itself has rusted through and is starting to fail. Sediment builds up inside the tank over the years, and once it eats through the steel, the crack won't seal itself. It can also be a loose drain valve or a fitting at the bottom, which a contractor can tighten or replace. If the tank is the problem, the water heater needs to be replaced, not patched.
- Why won't the pilot light on my water heater stay lit?
- The most common cause is a worn thermocouple, the small sensor that sits in the pilot flame and tells the gas valve it's safe to stay open. When it wears out, it can't hold that signal and the valve shuts the gas off. A dirty pilot orifice or a draft blowing out the flame can cause the same thing. A contractor can test the thermocouple in a few minutes and replace it if it's the cause.
- Can a tankless water heater be repaired?
- Yes, most tankless water heater problems are repairable. A failed igniter, a clogged inlet filter, or a buildup of scale on the heat exchanger are common issues, and each one can usually be fixed without replacing the unit. Hard water speeds up scale buildup, so units that haven't been descaled regularly tend to need more repairs. A contractor can flush the system and test the parts to find out what's actually wrong.