Water Heater Repair in DeKalb, IL
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What DeKalb County winters do to a water heater
Groundwater coming into your house is already cold when winter nights average 17°F, and your water heater has to work harder to make up that difference. It runs longer and cycles more from October through May, eight months of the year, than it does the rest of the year. That extra work falls on the heating element or burner, and on the thermostat that tells it when to fire.
DeKalb County has seen 17 winter storms and 105 damaging wind events over the past ten years, and power loss follows both. Across Illinois, 16% of households lost power for at least 24 hours in 2024. A gas water heater with a standing pilot will keep working through an outage. One with an electric igniter or an electric unit will not come back on its own once the power is out, and most will restart on their own once it's back.
- 17°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. Sediment builds up at the bottom of the tank over the years, and once it wears through the lining, water finds a way out and the tank cannot be patched or repaired. It could also be a loose drain valve or a fitting nearby, which is worth checking before you assume the worst. If the water is coming from underneath the tank itself, plan on replacing it.
- Why won't the pilot light on my water heater stay lit?
- The thermocouple is usually the cause. It is the small sensor that sits in the pilot flame and tells the gas valve the pilot is lit. Once it wears out, it fails to sense the flame fast enough and the valve shuts the gas off. A weak gas supply or a draft blowing out the flame can cause the same thing, so a contractor will check both before replacing any parts.
- Can a tankless water heater be repaired?
- Yes, most problems with a tankless water heater can be fixed without replacing the whole unit. The heat exchanger, igniter, and flow sensor can all be serviced or swapped out on their own. Mineral buildup in the exchanger is common where water is hard and can usually be flushed out rather than replaced. A contractor can look at the error code the unit is showing and tell you which part is at fault.