Water Heater Repair in Hot Springs, AR
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What Garland County winters do to your water heater
Your water heater works harder from November through April, when incoming water runs cold and the burner or element has to make up the difference. On nights that average 33°F, a tank that sits in a garage or unconditioned space loses heat faster, so it cycles more just to hold temperature.
Power is the other risk here. Nearly a quarter of Arkansas households lost power for 24 hours or more in 2024, and Garland County has seen 7 winter storms and 61 damaging wind events over the past ten years. A gas water heater with a standing pilot will keep working through an outage, but one with electronic ignition won't light until the power is back. When it comes back on, check that it's actually heating. If it isn't, that's a sign the ignition system needs a look.
- 33°F
- the average winter night, and colder incoming water means longer heating
- 6 months
- November through April, the months homes here need heat
- 24%
- of Arkansas 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 $290 a year off hot water for a typical Arkansas home.
Estimates for a typical Arkansas home, compared with an older unit built to the federal minimum, from EIA household energy data and Arkansas 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 failing from the inside. Water heater tanks corrode over years as the glass lining wears thin, and once the steel underneath is exposed, it rusts and leaks. Sometimes what looks like a bottom leak is actually the drain valve or a loose fitting above it, with water running down the side and pooling underneath. A contractor can tell you which one you have, but if the tank is the source, it needs to be replaced rather than repaired.
- Why won't the pilot light on my water heater stay lit?
- The most common cause is a worn thermocouple, the small part that senses the pilot flame and keeps gas flowing to it. When it wears out, it fails to sense the flame properly and shuts the gas off, so the pilot goes out. A dirty pilot orifice or a draft blowing across the flame can cause the same thing. A standing pilot does not run on electricity, so a power outage is not the cause. A contractor can test the thermocouple and replace it if that is the problem.
- Can a tankless water heater be repaired?
- Yes, most tankless water heater problems are repairable. Common issues include a scaled-up heat exchanger, a failed igniter, or an error code pointing to a sensor or flow problem, and a contractor can diagnose and fix each of these without replacing the unit. Mineral buildup is common in tankless units and regular descaling helps prevent it. If the heat exchanger itself has cracked or failed, replacement of the unit may be the only option, but that is not the usual outcome.