Water Heater Repair in Malvern, AR
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What winter and storms do to a water heater in Malvern
Winter nights here average 33°F from December through February, and the water coming into your tank is that cold too. The burner or heating element has to work harder to bring it up to temperature, and it runs longer to do it. That extra runtime wears on the thermostat and the heating element in an electric tank, or the burner and igniter in a gas one.
Storms add another problem. Hot Spring County has seen 9 winter storms and 45 damaging wind events over the past ten years, and across Arkansas, about a quarter of households lost power for 24 hours or more in 2024. When power drops, an electric water heater stops heating until it comes back on. A gas water heater with a standing pilot keeps working through the outage, but one with an electronic ignition will not relight until power returns. Either way, you may notice the water running lukewarm or cold after a storm, even once the lights are back on.
- 33°F
- the average winter night, and colder incoming water means longer heating
- 5 months
- November through March, 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 failed. Inside the tank, sediment builds up over the years and slowly wears through the steel, and once it rusts through, water finds its way out the bottom. It can also be a loose drain valve or a fitting that has worked itself loose, which a contractor can tighten or replace. If the tank is the source, it needs to be replaced, since a cracked or corroded tank cannot be patched.
- Why won't the pilot light on my water heater stay lit?
- The most common cause is a worn thermocouple or flame sensor, the part that tells the gas valve the flame is lit. When it wears out or gets coated in soot, it reads the flame as out even when it is burning, so the gas valve shuts off. A dirty pilot orifice or a draft near the pilot can cause the same thing. A licensed contractor can test the part and replace it if it is bad.
- Can a tankless water heater be repaired?
- Yes, most tankless water heater problems are repairable. Common issues are a clogged inlet filter, a buildup of scale on the heat exchanger, or a failed igniter or flow sensor, and each of these can be cleaned or replaced without swapping the whole unit. A contractor can run the unit's error code and figure out which part is at fault before deciding whether repair or replacement makes sense.