Water Heater Repair in Ann Arbor, MI
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Power outages here can leave you with cold water
Washtenaw County has logged 16 winter storms and 89 damaging wind events over the past ten years, and in 2024, 34% of Michigan households lost power for at least 24 hours. A gas water heater with electronic ignition will not relight on its own once the power drops. A standing pilot model will, but if yours has ignition electronics, a storm can leave you with cold water even after the lights come back on.
Winter nights here average 19°F from December through February. That is the stretch when a water heater runs longest to keep up, and it is also when an outage is most likely to catch it mid-cycle.
- 19°F
- the average winter night, and colder incoming water means longer heating
- 8 months
- October through May, the months homes here need heat
- 34%
- of Michigan 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 $50 a year off hot water for a typical Michigan home.
Estimates for a typical Michigan home, compared with an older unit built to the federal minimum, from EIA household energy data and Michigan 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, and once that happens the tank needs to be replaced, not patched. But check the easier causes first. A loose drain valve or a failing pressure relief valve can both drip water down the side of the tank and pool at the bottom, and either one is a simple fix. If the water is coming from the tank seams or the bottom weld, the tank has failed and needs to be replaced. A contractor can tell you which one you are dealing with in a few minutes.
- Why won't the pilot light on my water heater stay lit?
- A pilot that won't stay lit is usually a sign the thermocouple has worn out. That's the small sensor that sits in the pilot flame and tells the gas valve it's safe to keep the gas flowing. When it wears out, it stops sending that signal and the valve shuts the gas off, even though the flame looks fine. A dirty pilot orifice or a draft blowing out the flame can also cause this, but a worn thermocouple is the most common reason. Replacing it is a straightforward repair for a licensed contractor.
- Can a tankless water heater be repaired?
- Yes, most tankless water heater problems are repairable. Mineral buildup on the heat exchanger, a failed flow sensor, an ignition problem, or an error code from the control board are all things a contractor can diagnose and fix without replacing the unit. If the heat exchanger itself has cracked or failed, that's the one part where replacing the whole unit is usually the better call. A contractor can pull the error code or inspect the unit to tell you which you are facing.