Water Heater Repair in Camden, SC
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What Kershaw County does to a water heater
Winter nights here average 34°F from December through February, cold enough that your water heater has to work harder to bring tap water up to temperature. That extra cycling wears on the heating element in an electric tank and the burner assembly in a gas one, and it's often why a unit that's been fine for years suddenly can't keep up once the cold sets in.
Power matters too. South Carolina saw 45% of households lose power for 24 hours or more in 2024, and the county has logged 116 damaging wind events over the past ten years. Most electric water heaters and gas ones with electronic ignition will sit cold until power comes back. A gas unit with a standing pilot keeps running through the outage, though the pilot may need to be relit by hand afterward.
- 34°F
- the average winter night, and colder incoming water means longer heating
- 5 months
- November through March, the months homes here need heat
- 45%
- of South Carolina 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 $300 a year off hot water for a typical South Carolina home.
Estimates for a typical South Carolina home, compared with an older unit built to the federal minimum, from EIA household energy data and South Carolina 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 and is rusting through from the inside. Water heaters don't usually spring a leak from a pipe fitting or valve without warning first, so if the water is coming from underneath the tank, the tank has reached the end of its life. A loose drain valve or a fitting can also leak, and that's worth checking before assuming the worst, but a wet floor around the base is the classic sign the tank is done. Once a tank starts leaking like this, it 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 tells the gas valve the pilot is burning. When it wears out, it can't hold the valve open, so the flame goes out again after you release the button. A dirty pilot orifice or a draft near the burner compartment can cause the same thing. A contractor can test the thermocouple in a few minutes and replace it if that's the problem.
- Can a tankless water heater be repaired?
- Yes, most tankless water heater problems are repairable. Mineral buildup on the heat exchanger is the most common issue, especially if the unit has never been flushed, and that's a service job rather than a replacement. Igniters, flow sensors, and circuit boards can also fail on their own and be swapped out. A contractor will need to check the error code the unit is showing to know which part is actually causing the problem.