Water Heater Repair in Columbia, SC
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Power outages are the real risk to your water heater here
Richland County logs a lot of wind. Ten years of storm data show 360 damaging wind events and 2 winter storms, and in 2024, 45% of South Carolina households lost power for 24 hours or more. A water heater does not usually mind an outage. Most electric tanks come back on by themselves once the power does. A standing pilot on a gas unit stays lit through the whole thing.
The problem is electronic ignition. A lot of gas water heaters use it now instead of a pilot light, and that kind will not relight itself when the power comes back. You find out the next time you turn on the hot water and nothing happens.
- 36°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 often the tank itself has rusted through and is failing from the inside. Sediment builds up at the bottom of the tank over the years and eats away at the lining until it gives way. A loose drain valve or a fitting can also leak and mimic this, so a contractor will check those first since they're an easy fix. If the tank itself is the source, it needs to be replaced, not repaired, because a rusted tank will not hold pressure again.
- Why won't the pilot light on my water heater stay lit?
- The thermocouple is the most common cause. It's the small sensor that sits in the pilot flame and tells the gas valve the pilot is lit. When it wears out or sits out of position, the valve reads no flame and shuts the gas off, even though the pilot was burning a second ago. A dirty pilot tube or a draft in the area can cause the same thing, so a contractor will check the thermocouple and the tube itself before replacing parts.
- Can a tankless water heater be repaired?
- Yes, most problems with a tankless unit are repairable. Mineral buildup on the heat exchanger is the most common issue, and it's cleared with a descaling flush rather than a new unit. Ignition failure, a bad flow sensor, or an error code on the display are also usually a parts fix. A contractor can pull the fault code from the unit and tell you which.