Water Heater Repair in Phenix City, AL
Tell us what your water heater is doing, and a licensed contractor who covers Russell County will get in touch.
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What the power going out does to your water heater
Wind is the storm risk here. Ten years of records show 30 damaging wind events against a single winter storm, and wind is what knocks the power out. In Alabama, about 18% of households lost power for a full day or more in 2024.
An electric water heater does nothing while the power is out, and most units come back on by themselves once it returns. But a gas water heater with an electric ignition system can lose its set point during a long outage, and some won't relight on their own. If your water is cold after the lights come back on, that's often the reason.
- 38°F
- the average winter night, and colder incoming water means longer heating
- 5 months
- November through March, the months homes here need heat
- 18%
- of Alabama 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 $310 a year off hot water for a typical Alabama home.
Estimates for a typical Alabama home, compared with an older unit built to the federal minimum, from EIA household energy data and Alabama 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?
- The most common cause is the tank itself has rusted through and is failing from the inside. Sediment builds up at the bottom of the tank over years, and it traps moisture against the steel until it corrodes a hole. A leak can also come from a fitting, the drain valve, or the temperature and pressure relief valve rather than the tank, and those can sometimes be repaired. If the tank itself is leaking, it needs to be replaced, since there is no way to patch a hole in the steel.
- Why won't the pilot light on my water heater stay lit?
- Usually the thermocouple has worn out and is no longer telling the gas valve the pilot is lit, so the valve shuts the gas off. A weak or dirty pilot flame can cause the same problem, and so can a draft blowing across it. Sometimes the gas valve itself has failed. A contractor can test the thermocouple's output and replace it if it is reading low, which is the most common fix.
- Can a tankless water heater be repaired?
- Yes, most problems with a tankless water heater can be repaired rather than requiring a full replacement. Mineral buildup on the heat exchanger is a common issue in areas with hard water, and flushing the unit often restores it. Ignition failures, sensor faults, and venting problems are also repairable. A contractor can run the unit's diagnostic codes to find out which part is failing before recommending a fix.