Water Heater Repair in Allentown, PA
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Allentown winters put your water heater to work
Your water heater runs harder from October through May, when the incoming water is coldest and your household leans on it most. On nights near 22°F, a gas unit's burner and thermocouple cycle more often just to hold temperature, and that wear catches up with older units first. You may notice the hot water taking longer to arrive or running out sooner than it used to.
Lehigh County has seen 22 winter storms and 211 damaging wind events over the past ten years, and storms like these knock out power. Statewide, 15% of Pennsylvania households lost power for at least 24 hours in 2024. Most tanks relight or restart on their own once power is back, but if yours doesn't, that's worth a call.
- 22°F
- the average winter night, and colder incoming water means longer heating
- 8 months
- October through May, the months homes here need heat
- 15%
- of Pennsylvania 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 $390 a year off hot water for a typical Pennsylvania home.
Estimates for a typical Pennsylvania home, compared with an older unit built to the federal minimum, from EIA household energy data and Pennsylvania 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 rusted through and is failing. Water heaters don't get patched once the tank is leaking, it needs to be replaced. Before you decide that's the problem, check whether the leak is really coming from the tank and not from a loose drain valve, a fitting at the top, or the temperature and pressure relief valve. Those can sometimes be tightened or replaced without touching the tank.
- Why won't the pilot light on my water heater stay lit?
- The most common cause is a worn thermocouple, the small part that senses the pilot flame and tells the gas valve to stay open. When it wears out, it can't confirm the flame is lit, so the gas valve shuts off even though the pilot was burning a second ago. A dirty pilot orifice or a draft blowing out the flame can cause the same thing. A licensed contractor can test the thermocouple and replace it if that's the issue.
- Can a tankless water heater be repaired?
- Yes, most problems with a tankless unit are repairable. Igniters, flow sensors, and heat exchangers can all be replaced without swapping out the whole unit. Mineral buildup from hard water is one of the more common issues, and it usually shows up as reduced hot water flow or error codes on the display. A contractor can flush the unit and diagnose which part is causing the problem.