Water Heater Repair in Augusta, ME
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Cold water and long winters put a strain on your water heater in Kennebec County
Groundwater coming into your house is cold most of the year here, with nine months of heating season from September through May. That means your water heater is working harder, longer, to bring water up to temperature. The heating element or burner runs more often, and that wear adds up faster than it would somewhere warmer.
Power loss makes it worse. More than half of Maine households lost power for 24 hours or more in 2024, and Kennebec County has seen 40 winter storms and 55 damaging wind events over the past ten years. An electric water heater with no power gives you no hot water until service is back. When it comes back on, most units restart on their own. If yours does not, or the water runs lukewarm or not hot at all afterward, something in it needs a look.
- 13°F
- the average winter night, and colder incoming water means longer heating
- 9 months
- September through May, the months homes here need heat
- 54%
- of Maine 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
- Why is my water heater leaking from the bottom?
- The most common reason is that the tank itself has rusted through and is failing. Water heaters have a steel tank with a glass lining inside, and once that lining cracks, the steel underneath rusts and eventually lets water seep out through the bottom. Sediment that settles at the bottom of the tank over the years speeds this up. A leak from the bottom of the tank usually means replacement rather than repair. Sometimes the leak is coming from a loose drain valve or a fitting instead of the tank, and that part can be repaired, so it is worth having a contractor look before assuming the worst.
- 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 failed or is out of position. The thermocouple senses the pilot flame and holds the gas valve open. If it can't sense the flame, the valve shuts the gas off as a safety measure. A dirty pilot orifice or a draft pulling the flame away from the sensor can cause the same thing. This is a repair a contractor can usually make without replacing the water heater.
- Can a tankless water heater be repaired?
- Yes, most tankless water heater problems are repairs, not replacements. Common issues include a clogged inlet filter, a buildup of scale on the heat exchanger, a failed flow sensor, or an ignition problem, and each of these can be fixed on its own. Tankless units also often display an error code, which points a contractor straight to the failed part. Replacement usually only comes up when the heat exchanger itself has cracked.