Water Heater Repair in Clifton, AZ
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What Clifton winters do to a water heater
Water heaters in Clifton work harder from October through April, with nights averaging 29°F through the middle of winter. Cold ground water coming into the tank means the burner or heating element has to run longer to reach the same temperature, and it does that for seven months of the year.
Greenlee County has seen 26 winter storms and 15 damaging wind events over the past ten years, and a share of Arizona homes lose power for a day or more each year. A gas water heater with a standing pilot keeps heating through an outage. One with electronic ignition will not fire again until the power is back. Either way, if the tank stops heating during a cold spell you notice fast. The water runs lukewarm, then cold, and stays that way until the burner or element is working again.
- 29°F
- the average winter night, and colder incoming water means longer heating
- 7 months
- October through April, the months homes here need heat
- 7%
- of Arizona 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 $80 a year off hot water for a typical Arizona home.
Estimates for a typical Arizona home, compared with an older unit built to the federal minimum, from EIA household energy data and Arizona 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 corroded through and is leaking from the inside out. Sediment builds up at the bottom of the tank over years and can trap moisture against the steel, which wears through the lining and lets water seep out. It can also be a loose drain valve or a fitting at the bottom of the tank rather than the tank itself, and that part can be replaced. A leak from the tank body means the water heater needs to be replaced, since there is no way to seal a hole in the tank itself.
- Why won't the pilot light on my water heater stay lit?
- Most of the time this means the thermocouple has worn out and can no longer hold the gas valve open once you let go. The thermocouple is a small sensor that sits in the pilot flame and tells the gas valve the flame is lit. When it fails, the valve reads no flame and shuts the gas off even though the pilot was burning a second ago. A weak or dirty pilot flame, or a draft blowing on it, can cause the same problem, so it takes a look at the actual flame to know which it is.
- Can a tankless water heater be repaired?
- Yes, most tankless water heater problems are repairable. Mineral buildup on the heat exchanger is common and can be flushed out, and failed parts like the igniter, flow sensor, or flame sensor can be replaced individually. The heat exchanger itself is the expensive part to replace, and if that has failed a contractor can tell you whether repair or replacement makes more sense for the unit you have.