Water Heater Repair in Slidell, LA
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Outages and storms take a toll on a water heater
Almost half of Louisiana households went at least 24 hours without power last year, and St. Tammany Parish has had 88 damaging wind events in the past ten years. Every time the power drops and comes back, an electric water heater's thermostat and heating element take the jolt of switching back on, and that wear adds up over enough outages.
A gas water heater with a standing pilot rides out an outage fine, since the pilot needs no power to stay lit. But if yours has an electronic ignition, a bad outage can leave the pilot out and the water cold until it's relit. If your water heater has gone out again after the power came back, that is where to look first.
- 43°F
- the average winter night, and colder incoming water means longer heating
- 5 months
- November through March, the months homes here need heat
- 49%
- of Louisiana 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 $250 a year off hot water for a typical Louisiana home.
Estimates for a typical Louisiana home, compared with an older unit built to the federal minimum, from EIA household energy data and Louisiana 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 reason is that the tank itself has rusted through and is starting to fail. Sediment builds up at the bottom of the tank over years, and once it corrodes the steel, water finds a way out. A loose drain valve or a fitting can also leak and look like a tank failure, so it is worth checking those first. If the tank itself is leaking, it needs to be replaced, not patched.
- Why won't the pilot light on my water heater stay lit?
- Most of the time this means the thermocouple, the small sensor that tells the gas valve the pilot is lit, has worn out or gotten out of position. A weak or dirty pilot orifice can cause the same problem. A draft blowing across the pilot can also blow it out, especially where the heater sits near a vent or an open door. A contractor can test the thermocouple and the gas valve to find out which one is failing.
- Can a tankless water heater be repaired?
- Yes, most problems with a tankless water heater are repairable. Mineral buildup on the heat exchanger is common and is usually cleared with a descaling flush. Igniters, flow sensors, and exhaust vents can also fail on their own and get replaced without swapping out the whole unit. A contractor can check the error code on the unit's display to find out which part is causing the problem.