Water Heater Repair in Conway, NH
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Cold winters and outages both take a toll here
Water heaters run nine months a year in Carroll County, September through May. On winter nights that average 12°F, the water coming into the tank starts out colder, so the burner or element has to run longer to bring it up to temperature. That extra run time wears on the thermostat and heating element in an electric unit, or the burner assembly and igniter in a gas one.
The county has recorded 103 winter storms and 70 damaging wind events over the past ten years, and storms here often mean the power goes out. Across New Hampshire, 22% of households lost power for at least 24 hours in 2024. A gas water heater with a standing pilot will keep heating water through an outage. One with electronic ignition, or an electric water heater, will sit cold until the power comes back, and you will notice when the hot water runs out.
- 12°F
- the average winter night, and colder incoming water means longer heating
- 9 months
- September through May, the months homes here need heat
- 22%
- of New Hampshire 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?
- Most bottom leaks come from a failing tank. Steel tanks corrode from the inside over years, and once the lining gives way water seeps out through the seams or the drain valve area. It can also be a loose drain valve or a fitting that just needs tightening, so it's worth checking those before assuming the worst. If the tank itself is rusted through, it needs to be replaced, not repaired, since there's no way to patch the inside of the tank.
- Why won't the pilot light on my water heater stay lit?
- The most common cause is a worn thermocouple, the small sensor that tells the gas valve the pilot is burning. When it wears out, it shuts the gas off even though the flame is lit. A dirty pilot orifice or a draft blowing across the flame can cause the same thing. A contractor can test the thermocouple directly and tell you whether it needs replacing or whether something else is putting the flame out.
- Can a tankless water heater be repaired?
- Yes, most tankless water heater problems can be repaired rather than requiring a full replacement. Common issues are a scaled-up heat exchanger, a failed igniter, or a flow sensor that isn't reading correctly, and each of those can be serviced or replaced on its own. The unit's control board will usually show an error code that points to which part is failing, which makes diagnosis more direct than with a tank water heater.