Repairing A Hot Water Heater: How Much Would It Charge?
With the winters approaching many of you might have started to check your heating systems. Amongst the HVAC systems, the hot water heater is a crucial element that helps you get refreshed without facing normal tap water in winters. During the seasonal breaks like the summer period when the heating devices are not used they develop rust and friction.
Thus, it’s important before the winter season comes in to check whether the devices are up and working or not. Interestingly this is also the time of the year when you would see those advertisements saying hire best water heater repair company, looking for water heater repair, best HVAC repair, etc flashing on your screens. You can take that as a reminder if you forget to check whether your system is working well and good or not.
Though we are here to talk about the cost of getting the system repaired it would be logical enough to hold and see ways to check whether you need that or not. That is how can you figure out whether your system needs a repair or it’s good to serve you for the season?
Troubleshoot
You can troubleshoot first at your own level to know if repair is needed or not. This is not a hectic or technical process. Just check the gas level (if you are using a gas-type heater). To check that, turn on the heater, the gas knob, remove the metal plate and see whether the heater has flame lit or not. If the flame is not lit or dim it’s a signal that the gas level is low.
In case you are using an electric one, the task becomes easier. Check the time taken by the device to lukewarm the water or to the level that you use. If it’s longer than usual then your device needs a check and repair.
Now, once you detect that there is a need for repair or not it’s time to look at the costs of repair.
Cost Of Repair
To give a straight-forward answer to that the average cost of repair of what heater stands at around USD 590. Now, it depends upon what problem your water heater has because for many the repair cost ends up somewhere around USD 100 while for others it’s close to USD 800.
Let’s take a more elaborative look at the costs of repair based on certain common problems.
Leakage
Water leakage is one of the most common problems that you encounter with your water heaters. If it’s an electric one then it can cause a short-circuit and breakout as well. In short, it’s something that needs quick attention and repair. If you call your nearby service provider you would be charged anything around or in excess of USD 150. This is when the damage is not something like corrosion that is irreversible and you have to go for the new device. A normal leakage plus the service charge is what we have estimated here.
Issue With Valves
The pressure valve issue is another thing that hampers the smooth functioning of your water heater. Too high or too low pressure triggered by mineral deposition is something that bothers the device. Here replacing the valves would cost you somewhere around USD 190 or above. Though the actual part that is the valve is around USD 20 you would have to pay the service and visiting charges.
Read also: How is regular mold inspection and removal service beneficial to you?
If you have got the tools and know the method then doing it yourself (DIY) is an option. However, if that is not the case then don’t try your hands on it with a 50-50 mindset.
Clearing The Deposition
Mineral deposition around the walls of the tanks interferes with the heat transfer and thus affects the functioning of the system. This requires the flushing out of the sediments and clearing the system to work normally. This would cost you anywhere from around USD 140 to USD 500. This would include the service charges and the visit charges as most of the service providers include that when they offer the package.
Dip Tubes
Dip tubes just cost you around USD 10 however they can make you cost around USD 700 to 800 in face of replacement with a new heater. The dip tubes help in carrying cold replacement water down to the bottom of the tank as the hot water is in use. Thus, it’s an important functional element of the heater. A service provider would charge somewhere close to USD 150-190 to get the things done. This would include the cost of the dip tubes, service charge, other related charges as per the scope of the work.
Pipe Leakage/Blockage
Blocking or leakage of the pipe is another common issue that your water heater might face. Here if the pipe has to be de-clogged or in case of a big leak it has to be replaced. The replacement would cost somewhere around USD 350. In case of blockage, it may cost anywhere between USD 50 to USD 100. Depending upon the service provider this may or may not include service charges. If they don’t then this cost would be a bit more.
Concluding Remarks
As we come to the concluding end we hope we have given you a fair and clear idea of the cost of repair. Based on the problems that we discussed, the average range of expenses may cost somewhere around USD 50 to USD 500. Go check your heaters and check whether it needs a repair or not as the winters are here.