Water Heater Repair in Los Alamos, NM
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Cold winters and outages both take a toll
Your water heater runs September through May here, nine months a year. Los Alamos County has recorded 31 winter storms and 11 damaging wind events over the past ten years, and across New Mexico 13% of households went at least 24 hours without power in 2024.
A gas water heater with a standing pilot keeps making hot water through an outage. One with electronic ignition will not, and once power comes back it may need to be relit before it heats again. If your water has gone cold along with the power, that is likely why.
- 19°F
- the average winter night, and colder incoming water means longer heating
- 9 months
- September through May, the months homes here need heat
- 13%
- of New Mexico 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 $50 a year off hot water for a typical New Mexico home.
Estimates for a typical New Mexico home, compared with an older unit built to the federal minimum, from EIA household energy data and New Mexico 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?
- Most of the time this means the tank itself has rusted through and is failing. Water heaters corrode from the inside over years, and once the tank wall is breached no fitting or valve can be tightened to stop it. It can also be a drain valve that's loose or a fitting where a pipe connects, which a contractor can check before deciding the tank needs to be replaced. Either way, shut off the water and power or gas to the unit and have someone look at it before it does more damage to the floor around it.
- 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 worn out and can't sense that the flame is on, so the gas valve shuts it back off as a safety measure. It can also mean the pilot orifice is dirty or there's a draft blowing the flame out. A contractor can test the thermocouple and clean or replace what's needed. Don't keep relighting it over and over if it won't hold. That's telling you something is wrong.
- Can a tankless water heater be repaired?
- Yes, most problems with a tankless water heater are repairable. Common issues are a clogged inlet filter, mineral buildup on the heat exchanger from hard water, a failed ignitor, or an error code pointing to a sensor. A contractor can flush the unit, clean or replace the part, and get it running again without needing a full replacement.