Water Heater Repair in Taos, NM
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Cold ground water and long winters wear on a Taos water heater
Your water heater runs almost all year here, September through June. It pulls in ground water that starts out cold, and on winter nights averaging 14°F, it has to work harder and longer to get that water hot. The burner or heating element cycles more than it would somewhere milder, and that extra work falls on the thermocouple, the igniter, and the heating element itself.
Taos County has also seen 129 winter storms and 44 damaging wind events over the past ten years, and statewide, 13% of households lost power for a day or more in 2024. A gas water heater with a standing pilot will keep working through an outage, but one with electronic ignition will not relight until power is back. If your water heater has gone cold along with everything else in the house, that is likely why.
- 14°F
- the average winter night, and colder incoming water means longer heating
- 10 months
- September through June, 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 often the tank itself has rusted through and started to leak. Water heaters aren't made to be repaired at the tank, so once the tank is leaking, replacement is the fix. Before assuming the worst, though, it's worth having a contractor check the drain valve and the fittings above the tank, since a leak from one of those can look like it's coming from the bottom when it's really running down the side.
- Why won't the pilot light on my water heater stay lit?
- The thermocouple is the usual reason. It's the small sensor that sits in the pilot flame and tells the gas valve the pilot is lit, and once it wears out or sits dirty, it shuts the gas off even though the flame is right there. A weak pilot flame, a draft near the burner, or a failing gas valve can cause the same thing. A contractor can test the thermocouple and replace it if that's the problem.
- Can a tankless water heater be repaired?
- Yes, most problems with a tankless water heater are repairable. Ignition failures, sensor errors, and mineral buildup on the heat exchanger are the common issues, and a contractor can flush the unit or replace the failed part. The unit itself rarely needs full replacement unless the heat exchanger has cracked.