Water Heater Repair in Murfreesboro, TN
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Rutherford County puts your water heater to work most of the year
Cold water comes into your tank from October through April, seven months a year. On winter nights that average 31°F, the burner or the heating element has to work harder to bring that water up to temperature, and it runs longer to do it. That extra work adds up on the thermostat and the heating element, and on a gas unit, on the igniter and thermocouple that light the burner.
Rutherford County has seen 137 damaging wind events and 9 winter storms over the past ten years, and in Tennessee, 20% of households went at least 24 hours without power in 2024. If your water heater is electric, an outage means no hot water until power is back. If it runs on gas with an electronic igniter, it may need to be relit once power returns.
- 31°F
- the average winter night, and colder incoming water means longer heating
- 7 months
- October through April, the months homes here need heat
- 20%
- of Tennessee 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 $280 a year off hot water for a typical Tennessee home.
Estimates for a typical Tennessee home, compared with an older unit built to the federal minimum, from EIA household energy data and Tennessee 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 from the inside and is starting to fail. Sediment builds up on the bottom of the tank over years, and it traps moisture against the steel until a pinhole opens up. A loose drain valve or a fitting can also leak and mimic a tank failure, so it is worth checking those first since they can be tightened or replaced. Once the tank itself is leaking, though, the water heater needs to be replaced, not repaired.
- Why won't the pilot light on my water heater stay lit?
- The most common reason is a worn thermocouple, the small sensor that tells the gas valve the pilot is burning. When it wears out or sits out of position, it shuts the gas off even though the flame is lit. A dirty pilot orifice or a draft pulling the flame around can cause the same thing. A weak thermocouple is a straightforward part to replace, so if relighting the pilot only holds for a few minutes, that is where to start.
- Can a tankless water heater be repaired?
- Yes, most tankless water heater problems are repairable. Mineral buildup on the heat exchanger is the most common issue, especially if the unit has never been flushed, and it usually just needs a descaling. Igniter failures, sensor faults, and blocked intake or exhaust vents are also common and fixable without replacing the unit. A contractor can pull the error code the unit is showing and tell you exactly what is wrong.