Water Heater Repair in San Rafael, CA
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Marin County power outages and water heater recovery
Winter nights here average 43°F from December through February, and homes need heat from October through June. That is nine months of the tank working harder to bring water back up to temperature, and the burner or heating element cycles more to keep up.
Power does not always stay on to run it. Statewide, 17% of households went at least 24 hours without power in 2024, and the county has logged 122 damaging wind events over the past ten years. A gas water heater with a standing pilot keeps making hot water through an outage. One with electronic ignition, or an electric unit, will not come back on until it is relit or reset.
- 43°F
- the average winter night, and colder incoming water means longer heating
- 9 months
- October through June, the months homes here need heat
- 17%
- of California 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 $110 a year off hot water for a typical California home.
Estimates for a typical California home, compared with an older unit built to the federal minimum, from EIA household energy data and California 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?
- The most common cause is the tank itself has rusted through from the inside and is failing. Sediment builds up at the bottom of the tank over years, and it corrodes the steel until water finds a way out. Water can also drip down from a loose fitting or a valve higher up on the tank, so it is worth drying everything off and checking where the water first appears before assuming the tank is done. If the tank is the source, it needs to be replaced, not repaired, since a rusted-through tank cannot be sealed.
- Why won't the pilot light on my water heater stay lit?
- Most of the time this means the thermocouple has worn out and can no longer tell the gas valve the pilot is lit, so the valve shuts the gas off. A draft blowing out the flame or a dirty pilot orifice can also cause it. A contractor can test the thermocouple and replace it if that is the problem. If the pilot relights and holds when you cover the area from drafts, that points to airflow rather than a worn part.
- Can a tankless water heater be repaired?
- Yes, most problems with a tankless water heater are repairable. The igniter, the flow sensor, and the heat exchanger are the parts that fail most often, and each can be tested and replaced on its own. Mineral buildup in the heat exchanger is common too, and flushing the unit often restores it. A contractor can run the error code the unit is showing and diagnose which part is at fault before recommending a repair.