Water heater repair in Aurora, CO

We start at the label. The model and serial number tell us the age, the fuel type and the parts it takes. Then we check the gas supply or electrical feed, test the controls, and look at the burner chamber or the elements. On gas units we also watch the flame and check the vent for proper draft.

That sequence matters because the obvious symptom is not always the cause. A pilot that won't light can be a thermocouple, but it can also be a clogged burner orifice or a draft problem in the flue. We test before we replace parts, so you are not paying for guesses.

A heater under about eight years old with a failed control part is almost always worth repairing. Thermocouples, flame sensors, elements and thermostats are inexpensive and usually on the truck. The math changes when the tank itself is rusting or leaking, or when the unit is old enough that the next failure is close behind.

We give you both numbers when the call is close: the repair price and the replacement price, with what each one gets you. Some homeowners want to buy two more years from an older unit. Others want to stop thinking about it. Either answer is fine with us.

Gas water heaters fail at the pilot, thermocouple, gas control valve, burner and vent. Electric heaters fail at the elements, the thermostats and the high limit reset. The repair work is different, and so are the safety checks we run when we finish.

On every gas unit we confirm the flame is clean and the vent draws properly before we leave. A heater that spills exhaust into a basement utility room is a carbon monoxide risk, so that check is never skipped.