Water Heater Repair in Fernley, NV
Tell us what your water heater is doing, and a licensed contractor who covers Lyon County will get in touch.
Tell us about the job
It takes about a minute.
Fernley winters put water heaters to work
Fernley homes need heat for eight months of the year, and the water heater is part of that load, working harder through nights that average 23°F from December through February. Cold groundwater coming into the tank forces the burner or heating element to run longer to reach the same temperature, and that extra runtime wears on the thermostat and the heating element itself.
Lyon County has seen 126 winter storms and 305 damaging wind events over the past ten years, and power interruptions come with that kind of weather. Most electric water heaters come back on by themselves once power returns, but a tank that sat cold for hours means a wait for hot water again, and it is worth checking that the unit did restart on its own.
- 23°F
- the average winter night, and colder incoming water means longer heating
- 8 months
- October through May, the months homes here need heat
- 13%
- of Nevada 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 $100 a year off hot water for a typical Nevada home.
Estimates for a typical Nevada home, compared with an older unit built to the federal minimum, from EIA household energy data and Nevada 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 tank has likely rusted through from the inside and is starting to fail. Water heaters corrode from the inside out over the years, and once the tank itself is leaking, it cannot be patched or sealed. A leak could also come from a loose drain valve or a fitting above the tank, so a contractor needs to look before you assume the worst. If it is the tank, the unit needs to be replaced.
- Why won't the pilot light on my water heater stay lit?
- The most common cause is a worn thermocouple, the small sensor that tells the gas valve the pilot is burning. When it wears out, it shuts the gas off even though the flame is lit. A dirty pilot orifice or a draft blowing on the flame can cause the same thing. A contractor can test the thermocouple and replace it, which usually solves the problem.
- Can a tankless water heater be repaired?
- Yes, most problems with a tankless unit can be fixed without replacing it. Common issues are a clogged inlet filter, a fouled heat exchanger, or an igniter or sensor that has failed. A contractor can flush the unit and test its parts to find out what's wrong.