How Much Water Heater Repair Costs

Given the fact that how much it costs to repair a hot water heater is a largely an unknown, until diagnosis and evaluation of the units' condition takes place on premises, if not readily apparant - there are common repairs and replacements that do occur. A number of repairs are done for $65 to $140 and possibly below this amount, where hourly rates or minimum service calls duck a sixty dollar an hour mark. But by the same token, certain repairs and modifications can cost substantially more based on scope of repair, parts cost and timing.

Specific Water Heater Fixes & Pricing

Fee structures will depend mainly on whether the heater is gas fired or electric (or a tankless design). Foremeost, is to obtain an evaluation of how much life the tank may have remaining. Even though some tanks manage to last 9 to 12 years, and some less, a tank that is found to be sufficiently corroded can end up rendering any paid-for repairs a sunk cost depending on when leakage begins to occur. And where the tank seems to be approaching its perceived end of life, a replacement of the entire water heater could make more economic sense, aside from any efficiency considerations.

Among the least expensive of fixes, is to replace a new drain valve or relief valve and these can be approximately surcharged at $40 to $60 including valve parts when other work is being performed and this is perhaps the simplest of repairs (more for an attached discharge pipe on a gas-fired model). But to do by itself could double this amount.

Gas Water Heater Repairs - common repairs are testing/replacing the thermocouple or remedying a pilot assembly. To adapt an existing unit with a safety valve, such as the Waggs valve is about $275 to $350 which should shut off the water and gas supply when there arises a leak.

Electric Water Heater Fixes - a common routine is to test out the unit with an electric multimeter and/or replacing the upper and possibly lower heater elements - univeral elements, at $9 to about $19 are attractively priced below factory elements. That could take an element wrench to do so. Or, the thermostats could need swapped out with replacements. Other relevant repair requests include installing or replacing a safety expansion tank, at $90 to $135. Or installing a Floodmaster Leak Dectection shutoff system in the vicinity of $240 to $295. While replacing a drain pan should cost $85 to $110.

Reducing Fees for the Hot Water

• Minimize sediment buildup by draining the tank and filling as recommended.


• Planning consumption of hot water is an alternative to maintaining a larger capacity heater.


• It sometimes pays to insulate hot water pipes to preserve warmer temperatures within the pipe.