Hot Water Heater: Repair or Replace?


 
Chris Allingham said:
I turned it off, let it sit overnight, restarted it this morning, and it did this (click to view):

When the plumber comes tomorrow, what do you think will be the resolution: Repair or Replace?
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Kinda reminds me of a bad thermocouple

https://home.howstuffworks.com/how-to-repair-major-appliances5.htm

Used to be pretty easy, yours doesn't look too difficult, mine would be a PITA, but then a new hot water heater can quickly cost $1K, especially if paying to have it installed
 
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Depending on how hard your water is and if you've flushed the tank annually it might go south on you soon anyway at seven years old.
Just be glad it isn't a tankless water heater. When we bought this house it had a tankless water heater it was 4 years old and it started leaking. Had two plumbers come out both said $1500-1700 to fix it and $2600 to replace it.
We now have a nice 50 gallon water heater. We have moderately hard water so I make sure I flush the tank out once a year.

Like Chuck said I was a little shocked when it cost 1K for a standard water heater to be installed but the gas line and water lines had to be rerouted so I guess it was a fair price.
 
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My rule of thumb on about any appliance ........... if repair costs more than half of the new one, and its got any age on it, then I replace.
 
That sounds like alot of gas coming out could be the regulator or something else.
I would defiantly trust the professional's opinion.

Tim
 
Totally agree with Tim. Too high a fuel/air ratio. As if the gas pressure is too high !

Could be heater's valve, or your gas meter/regulator.
 
Agree with Bob - any other appliances in the house that are natural gas ?
Also around 7 -10 years is the life of a water heater. Up here in Vancouver BC when you renew your house insurance if your water heater is 10 years old they tell you to get it replaced.
 
Appears to be a bad control or igniter problem causing a delayed ignition. I'm with Tim. You should have a trained technician take a look and give you an estimate. 10 years is around the lifetime of today's water heaters Yours didn't do too bad. I recently had a water heater with a bad control. The new control by itself was around $400 and that did not include labor. Had it replaced with a larger and more efficient water heater for right around $1,000. Money well spent.
 
What did the plumber say? I'm predicting the Thermocouple. I used to replace them for my all neighbors for a 24 pak of Coors Light. We all had bought into a new track, so all the hot-water heaters all started going out about the same time. I bet I replaced no less than a dozen for the various neighbors back then. My hot-water heater at this house is "digital" and I don't see any evidence of a thermocouple in it. I guess thats good, it can't go out if it's not there.....
 
I asked my plumber how much for a new 40 gallon propane water heater installed when ours went out. He said around $800-1000 including labor, etc. I asked if I buy one, how much to install and he said $200 for install only. I bought a new 40 gallon water heater from Home Depot that was propane compatible for around $350 after describing it to him to see if it would work. He switched out the natural gas jets for the propane jets (they were included with the water heater) and installed it in 45 minutes. I questioned him about the $200 charge for 45 minutes work (normally charges $89/hr) and he just said "flat rate". No matter, I saved a lot of money by buying it myself and bringing it home. Just a little food for thought Chris (threw the food reference in due to the nature of this web site ;)). I hope it's a simple repair for you!
 
Mike,
“It ain’t the doin’, it’s the knowin’ how!”
Besides, you agreed to it, I feel the frustration though, been victim of it myself!
 
did I ever tell you the story about the time I tried to light the pilot light in my furnace? (no, I know :) )

So I'm in my old warehouse >16 years ago, tinkering with the furnace. I have a propane bottle connected to a torch. I think I was testing for a bad thermocouple so I hit it with the torch and HISSSSSSS, the gas valve opens. I stuffed the torch into/near the burner tube as quick as I could and (small) Boom! I don't think I lost any hair but maybe (I've had much worse :) )

I replace most of my own stuff but trust a pro! (this coming from a guy who's done a few self-repairs on my garage door, called in a pro ~3 weeks ago, and somehow there's a brand new garage door now.

Appliances I've replaced myself:

Dishwasher (wasn't one there, had to remove/modify a cabinet)
Replaced failed electric range/oven with gas (I ran the gas line, had a pipefitter cousin come do the final connections)
Water heater (did gas, water, & exhaust vent mods myself (~300) (did the same thing with the pool heater, saved >$1200) Pool pump: saved $800 just off the cost of the pump by ordering online.

When I had my furnace replaced ~10 years ago, I considered doing that myself - labor is >60% of the cost. Then I remembered I'm not a tin bender.
 
Turns out the burner's gone bad. Part is $220 + labor. Hopefully we'll have hot water back on tomorrow (and heat in the house, as the HWH also provides hot water to a hydronic forced air heating system).

I99qupz.jpg


Got a wacked-out estimate from a licensed plumber, then a really good estimate from someone I thought was licensed but turned out was not :( then finally an estimate I could live with from another licensed outfit...my Goldilocks estimate. :D
 
Chris Allingham said:
Turns out the burner's gone bad. Part is $220 + labor
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That what my HW heater has, except that it round like a donut and approx 9" tall (and about 12" round) I was wondering if it was replaceable, at least now I have a ballpark idea what it might cost to replace it.

The same HW heater I put in back in 2009 for $550, sells for $989 at Home Depot. I guess double in almost 10 years is about right, glad Weber BBQ's didn't do that :)
 
Timothy F. Lewis said:
Mike,
“It ain’t the doin’, it’s the knowin’ how!”
Besides, you agreed to it, I feel the frustration though, been victim of it myself!
Click to expand...

Didn't mean for it to sound like a complaint...I was extremely pleased he let me buy my own water heater to save some money. Plus, he removed the old one, installed the new one and hauled off the old one so the $200 turned out to be a bargain!
 
Glad you got it resolved Chris. The only thing worse than not having hot water is not having water at all when your well pump goes out. Usually on a weekend!
 
Mike Willis said:
Didn't mean for it to sound like a complaint...I was extremely pleased he let me buy my own water heater to save some money. Plus, he removed the old one, installed the new one and hauled off the old one so the $200 turned out to be a bargain!
Click to expand...

That's a really good deal Mike! I prolly replaced two dozen for friends and family and one thing that takes time is just draining the dang thing. If your doing it yourself, not a big thing , but if paying by the hour that drives up the cost.
You can get anywhere from 25 -35 bucks if you scrap it at a recycling yard so hauling it off is worth it when they do it.

Tim
 
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