Water heater problems and replacement cost
Leaks, no hot water, and when a tank is past saving.
- Leaks
- No hot water
- Pilot and thermocouple
- Tank vs tankless
Troubleshooting
5 articlesSymptom first, cause second. Start here when something has stopped working.
- No Hot Water? 7 Causes, Gas and Electric (2026) No hot water at all, or hot water that runs out fast? Work the real causes in order for gas and electric tanks, with what each repair costs in 2026. Updated
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Water Heater Pilot Light Keeps Going Out? 7 Causes (2026) Pilot goes out right away, after a few hours, or when the burner fires? The timing points to the thermocouple, a clogged air screen, a draft or the gas valve. Updated -
Water Heater Leaking From the Bottom? Find the Source Fast Water heater leaking from the bottom? Tell a $20 drain valve from a rusted-out tank in ten minutes, check the warranty, and see what each fix costs in 2026. Updated -
Water Heater Making Noise? What Each Sound Means (2026) Rumbling, popping, sizzling, ticking, hissing, whistling or banging: what each water heater noise means, which ones are normal, and the fix for the rest. Updated -
Water Heater Reset Button: Where It Is, When to Press It (2026) Where the water heater reset button is, how to press it safely in five minutes, and what it means when it trips again. Electric tanks, with notes for gas. Updated
Not sure which guide fits?
Sort a water heater problem into one of four symptoms first: water on the floor, no hot water at all, hot water that runs out fast, or a new noise. Each points at different parts, and the age on the rating label decides how much any repair is worth.
For a leak, find where the water starts before assuming the worst: a drain valve, a relief valve or a fitting is a repair, a wet seam on the tank itself is not. Water heater leaking from the bottom shows how to trace it. With no hot water, the suspects depend on the fuel: the pilot and thermocouple on gas, the high-limit and the elements on electric. Start with no hot water, and on an electric tank press the reset button once, not again and again.
Rumbling and popping are usually sediment and rarely urgent; water heater making noise matches each sound to its cause. On a tank past about 12 years, read the replacement cost guide before paying for a major repair.