Hot water heaters are notoriously difficult to repair. Even simple issues can be tricky to diagnose and fix because they involve plumbing components that are not often seen by home repair technicians. However, repairing a hot water heater is not as expensive as many people think. In fact, repairing a broken water heater is likely to be cheaper than buying a new one because most new water heaters cost more than $800. Depending on where you live and the quality of the installation, the cost of repairing a broken hot water heater can vary between $175 and $400. That’s not a huge difference from the average of $250 for a new water heater, but it’s worth noting nonetheless. Here are some factors that can affect the cost of repairing a hot water heater. To help you understand how much repairing a broken hot water heater might cost check out this guide on how much it costs to repair broken hot water heaters in 2019.
Who pays for repairs?
The water heater manufacturer might cover the cost of repair if the broken part(s) are part of the original equipment installed in the water heater. But that isn’t always the case because some parts are not covered by the warranty. If the broken part is not covered by the warranty, then the homeowner will have to pay for repair if they choose to take their water heater to a repairman.Another thing to keep in mind is that if the problem is a result of negligence, the homeowner might be responsible for repair costs. This is especially true for people who don’t own their home. For example, if the water heater breaks during a rental agreement and the tenant wasn’t informed that the water heater needed repairs, they could be responsible for the repair costs.
Hot water heater repair cost estimate
The following table gives an idea of how much repairing a hot water heater might cost:For example, let’s assume that you have a 10-gallon gas water heater. It has been installed for a few years, but it is still working fine. However, you recently noticed that it is emitting a foul odor. You suspect that the smell is coming from the gas burner. You decide to call a plumber to take a look at it. The plumber arrives at your house and confirms that the burner is dirty. He recommends that you clean the burner and replace the burner element. The burner element is what heats up the water in the water heater. Each time the burner gets activated, the element heats up the water. The burner element can get dirty over time, which means that it won’t heat the water as efficiently as it should. The plumber will charge you $90 for his services. The burner element costs $35 and the cleaning cost $30. The total cost comes to $145. If the burner element is not covered under the warranty, then you will have to pay $35 out of your pocket.Total cost of repairing a broken hot water heater: $175 - $200
Conclusion
The cost of repairing a broken water heater will vary depending on the type of water heater you have, its size, the part(s) that are broken, and the region where you live. It’s important to keep in mind that the average cost of repairing a broken hot water heater is $175 to $200. This is not a large amount, but it’s something to keep in mind if you decide to repair a broken water heater.