Water Heater Repair in Aurora, CO

Signs your heater needs attention

• Hot water that fades halfway through a shower
• A breaker or reset button that keeps tripping on an electric unit
• Crackling or knocking noises when the burner lights
• Moisture in the drain pan or a damp spot on the floor
• Tinted or gritty water from the hot taps only
• A pilot flame that will not stay lit

Local conditions in Aurora

Aurora Water runs its own system, separate from Denver Water, blending mountain snowmelt from three river basins with South Platte water recaptured through the Prairie Waters riverbank filtration system. The city's latest water quality report gives average hardness of about 136 ppm as calcium carbonate, with a range of roughly 87 to 198 ppm. That is moderately hard, enough for scale to build on electric elements and for sediment to settle in the bottom of a tank. A heater that has gone years without a flush often runs louder and recovers more slowly, and a plumber will usually drain some water to check.

The city is large and varied, from the original Fletcher townsite and older northwest neighborhoods to master-planned communities near E-470, so heaters turn up everywhere from cramped basement closets to open garages. Aurora's building permit application includes plumbing reviews and a field for the water heater's BTU rating, which tells you replacements are tracked by the Public Works Building Division. If the repair turns into a replacement, the plumber can handle that permit.

What affects the cost

• The failed part. An element or thermocouple is a small part; a gas control valve or burner assembly is a bigger one.
• Where the heater sits. A tight closet or finished basement takes longer to drain and work on.
• Scale and sediment. A heavily scaled tank may need flushing before a new element will last.
• Repair or replace. A leaking tank turns the job into a permitted replacement.

What happens when you call

Your call is connected to an independent plumber who works in Aurora. Have the fuel type, the age from the rating label and a short description of the problem ready. If the issue is a gas smell rather than cold water, leave the house first, then call 911 and Xcel Energy at 1-800-895-2999 once you are outside.