Parts fail. Tanks die. We’ll tell you which one you have.
Half of "my water heater is shot" calls are a $150 part. The other half are a tank one weekend from your basement floor. Ten minutes in front of it tells us which — and you get the answer straight.
Repairable, usually
The failures that are just parts
- Pilot won't stay lit — thermocouple, nine times out of ten; one visit
- No hot water, gas unit — gas valve or ignition; testable on the spot
- No hot water, electric unit — heating element or thermostat, cheap and quick
- Water not hot enough / runs out fast — a failed lower element, a broken dip tube, or sediment burying the burner; all fixable
- Rumbling and popping — sediment boiling under the tank floor; a flush buys time and quiets it down
- Tankless error codes and lukewarm water — usually scale; a descaling service restores flow and temperature
The failure that isn't
Rust-tinted hot water, moisture at the seams, or a wet ring under the tank means the tank itself is corroding through. No part fixes that, and the next event is a flood — so we won't sell you a repair on it. That conversation moves to replacement, usually done the same day you approve it.
What the visit looks like
Diagnostic fee quoted on the phone, $25 off any service call, written price before repair work starts. If it's a repair, the truck usually carries the part; if it's a replacement, the written number includes haul-away, venting, pan, and shutoffs brought up to snuff.