No hot water, or water that never gets hot
The first question is always whether the tank is gas or electric. On a gas unit, a pilot that will not stay lit often means a worn thermocouple, and a burner that fires weakly can mean a dirty burner tube or a failing gas valve. On an electric unit, two heating elements and two thermostats do the work, and a single failed element leaves you with lukewarm water instead of none.
Those parts are inexpensive compared with the tank. A repair that costs a fraction of a new unit is the right call on a heater that is otherwise sound. If the tank is old and corroded, we say that plainly and show you water heater replacement options instead.
| What you notice | Common cause | Repair or replace? |
|---|---|---|
| Pilot light keeps going out | Thermocouple or gas control valve | Usually repair |
| Water warm but not hot (electric) | Failed lower element or thermostat | Usually repair |
| Rumbling or popping | Sediment baked onto the tank floor | Flush if early, replace if heavy |
| Water at the base of the tank | Leaking tank or a leaking fitting above it | Fitting: repair. Tank wall: replace |
| Rusty hot water only | Corroded anode rod or inner tank | Anode swap if caught early |
A leaking water heater: what to shut off first
Water around a heater can come from three places: a loose supply connection, the temperature and pressure relief valve discharging, or the tank itself. The first two are repairs. The third is not. A tank that has rusted through cannot be patched, and the sooner it is replaced the less water your floor and drywall absorb.
Turn off the cold-water shutoff on the pipe above the tank. Switch off the breaker for an electric unit, or turn the gas control to pilot or off. If the tank sits in a closet or garage with a finished floor, move stored items off the floor. Then call. We carry common elements, thermostats, relief valves and thermocouples on the trucks for same-day repair when the parts match.
Gas, electric and hybrid units are different jobs
Gas heaters vent combustion gases, so a repair has to confirm the flue draws properly and the burner flame is steady and blue. Electric heaters have no flame but carry a real shock risk, so power stays off while we work. Hybrid heat pump models add a compressor and fan, and we repair what we can service and tell you when a fault needs the manufacturer.
If the heater is a tankless model, repair and descaling follow a different path, which we cover on the tankless water heater page.
Before the plumber arrives
- Turn off the cold supply valve at the top of the tank if there is any water on the floor.
- Switch off the breaker (electric) or turn the gas control knob off (gas).
- Do not relight a pilot that keeps going out. Repeated relighting can build up gas near the unit.
- If you smell gas, leave the house and call your gas utility or 911 before calling us.
Repair costs and what changes them
Which part failed
A thermocouple and a gas valve are far apart in cost, and an element and a tank are further apart still.
Age of the tank
Tanks near the end of their life can fail again soon after a repair, which shifts the math toward replacement.
Fuel type
Gas repairs include a combustion and venting check. Electric repairs involve testing the circuit.
Access
A heater in a tight attic or closet takes longer to service than one in an open garage.
Warranty status
If the tank is still under a manufacturer warranty, the part may be covered, and we will point you to the paperwork to look for.
Insurance typically covers sudden water damage from a burst tank but not the cost of the heater itself, and policies vary. Call (770) 214-4545 for your real number once we know the symptom.
Cold shower, wet floor, or both?
Call the 24/7 line. A plumber can often be at the house the same day.
Why tanks fail sooner than people expect
Tucker draws drinking water from DeKalb County Watershed Management, which treats Chattahoochee River water at the Scott Candler plant. The utility's annual report does not list a hardness figure, so the honest advice is to test your own tap with an inexpensive strip. Mineral content decides how fast sediment builds on the tank floor, and sediment is the usual reason a tank rumbles and wears out early.
A yearly flush of a few gallons from the drain valve slows that buildup. Tanks in garages and closets get ignored until something drips, so a quick look at the base twice a year is the cheapest maintenance there is.
Repair or replace: a rule of thumb we use
If the tank is in its first decade, the problem is a part, and nothing is leaking from the tank wall, repair is the sensible choice. If the heater is older, the repair is more than a third of the price of a new unit, or the tank itself weeps, replacement is cheaper over the next few years. When it is close, we tell you both numbers. Ready to move to a new unit? Our water heater installation page explains how a planned swap goes.
What to do before we arrive
- Switch off the electric breaker or set the gas control to off if the tank is leaking.
- Close the cold supply valve above the tank to stop more water entering.
- Do not touch a heater with water around its base while power is on.
- If you smell gas, leave the house and call the gas utility from outside.
Standards and sources
Plumbing work in Georgia follows the state minimum plumbing code, which is built on the International Plumbing Code (IPC) with Georgia amendments. Ask the City of Tucker permit team which edition and which local rules apply to your address. Plumbers are licensed through the Secretary of State's Division of Master and Journeyman Plumbers, and you can ask for a license number. Gas piping and venting for water heaters fall under the National Fuel Gas Code, NFPA 54, as adopted locally.
Written by Tucker Express Plumbing for homeowners in the Tucker area. We name standards where they apply and tell you when a rule depends on your address.
Questions we hear from homeowners
Yes. Our line is answered around the clock, including nights, weekends and holidays, and we schedule same-day service when parts and crews allow.
A little condensation can look like a leak on a gas heater. Steady dripping or pooling usually means the tank has failed, a drain valve is seeping, or the relief valve is discharging. We identify which before recommending anything.
Most element, thermostat and thermocouple repairs finish in one visit lasting about an hour or two, depending on access.
A flush removes sediment and can quiet a rumbling heater, but a tank that has gone years without one may release more sediment than the drain valve can pass. We check before flushing an older unit.
Yes. We dispatch across Tucker including nearby Clarkston and the surrounding DeKalb communities.