A landlord in Winston-Salem called us about a rental home in the North Winston neighborhood that had been without hot water for a couple of days. Other attempts to get the problem fixed had not worked, so the landlord asked our team to take a look.

We coordinated directly with the tenant, scheduled around when they could be at the home, and arrived the same day. A few hours after the original phone call, our team was inspecting the home's 40-gallon electric A. O. Smith water heater.

The heater was about 15 years old and no longer under its original warranty. For a heater that age, water heater replacement was a reasonable possibility. But our technician wanted to determine if there was still a way to restore hot water before the landlord agreed to buying a new heater.

Diagnosing Why the Electric Water Heater Was Not Heating

Our technician found the source of the problem was that there was nothing supplying power to the heating elements. Without power reaching the elements, no hot showers.

Because of the heater's age, we discussed replacement with the landlord rather than assuming a water heater repair would be the best choice. We prepared several replacement options so the landlord could compare them if a new heater became necessary. For this job, those options ranged from about $2,300 to $3,800. The primary factor that drives price differences for electric water heaters are the quality of equipment, complexity of the job, service level provided, and the warranty protection included.

Our goal is never to push anyone toward the most expensive choice. It is to provide the realistic choices and let the homeowner decide what made sense for the property. Which is exactly what we did here and the homeowner chose to replace it with a professional grade water heater covered by a 6-year parts and labor warranty provided by our company.

Trying a Water Heater Repair Before Replacement

At that point, the technician was ready to install a new heater. The landlord had made their choice and had a heater old enough to justify it. But before writing that up, the technician asked to try a few things first.

The technician had a few options to repair the heater and started with the simplest fix first. In this case, the first step worked. The technician reset the water heater using its reset button. The heater began operating again and started heating the tank. That the home owner could get more life out of that 15-year old heater and didn't have to face the large replacement bill that day.

Of course, we weren't done there. Our technician remained at the home long enough for the water heater to heat up, then checked the fixtures throughout the house to confirm they were receiving appropriate hot water and not clogged with sediment.

What happened here is what we do on every job. We educated the homeowner on their existing problem, helped them understand the replacement choices available, and answer any questions to help them decide on a solution. And for this homeowner, it clicked. He was ecstatic. So much so that he left us a great Google review before the technician even left praising our customer service and professionalism. These are the experiences that we love!

Does a Water Heater Need to Be Replaced Just Because It Is Old?

Not necessarily. Age matters when deciding whether to repair or replace a water heater, but the actual failure, the condition of the tank, and the cost of the available options matter just as much.

This Winston-Salem job is a good example. At 15 years old and out of warranty, replacement deserved serious consideration. But because a simple repair restored operation, the landlord had another choice, and time to weigh the replacement options without an immediate purchase.

What If the Water Heater Reset Button Works?

A successful reset can restore operation, as it did here, but it does not guarantee the heater will keep working indefinitely. That is why our technician stayed to confirm the tank was actually heating and checked hot water throughout the home, rather than treating the reset itself as proof the problem was solved.

If the same problem returns, further diagnosis may be needed. In this case, the landlord already has the repair and replacement options on hand and can decide based on what the heater does next.

If your water heater stops producing hot water in Winston-Salem, our plumbing services in Winston-Salem can help diagnose the problem and explain the repair and replacement options available. When a reasonable repair can keep the existing heater working, we want you to have that option too.