Water Heater Repair Cost

Repair cost by part

Both publishers price the same parts installed, with labor. Where their ranges differ, use the pair as your band:

By fuel, HomeAdvisor puts gas heater repairs at $150 to $500 and electric at $20 to $300. Electric repairs are cheaper because the parts are simple and there's no gas work.

Parts you can buy yourself

The part itself is often cheap. Labor and the service call are most of the bill. HomeGuide's parts-only prices:

HomeAdvisor lists a thermostat part at about $20 and an element tester at about $10. On an electric tank, testing the element and thermostat yourself before calling anyone is the cheapest diagnostic there is. See testing a water heater element.

What moves the price

The service call. HomeGuide says many plumbers charge a $50 to $200 minimum call-out fee, and hourly rates run $45 to $150. A quick thermocouple swap still costs the call.

Access. A heater in a tight closet, attic or crawlspace takes longer. Anode rods are the classic example: on an old tank the rod can be seized, and there's often not enough headroom to pull it straight out.

Tankless units. HomeGuide puts tankless repairs at $300 to $1,300, and a heat exchanger replacement at $600 to $1,300. Those parts cost more, and fewer techs work on them. See tankless water heater repair.

After hours. Nights and weekends cost more. If you have hot water but a problem, wait for a weekday.

Repair or replace?

HomeGuide's rule of thumb is to consider replacement when the heater is more than 10 years old or the repair would cost more than half the price of a new one. It puts tank lifespan at 8 to 15 years and tankless at 10 to 20.

HomeAdvisor prices a full replacement at $875 to $1,800. HomeGuide puts a standard tank at $600 to $3,100 installed. Against that, a thermocouple or element on a heater that's well short of 10 years old is an easy yes. A gas valve on a tank past that age is a harder call. HomeAdvisor says that when a gas control valve fails, replacing the valve is typically more cost-effective than repairing it. On an old heater, that money can go toward a new one instead.

A tank that leaks from its body, not a fitting, can't be fixed. The steel has rusted through. Plan the replacement now, before it lets go. See water heater replacement cost.

Not sure what failed? Start with water heater repair or no hot water.

Boiler and HVAC parts are a different job

Searches for boiler expansion tanks, boiler pressure relief valves or HVAC heating elements turn up next to water heater parts, but they're separate systems with different parts and pressure ratings. A boiler tech or HVAC contractor prices those. Don't use these water heater numbers for them.