Water Heater Repair in Arlington, VA

Signs your heater needs attention

• Water that never gets past lukewarm, or no hot water at all
• Showers that turn cold well before they used to
• Rumbling or snapping sounds when the heater fires
• Rust stains at the fittings or a damp drain pan
• The relief valve discharge pipe dripping or spurting
• A gas burner that lights and then drops out, or a breaker that trips on an electric unit

Arlington conditions that matter

Arlington County's Water, Sewer, Streets Bureau delivers Potomac River water treated by the Washington Aqueduct at the Dalecarlia plant. The County's water quality reporting lists hardness of about 8 grains per gallon (142 mg/L), which is enough for mineral sediment to collect at the bottom of a tank over the years and for electric elements to pick up a crust. Water is disinfected with chloramine, with a switch to chlorine for about six weeks each spring while the system is flushed.

Census-based figures put the county's median home at 1976, so many houses and garden apartments have water heaters tucked into basements, utility closets or tight laundry alcoves, and plenty of them are on their second or third unit. High-rise buildings along the Rosslyn-Ballston corridor often have their own building rules about who may work on in-unit equipment, so check with management before booking. Gas heaters here are on Washington Gas. If you ever smell gas near the heater, leave the home first, then call 911 and Washington Gas at 844-WASHGAS (844-927-4427), option 1, from outside.

Plumbing, gas and water heater permits in Arlington go through the County's building and inspections program and its Permit Arlington portal. A simple part repair is different from installing a new heater, and the plumber can tell you which side of that line your job falls on.

What affects the cost

• The part that failed: an element or thermostat is simpler than a gas valve or control board
• How much sediment has to be flushed out first
• Access, since closet and condo installs can be cramped
• Seized drain valves, corroded nipples or old connectors found during the visit
• After-hours or weekend timing

What happens when you call

You are connected with an independent plumber who works in Arlington. Be ready to say whether the heater is gas or electric, roughly how old it is and what changed. The plumber can then explain whether a repair is likely worthwhile and set up a time to look at it.