(980) 276-0199

Water Heater Repair in Hickory, NC

Gas, Electric, Tank & Tankless · Mon-Fri 8 AM-5 PM · (980) 276-0199

Call (980) 276-0199 Request Service

A&B Plumbing repairs gas and electric tank water heaters and tankless water heaters across Hickory and Catawba County. We diagnose before we quote, pull NC plumbing permits when required, and service Bradford White, A.O. Smith, Rheem, Rinnai, and Navien units. Same-day service is available Monday through Friday, 8 AM to 5 PM. Call (980) 276-0199.

Common Water Heater Problems We Fix

No Hot Water

On an electric tank water heater, this is most often a failed upper heating element or thermostat. On a gas tank, the pilot has gone out, the thermocouple has failed, or the gas control valve has tripped. On a tankless unit, it is most commonly a flame-loss code, an ignition failure, a flow sensor, or a clogged inlet filter. We test and confirm before swapping any part.

Leaking Tank

A small drip at a fitting or the temperature-and-pressure (T&P) relief valve is repairable. A leak from the tank itself (around the bottom seam, the drain valve, or visible rust at the base) means the tank has reached end of life and needs replacement. We tell you which one you have on the diagnostic.

Popping or Rumbling Noise

Sediment buildup at the bottom of the tank traps water against the burner or the lower element. The trapped water boils and pops. Hickory homes on hard well water (outlying Catawba County, Falling Creek, Mountain View, Sherrills Ford) build sediment faster. We can flush the tank and replace the anode rod to extend service life.

Rusty or Discolored Water

If only hot-side fixtures run rusty, the anode rod is gone and the steel tank is corroding from the inside. Sometimes a new anode and a thorough flush can buy more time; often it is a sign the tank is near end of life. If both hot and cold run rusty, the issue is the supply line or well, not the water heater.

Pilot Won't Stay Lit

Failing thermocouple is the most common cause - we replace it and the pilot stays. Other causes include a dirty or misaligned pilot tube, a draft problem at the flue, or a failing gas control valve. We test, then quote the right fix.

Gas vs. Electric Water Heater Repair

Gas water heaters rely on a burner, a thermocouple or flame-sensor, a gas control valve, a flue or vent, and a pilot or electronic ignition. Repairs typically focus on the gas train and the flue. Gas units recover hot water faster and cost less to run per gallon than electric in most of NC.

Electric water heaters use two heating elements (upper and lower) and two thermostats. Most repairs involve replacing one of the four. Electric units have no flue, no pilot, and no combustion - which makes them simpler to repair but slower to recover.

For tankless units, we focus on Navien (NPE, NPN, NCB lines), Rinnai, Rheem, and Noritz. See our tankless water heater repair page for tankless-specific repair detail.

Repair or Replace? How We Decide

The decision depends on three things: the age of the unit, the part that failed, and whether the tank itself is the source.

  • Under 8 years old, repairable failure (element, thermostat, valve, thermocouple) - repair. Repair costs a fraction of replacement and you get years of life back.
  • 8 to 12 years old, repairable failure - judgment call. If two or three components need replacing at the same time, replacement often makes more sense than repair.
  • Tank itself is leaking (bottom seam, rust at the base) - replace. Steel tanks cannot be repaired.
  • Over 12 years old, almost any failure - lean replace. The next failure is usually weeks away. Replacing in a planned visit beats replacing during an emergency.

We do not push replacement when repair is the right call. The flat-rate diagnostic gets you a written quote either way.

NC Plumbing Permits

Catawba County and the City of Hickory require a plumbing permit and inspection for water heater replacement in most cases. Repair work on the same unit (heating element, thermocouple, control valve, T&P, gas-line repair) does not require a permit. We pull the permit on every replacement and schedule the inspection - that is part of the price, not an add-on.

Thinking About Switching to Tankless?

If your tank water heater is at end of life and you are weighing the switch to tankless, a few things matter: gas line sizing (most homes need an upsize from 1/2 inch to 3/4 inch for a tankless), venting (Navien and modern condensing units use PVC venting), and how much hot water your household uses at once. We handle the gas line, the venting, and the install. A&B Plumbing is a Navien Service Specialist - Brandon is factory-trained on the NPE, NPN, and NCB lines.

See tankless water heater service for the full overview, tankless water heater installation for new installs, and tankless water heater repair for tankless-specific repair work.

Water Heater Brands We Service

  • Bradford White - widely installed in Hickory tank water heaters; parts widely stocked.
  • A.O. Smith - common gas and electric residential tanks.
  • Rheem - tank and tankless lines.
  • Rinnai - tankless, both condensing and non-condensing.
  • Navien - tankless (NPE, NPN, NCB). A&B is a Navien Service Specialist.
  • Noritz - tankless.

We service most other brands as well; these are the most common in Catawba County homes.

Hickory & Newton Water Heater Service Area

Same-day water heater repair across Catawba County from our Hickory and Conover offices. ZIPs covered: 28601, 28602, 28603, 28609, 28610, 28613, 28658.

City pages: Hickory · Conover · Newton · Claremont · Maiden · Catawba · Sherrills Ford · Mooresville · Denver · Lincolnton.

Need same-day emergency response? See emergency plumber Hickory NC.

Frequently Asked Questions - Water Heater Repair

Under 8 years old with a repairable part (element, thermostat, thermocouple, control valve), repair almost always wins. Over 12 years old or with a leaking tank, replacement is the better call. Between 8 and 12 is a judgment call we walk you through on site.

Tank water heaters typically last 8 to 12 years. Hard well water in outlying Catawba County shortens that life because mineral buildup speeds anode rod wear. Tankless units last 15 to 20 years with annual flushing.

Water heater replacement typically requires a Catawba County or City of Hickory plumbing permit. Repairs to the same unit do not. We pull the permit and schedule the inspection on every replacement we do.

Electric water heater repairs are usually less expensive on individual parts (a heating element or thermostat is a low-cost component). Gas units have more parts in the gas train (control valve, thermocouple, burner) and the failure rate is comparable. Operating cost is a separate question - gas is typically cheaper per gallon of hot water in NC.

If only the hot side runs rusty, the anode rod is depleted and the steel tank is corroding from the inside. A fresh anode and a thorough flush can buy more time on a unit under 8 years old; on an older unit it is usually a sign the tank is near end of life. If both hot and cold run rusty, the source is the supply line or the well.

Most common cause is a failing thermocouple - a $25 part and 30 minutes of labor. Other causes include a dirty pilot orifice, a draft problem at the flue, or a failing gas control valve. We test before replacing.

No Hot Water? Call A&B Plumbing - (980) 276-0199

Same-day water heater repair Monday through Friday, 8 AM to 5 PM. NC licensed and insured. Permit handled on every replacement.

Call (980) 276-0199
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