Decision guide
Repair or Replace Your Water Heater?
Repair thermostats, elements, valves and igniters on a tank under about 8 years old. Replace any tank that is leaking from the body, or any tank over 10 years old facing a repair above a few hundred dollars.
Verified August 2026
Typical repair cost
$150–$700
Typical replacement cost
$2,150
$1,200–$5,400 range
Expected service life
8–12 years
Should I repair or replace my water heater?
A leaking tank body is never repairable. Past 10 years, replace rather than repair.
Repair thermostats, elements, valves and igniters on a tank under about 8 years old. Replace any tank that is leaking from the body, or any tank over 10 years old facing a repair above a few hundred dollars.
Decision table
Match your situation to the closest row.
| Situation | Verdict | Why |
|---|---|---|
| No hot water, electric unit under 8 years | Repair | Usually a heating element or thermostat — an inexpensive fix. |
| Water pooling under the tank | Replace | Tank corrosion has breached the liner; it cannot be repaired. |
| Pilot will not stay lit, gas unit under 8 years | Repair | Thermocouple or gas valve replacement restores full service life. |
| Rusty hot water | Depends | Could be the anode rod on a newer tank, or terminal corrosion on an older one. |
| Unit 12+ years old with any fault | Replace | Failure risk and water damage exposure outweigh the repair saving. |
Repair when
- • Tank under 8 years old
- • Fault is an element, thermostat, valve or igniter
- • No corrosion at the tank seams
Replace when
- • Any tank-body leak
- • Age over 10 years
- • Repeated faults
- • You want to switch to tankless or heat-pump
What replacement costs
| National typical cost | $2,150 |
|---|---|
| Typical range | $1,200–$5,400 |
| Unit cost | $1200–$5400 per installed unit |
| Typical timeline | 2-5 hours of work, under 2 weeks including permit and inspection |