Water Heater Repair in Rougemont, NC

Signs your heater needs a look

• A rotten-egg or sulfur smell from the hot taps only
• Gritty bits or sand in faucet aerators
• Rumbling or popping when the heater runs
• Less hot water than the tank used to hold
• A breaker or reset that won't stay on
• Dampness under the tank or rust on the jacket

Well water and heaters in Rougemont

Rougemont is a rural community in far northern Durham County along US 501, with farmland, the Little River park and a mix of older and newer homes; census estimates for the small community put the median build year at 1994. There's no city water system here. Most households rely on private wells, and Durham County Environmental Health permits, inspects and tests them.

Groundwater along the US 501 commercial strip was contaminated years ago by fuel leaking from old gas station tanks. In 2016 a Durham County community well system began serving about 40 homes in that area. Everyone else is on their own well, and well water tends to be harder on water heaters than treated city water. Durham County well testing found about 38% of tested wells above the federal manganese health advisory. Minerals like that settle in the bottom of a tank, coat electric elements and can feed the bacteria behind sulfur odors.

Permits for plumbing work, including replacements and private water service lines, come from Durham City-County Building & Safety. The northern part of Rougemont lies in Person County, where a different inspections office likely applies.

What changes the price

• Sediment. A heavily scaled tank may need a long flush, or a scaled element may have to come out.
• The failed part. An anode rod or element is a simpler job than a gas or propane control valve.
• Water treatment. If the well needs a sediment filter or other treatment ahead of the heater, that's separate work.
• Replacing instead. A new heater adds equipment and a permit.

When you call

You'll be put through to an independent plumber who covers northern Durham County. Mention that you're on a well, whether the heater is electric, gas or propane, and what you've noticed. If you ever smell gas near a gas or propane heater, leave the house and call 911 from outside, or call your gas utility or propane supplier; for Enbridge Gas North Carolina the emergency number is 1-877-776-2427.