Water Heater Repair and Replacement in East Orlando and UCF

What's in this district

This district covers Union Park, the Alafaya corridor and the University of Central Florida area, Avalon Park, Vista Lakes, and the rural east toward Bithlo and Wedgefield. The university opened in 1968, and apartment communities, townhomes and rented houses have grown up around it. Union Park and the older streets along the East-West corridor are largely mid-century and later block homes. Avalon Park was founded in 1999 and built out over the following two decades. Wedgefield dates from the 1960s, with homes on lots of an acre or so, many on private wells, and the area around Bithlo includes rural and manufactured homes. ZIP code 32834 covers few or no homes.

Calls from East Orlando and UCF are matched to installers covering 32817, 32820, 32822, 32825, 32826, 32828, 32829, 32831, 32833 and 32834.

How an electric tank heater works

Most electric tank heaters have two heating elements, an upper and a lower, each controlled by its own thermostat. They take turns rather than running together: the upper element heats the top of the tank first, then hands over to the lower one. A high-limit cutoff above the upper thermostat shuts everything off if the water gets too hot. Almost every electric fault traces back to one of these parts, the wiring between them, or the supply feeding the heater.

Symptoms and what they usually mean

No hot water at all

Most often the upper element or upper thermostat has failed, since the lower element can't take over until the top of the tank is hot. A tripped high-limit cutoff or a tripped breaker are the other usual causes. See no hot water diagnosis.

Some hot water, but it runs out quickly

Usually the lower element or lower thermostat. The upper element still heats the top of the tank, so you get a short burst before it runs cool. Sediment burying the lower element is a common reason it fails in Orlando's mineral-rich water.

Water that's only lukewarm

A thermostat set low, a thermostat that has drifted, or a partly failed element. A broken dip tube, the pipe that carries cold water to the bottom of the tank, can also mix cold water in at the top.

Water that's far too hot

A thermostat stuck on is the usual cause, and it's worth a call the same day. The high-limit cutoff is there to stop it, but it shouldn't be relied on.

A breaker that keeps tripping

Usually a shorted element, sometimes damaged wiring or a loose, overheated connection. Report it rather than resetting it again and again.

All of these are diagnosed by the technician, because the parts sit behind covers next to live electrical connections. Leave the heater closed up and simply describe what you've noticed when you call. See element and thermostat replacement.

When an element repair is worth it

Elements and thermostats are inexpensive parts, and on a heater with a sound, dry tank a replacement usually restores it fully. If the heater is well into its second decade, has repeated element failures from sediment, or shows rust or moisture at the base, the technician will price a replacement too so you can compare. See electric water heater repair.

Student rentals near UCF

Around the university, many heaters serve rented apartments, townhomes and houses, often with several people showering in the same hour. Heaters there work hard, and a lower-element failure shows up quickly as cold showers. Tenants should report problems to their landlord or property manager first. Owners with several properties benefit from recording each heater's age and location, fitting leak detectors, and planning replacements for the break between semesters. See rental and commercial service.

Avalon Park and the newer communities

Homes in Avalon Park and Vista Lakes date mostly from around 2000 onward, so many builder-installed heaters are now reaching the end of a typical lifespan. Warm garages here suit a heat pump water heater at replacement time, which uses far less electricity than a standard electric tank. Check the manufacture date coded on your heater's label.

Wells in Wedgefield and Bithlo

On private wells, two things change. Well water can carry sulfur compounds that can react with the anode rod and give the hot water a rotten-egg smell, which a technician usually treats by fitting a different anode. And sand, silt or iron from a well can settle in the tank faster, burying the lower element sooner. Keeping a well filter serviced and flushing the heater regularly both help. See rotten-egg smell in hot water.

Manufactured homes on the rural east side

Around Bithlo, some homes are manufactured. Their heaters, almost always electric, usually sit in a small closet or an exterior compartment, and replacements need a model designed for manufactured housing. Mention it when you call. See manufactured home water heaters.

Other Orlando districts

• Downtown, College Park and Central Orlando

  Downtown, Thornton Park, College Park, Audubon Park, Baldwin Park, Delaney Park, Azalea Park, Conway and Belle IsleZIP codes 32801, 32803, 32804, 32805, 32806, 32807, 32812 and 32814

• West Orlando and Dr. Phillips

  Pine Hills, Lockhart, Orlo Vista, Hiawassee, MetroWest, Dr. Phillips, Bay Hill and the International Drive corridorZIP codes 32808, 32810, 32811, 32818, 32819, 32821, 32835 and 32836

• South Orlando and Lake Nona

  Pine Castle, Edgewood, Oak Ridge, Meadow Woods, Hunter's Creek, Southchase and Lake NonaZIP codes 32809, 32824, 32827, 32832, 32837 and 32839

Or return to the Orlando overview.

Services most used here

• Electric Water Heater Repair
• Element and Thermostat Replacement
• No Hot Water Diagnosis
• Rotten-Egg Smell in Hot Water
• Manufactured Home Water Heaters
• Commercial Water Heater Service

East Orlando and UCF questions

My UCF-area rental has no hot water. Who should I call?

Your landlord or property manager first, because your lease usually sets out how repairs are arranged. If they ask you to call us, or they call themselves, we'll connect a local pro who arranges access with you and agrees the price with whoever is arranging the work before starting.

Why do the showers go cold after a few minutes in my Alafaya townhome?

That pattern usually points to the lower element or lower thermostat. The upper element still heats the top of the tank, giving a short burst of hot water before it runs cool. Sediment around the lower element is a common reason it fails. A technician can test and replace it.

How much does it cost to replace a water heater element?

It depends on the element, how easily it comes out of the tank and whether a thermostat is replaced at the same time. The technician diagnoses the fault and gives you the full price before starting. On an older heater, you'll also get a replacement price to compare.

Why does my Avalon Park heater keep burning out elements?

Repeated failures usually come from scale and sediment, which make elements run hot, or from an element powered without water around it. A technician may suggest flushing the tank and a different element type. If the heater is nearing the end of its life, replacement may be the better value.

The hot water is scalding all of a sudden. What's happening?

A thermostat may be stuck on, heating the water beyond its setting. Use cold water to temper it at the tap and call the same day. The heater has a high-limit cutoff for this situation, but a technician should replace the faulty thermostat promptly.

Our Wedgefield home is on a well and the hot water smells of sulfur. Can that be fixed?

Usually. The smell is commonly associated with sulfur compounds in well water reacting with the anode rod. A technician confirms the cause on site and often fits a different anode type. If the cold water smells too, the well itself is the source, and that's a separate question.

Is a heat pump water heater worth it in an east Orlando garage?

For many homes, yes. A warm, roomy garage suits a heat pump unit, which uses much less electricity than a standard electric tank. It needs a condensate drain and a suitable circuit. The installer checks the space and prices it against a like-for-like swap.

Can a heater in a Bithlo manufactured home be repaired, or must it be replaced?

Many faults, such as elements and thermostats, can be repaired like any electric heater. If the tank is leaking or rusting, it needs replacing with a model designed for manufactured housing. The technician checks the heater and prices both options where both are possible.