Water heater repair in Amarillo, TX

Ogallala wells and Lake Meredith

Amarillo's water system leans heavily on groundwater. The city pumps from well fields across Potter, Randall, Carson and Deaf Smith counties, all tapping the Ogallala Aquifer that sits beneath the High Plains. It is also a member of the Canadian River Municipal Water Authority, which delivers water from Lake Meredith on the Canadian River northeast of town and from wells in Roberts County. Lake Meredith water is treated at the city's Osage Water Treatment Plant, while much of the well water needs only disinfection before it enters the mains.

That reliance on Ogallala groundwater means Amarillo water is hard. The calcium and magnesium that come up with it settle as a light tan grit inside gas tanks and as a stubborn crust on electric elements. Lake Meredith has gone through long stretches of very low water during droughts, and when the lake contributes less, the blend tilts further toward wells. Either way, a tank in Amarillo should be drained yearly, and households with tankless units usually install a softener or scale filter.

Groundwater also keeps inlet temperatures steadier than in lake-fed cities. Even after an arctic front, water from the wells rarely drops far below 50 degrees, though lines buried shallow along the alleys can deliver colder water in a hard freeze.

Altitude and gas burners

At roughly 3,600 feet, Amarillo air holds noticeably less oxygen than the air in Dallas or Houston. Gas water heater manufacturers publish derating guidance for installs above 2,000 feet, typically reducing the input rating so the burner does not run rich. A heater set up correctly for the altitude burns clean and blue; one that was not can produce a lazy yellow flame, soot on the flue baffle and rising carbon monoxide.

Most heaters sold through Panhandle suppliers are configured for the region, but tanks bought online or brought from out of town are worth checking. If your burner flame is tall and yellow, or you see black soot around the draft hood, the orifice and venting should be checked before the heater is used again.

Wind, dust and hailstorms

Amarillo is regularly listed among the windiest cities in the United States, and steady winds of 20 to 30 mph are normal for days at a time in spring. Gusts slam down through vent caps, and a heater in a garage with a gap under the door or a utility closet open to a back porch can lose its pilot over and over. Plumbers sometimes solve the problem with a different vent cap, by sealing drafts around the heater, or by moving to a sealed-combustion model.

Wind carries dust, too, especially during dry years when fields and caliche lots blow. Fine dust collects on the flame arrestor screen beneath the burner on modern gas tanks, and a clogged screen starves the burner until it shuts down. The Panhandle also gets some of the biggest hail in Texas, and a crushed or bent flue cap after a June storm is a common reason a heater starts acting up.

Winters are colder here than anywhere else in this part of the state, with frequent nights in the teens and occasional blizzards. Water lines in unheated garages, relief valve drains through outside walls and condensate lines on high-efficiency units all freeze on the worst nights.

Amarillo homes and where the heater sits

The older neighborhoods near downtown and along Polk and Washington streets, including the Plemons-Eakle area, Wolflin and the San Jacinto district along old Route 66, hold brick bungalows, Tudors and larger 1920s to 1950s homes. Some of these have basements, which are more common in Amarillo than in most Texas cities, and the heater often lives there or in a hall closet.

Post-war ranch neighborhoods across Bivins, Puckett and the northwest side typically keep the tank in an attached garage or a laundry closet. In the south and southwest, newer subdivisions such as The Colonies, Greenways, Hillside and City View put most heaters in garages, with occasional attic installs in two-story homes. Apartment complexes around the medical center district off Coulter Street commonly use small electric tanks.

The problems plumbers see most in Amarillo

• Pilots blown out by Panhandle wind in garages and back porch closets.
• Thick Ogallala scale that clogs drain valves and burns out electric elements.
• Yellow, sooty flames on gas heaters not set up for 3,600 feet.
• Dusty flame arrestors that lock out FVIR burners after dry, windy spells.
• Frozen lines and relief drains in uninsulated garages during blizzards.
• Hail-dented vent caps that disrupt the draft on the flue.

Typical water heater prices in Amarillo

Amarillo labor costs are lower than in the big Texas metros. Basement installs with tight stairs, venting changes in older homes and tankless jobs that require a new gas line from the meter all push a bill toward the upper end.

Permits and licensing in Amarillo

The City of Amarillo's Building Safety department handles heater replacement permits, and its inspector checks gas piping, venting, relief valve discharge and, in a garage, how high the burner sits above the floor. The city spans both Potter and Randall counties, but the permit comes from the city either way. Homes outside city limits, such as those around Bushland or in county subdivisions, may have different requirements.

Panhandle plumbers answer to the TSBPE, the state plumbing board, for their licenses. Panhandle plumbing shops are often small family operations, and a reputable one will still show its master plumber license number on every written estimate.

Living with hard Panhandle water

Draining the tank once a year is the single most useful thing an Amarillo homeowner can do. Attach a hose, run a few gallons until the grit clears, and if the drain valve clogs with scale, have a plumber flush it properly. Electric tanks in particular benefit, because scale buildup around the lower element is what makes it overheat and fail.

Softeners are common in Amarillo, and they help a tank last longer. A softened tank still needs its anode inspected periodically, because softened water can wear the rod down faster than untreated well water.

Atmos Energy supplies natural gas in Amarillo, and Xcel Energy, through its Southwestern Public Service subsidiary, provides electricity. Xcel has offered water heater rebates to its Panhandle customers at times, so look up the current Texas offer before replacing an electric tank.

Around Amarillo

Nearby towns have their own water systems and building offices. Canyon, home to West Texas A&M, lies about 15 miles south in Randall County. Bushland sits to the west, Panhandle to the northeast, and Hereford, Dumas and Borger are farther out. Many of these towns also pump Ogallala groundwater, so hardness is a common thread, but permits and fees differ from town to town.

Water heater questions from Amarillo