RV Water Heater Repair

Hot water whenever you need it, wherever you're parked

Hot water is one of those things you don't think about until it's gone. You turn on the shower, wait for it to warm up, and nothing happens. Or maybe you get a minute of lukewarm water before it goes cold. In Jensen Beach, where most RV owners use their rigs year-round or for extended snowbird stays, a broken water heater is a real problem that needs a quick fix.

Scott Marlins has been repairing RV water heaters across Jensen Beach and Martin County for over 10 years. With 3,200+ total repairs under his belt, he's worked on every brand, every size, and just about every failure mode there is. Most water heater repairs take 1 to 2 hours on-site and cost less than you'd expect.

Types of RV water heaters

RVs use three main types of water heaters, and each has its own set of common problems.

Tank-style propane/electric (most common). These are 6-gallon or 10-gallon tanks made by Suburban or Atwood (now Dometic). They heat water using propane, electric, or both simultaneously. The propane side uses a burner assembly with an electronic igniter. The electric side uses a 120V heating element screwed into the tank. These units have been the RV industry standard for decades.

Tankless on-demand systems. Brands like Girard and Truma make tankless water heaters that heat water as it flows through the unit. There's no tank to store water, so you get continuous hot water without running out. They're more efficient and save weight, but they're also more complex with electronic ignition, flow sensors, and heat exchangers.

Hybrid electric systems. Some newer RVs use electric-only water heaters with small tanks (2 to 4 gallons). These are simple, quiet, and require shore power or a generator to operate. They don't have propane components, so there are fewer failure points.

Common water heater problems and repairs

Won't ignite on propane. This is the most frequent call we get. You hear the igniter clicking but no flame catches, or the flame lights and goes out after a few seconds. The usual culprits are a dirty or clogged burner tube (mud daubers and spiders love to nest in them), a failed electrode that can't produce a strong enough spark, or a bad thermocouple/ECO (energy cutoff) that's shutting down the gas supply as a safety measure. Most ignition repairs cost $100 to $200.

No hot water on electric. When the propane side works but electric doesn't, it's almost always a failed heating element. These elements corrode over time, especially in areas with hard water like Jensen Beach. They develop cracks, lose resistance, and eventually stop producing heat altogether. Element replacement is $125 to $250, and it takes about an hour.

Water not hot enough. If you're getting lukewarm water but not truly hot, the thermostat might be set too low, the heating element might be partially failed (producing some heat but not full output), or the propane burner might be partially clogged. There's also a common installation issue: a bypass valve left partially open from winterization that mixes cold water into the hot line.

Water heater leaking. Leaks around the drain plug are usually just a worn gasket ($10 fix). Leaks from the pressure relief valve mean the valve is doing its job (relieving excess pressure) or the valve itself is stuck open. But if the tank itself is leaking, that means internal corrosion has eaten through the steel. Tank leaks can't be patched. You'll need a new water heater.

Rotten egg smell in hot water. This sulfur odor is caused by bacteria in the tank reacting with the magnesium anode rod. It's not dangerous, but it's unpleasant. The fix involves replacing the anode rod and sanitizing the tank with a diluted bleach solution. If the problem keeps coming back, switching to an aluminum anode rod usually eliminates it for good.

The anode rod: your water heater's most important part

If there's one thing every RV owner in Jensen Beach should know about their water heater, it's the anode rod. This sacrificial metal rod screws into the tank and corrodes instead of the tank itself. As long as the rod is there, the tank stays protected. When the rod is consumed, the tank starts corroding from the inside.

Jensen Beach's municipal water supply (and many well water systems in Martin County) has mineral content that accelerates anode rod consumption. Where an anode rod might last 2 to 3 years in a soft water area, here it can be consumed in 12 to 18 months.

We recommend checking the anode rod annually and replacing it when it's more than 50% consumed. This $75 to $125 service is the single best way to extend your water heater's life. Skipping it can mean a new water heater at $400 to $800, so the math is pretty clear.

One important note: Atwood (now Dometic) aluminum tank water heaters don't use anode rods. Their tanks are made of aluminum, which doesn't corrode the same way steel does. If you have an Atwood unit, you'll see a plastic drain plug instead of a metal anode rod.

Tankless water heater service

Tankless units like the Girard GSWH-2 and Truma AquaGo are becoming more popular in newer RVs. They're excellent units when they work, but they're more complex than tank-style heaters. Common issues include flow sensor failures (the unit doesn't detect water flow and won't ignite), ignition module problems (the electronic brain that controls the burner sequence), and heat exchanger scale buildup from hard water.

Tankless units should be descaled every 12 months in Jensen Beach's water conditions. We flush the heat exchanger with a vinegar solution to dissolve mineral deposits. This takes about 45 minutes and costs $100 to $150. Skipping this service leads to reduced hot water output and eventually damages the heat exchanger (a $300 to $500 part).

Jensen Beach water quality and your water heater

The water quality in Jensen Beach and Martin County creates specific challenges for RV water heaters. The water has moderate hardness levels (around 120 to 180 PPM in most areas), which means mineral deposits build up on heating elements, inside tank walls, and in tankless heat exchangers. A water softener or inline filter can significantly reduce mineral buildup and extend your water heater's service life.

We also see more corrosion on water heater fittings and connections here than in dry climates. The combination of hard water and high humidity attacks brass fittings, steel tanks, and copper connections from both inside and outside. Inspecting these connections during annual maintenance catches problems early.

Need your RV water heater repaired or serviced? Call Scott at 772-356-0328 for mobile service anywhere in Jensen Beach, Stuart, Palm City, or Martin County.