Plumbers taking calls nowGas, electric and tankless water heater repair(858) 465-8561
Water heater service(858) 465-8561
Serving Hershey, 17033

Water Heater Repair in Hershey, PA

Most Hershey homes were built after 1960, and more of them heat with electricity than with gas. That makes electric elements and thermostats as common a repair here as pilot lights. If your water heater has quit or is leaking, call now.

Call for service(858) 465-8561What's different in Hershey
Cold in Hot out 1 T&P relief valvedrips from high pressure 2 Anode rodused up, tank rusts 3 Dip tubecracks, hot runs out 4 Sedimenthard water, popping 5 Gas valveno heat, no pilot 6 Pilot & thermocouplepilot keeps going out
  • One callStraight to water heater help
  • Repair or replaceHonest advice on which makes sense
  • All major brandsRheem, A.O. Smith, Bradford White, Rinnai, Navien
  • Local to youPlumbers who work in your town
Hershey at a glance

What shapes water heater trouble in Hershey

46%

of Hershey homes heat with electricity

Source: US Census Bureau
1970

median year Hershey homes were built

Source: US Census Bureau
38–158

ppm hardness range in Hershey-system water, 2025

Source: Pennsylvania American Water
101

nights a year at or below freezing

Source: NOAA NCEI
Electric and gas

Electric heaters are as common as gas here

About 46% of Hershey homes heat with electricity, 28% with gas and 20% with fuel oil. Seven in ten homes were built in 1960 or later, so most of them are on their second or third water heater by now.

Electric tanks usually fail at a heating element, a thermostat or the high-limit reset switch, and the first sign is lukewarm water or hot water that runs out fast. Gas tanks fail at the pilot, thermocouple or gas valve. Tell us which kind you have when you call.

Water

Creek water that changes through the year

Pennsylvania American Water's Hershey system draws almost all of its water from the Swatara and Manada Creeks. In its 2025 report, hardness averaged 86 ppm (about 5 grains per gallon) but ranged from 38 to 158 ppm, so the water reaching your tank is softer at some times of year and harder at others. The system disinfects with chloramine.

Hardness that swings like this still leaves sediment in a tank over the years. A heater that has started popping or rumbling has buildup, and flushing helps most when it's done before the tank gets old.

Winter

Hershey winters and colder incoming water

The NOAA station at Harrisburg International, west of town, averages about 101 nights a year at or below freezing, with January lows near 23°F and around 30 inches of snow. Creek-fed water gets colder in winter, so the heater works longer for every shower.

An element or thermocouple that was already weak often gives out in the first cold weeks. If your hot water has been getting shorter, call before it stops.

Before the plumber arrives

Safe steps for Hershey homes

  1. Leaking? Close the cold water valve on top of the tank.
  2. Turn off the gas valve or the breaker for the heater.
  3. Gas smell? UGI serves Derry Township, including Hershey. Leave the house and call UGI at 800-276-2722 or 911 from outside.
Service area

Where we take calls

Hershey, Dauphin County, ZIP codes 17033. Not sure your address is covered? Call and we'll check.

Nearby towns

Services in Hershey

Repair, replacement and emergencies

Plumber using a pipe wrench on the gas line of a tank water heater

Water Heater Repair

Gas, electric and tankless repairs, from pilot lights to heating elements.

Learn moreHot water running with steam from a copper kitchen faucet after a water heater repair

No Hot Water

Cold shower this morning? Get the cause found and fixed fast.

Learn moreTank water heater leaking water from its base onto a basement floor

Leaking Water Heater

Water around the tank or a dripping relief valve. Act before it floods.

Learn morePlumber's tool bag, pipe wrenches and copper fittings beside a water heater

Emergency Water Heater Repair

Burst tank, gas smell or water everywhere. Call right away.

Learn morePlumber wheeling a new tank water heater through a home hallway on a hand truck

Water Heater Replacement

When repair no longer makes sense, get a new tank or tankless unit.

Learn moreWall-mounted tankless water heater with copper and brass water and gas lines

Tankless Water Heater Repair

Error codes, lukewarm water and scale buildup on tankless units.

Learn more
Questions

Hershey water heater questions

Who is the gas company in Hershey, PA?

UGI Utilities lists Derry Township, which includes Hershey, in its service area. If you smell gas, leave first, then call UGI at 800-276-2722 or 911 from outside.

Is Hershey's water hard?

Pennsylvania American Water's 2025 report for the Hershey system shows an average of 86 ppm, about 5 grains per gallon, with a range of 38 to 158 ppm. That is soft to moderately hard on average, harder at some times of year.

Why is my electric water heater only lukewarm?

On an electric tank, lukewarm water usually means one of the two heating elements or its thermostat has failed. If there's no hot water at all, the high-limit reset may have tripped, which often points to a deeper fault. A plumber can test both.

My water heater is in a finished basement. Can it still be replaced?

Yes. Tell us where it sits and what's around it, so the plumber can plan for access and protecting the finished space.

Sources

Where these local facts come from

Figures are the latest published by each source. Pricing and availability are set by the plumber.

No hot water in Hershey?

Call now for water heater repair or replacement.

Call for service(858) 465-8561
Call (858) 465-8561