Water Heater Repair in Dover

Oil and kerosene water heaters run a combustion cycle every time the tank calls for heat, and the burner nozzle, electrodes, and heat exchanger accumulate deposits that a gas unit never sees. Fuel oil or kerosene heats more occupied homes in Strafford County, New Hampshire than any other fuel, at 42.5% (2020-2024 ACS 5-year). A contractor repairing one of these units checks the nozzle and ignition assembly first, because fouled combustion components produce the same symptoms as a failing thermostat or a failing element. Venting matters too: oil combustion leaves residue in the flue that restricts draft and pushes the burner to work harder than it should.

Water heaters in older housing tend to carry the full history of the building's water supply inside them: sediment layers, corroded sacrificial rods, and fittings that have never been touched. Half the homes in Strafford County, New Hampshire were built in 1979 or earlier (2020-2024 ACS 5-year). A contractor opening a tank in stock like this finds conditions that vary house by house, and the repair scope follows what is actually inside, not what the model number suggests. Parts for older units are sometimes still available and sometimes are not, and that answer comes from opening the unit, not from the age stamped on the label.