Snowbird Water Heater Service for Seasonal Residents

What is snowbird water heater service?

Snowbird water heater service is a visit before you leave in spring to shut your water heater down safely, and a visit when you return in fall to start it up, check for leaks and flush out stale water. Apache Junction Water Heater Pros also comes out after monsoon storms or for leaks found on return, 24/7.

Apache Junction has about 40,000 year-round residents, and that number roughly doubles to about 80,000 in winter. Many of those seasonal homes are mobile homes, park models and small houses in the RV resorts along the Apache Trail, Idaho Rd and Meridian Rd. From spring to fall they sit closed up through the hottest months of the year.

You can do a lot of this yourself. Our snowbird water heater checklist has every step in printable form. This page is for people who would rather have someone who works on water heaters every day do it, or who want the heater looked at with a trained eye before it's left alone for six months.

Spring close-up: what we do before you leave

Book this for a week or two before you drive out, so there's time to fix anything we find. A close-up visit usually covers:

• A full leak check of the top fittings, flex connectors, relief valve and pipe, drain valve, gas control and the tank jacket
• Valve check. We make sure the cold supply valve actually closes. Old gate valves often don't, and you won't find out until you need them.
• Heat off the right way. Breaker off for electric. For gas, "Vacation," "Pilot" or full off, depending on what you prefer and how the unit is set up.
• Drain or leave full. We talk it through with you based on the tank's age and condition, then do it correctly. An electric tank is never drained with the power on.
• Pan and drain line check, and a look at the platform or floor for soft spots
• A written note of the heater's age, what was turned off and where the valves are, left in the closet for whoever checks on the home

Should I replace my old water heater before I leave for the summer?

If the tank is over about 10 years old, shows rust at the bottom, or the drain valve is already weeping, it's worth thinking about. Tanks last about 8–12 years nationally, but with our hard water, about 13–16 grains per gallon, many show trouble at 7–9 years. A tank that fails in an empty home can leak for weeks before anyone notices. Replacing it in spring, while you're here to decide, is often calmer than coming home to a flood. Our water heater replacement page covers gas, electric and sizing choices.

Is a flush worth doing at close-up?

Usually it's better in the fall. Flushing in spring stirs up sediment, and a plastic drain valve may not seal well afterward with no one around to catch a drip. In fall, a flush also clears out water that sat all summer. See water heater flush service for details.

Summer checks after monsoon storms

Monsoon season runs from June 15 to September 30. Storms bring power surges, high wind and sideways rain. Outside water heater closets on mobile homes take the worst of it, and surges can burn out electric elements and thermostats if the breaker was left on.

Can you check my water heater while I'm out of state?

Yes, as a visit you set up. Call us, tell us when you'd like the check, and arrange access through a neighbor, your park manager or your property manager. We don't hold keys and we don't offer ongoing monitoring. When the visit is done, we call or text you with what we found.

• Water on the floor, in the pan or in the closet
• Rain getting in around the outside closet door or vent
• Signs of mice or pack rats, such as nests or chewed wiring
• Rust streaks, a wet tank jacket or a dripping relief pipe

Coordinating access with parks, neighbors and property managers

Most snowbird visits happen while the owner is somewhere else. That works fine with a little planning.

1. Pick your contact. A neighbor, park manager, property manager or family member who can let us in or leave a key in a place you choose.
2. Tell the park office. Many resorts ask to know when a contractor is coming. Some have rules on parking and work hours.
3. Give written permission by text or email so your contact knows it's fine to let us in.
4. Agree on how we reach you. Phone, text or email, and whether you want photos.
5. Agree on a limit. Tell us up front what we can fix on the spot without calling you, such as a drain valve, and what needs your OK first.

Fall start-up: bringing your water heater back

October and November are when most seasonal residents come back to town. A start-up visit follows a careful order so nothing gets damaged:

• Look before turning anything on. We check for rust, stains and old drips first.
• Refill slowly with a hot tap open, so the tank fills fully and air comes out of the lines.
• Check every joint under pressure, since some leaks only show once the tank is full.
• Power on or relight only after the tank is full. A dry electric element burns out in seconds.
• Test the relief valve and make sure it seats again.
• Flush if needed. Stale water that sat warm all summer can smell, and the hard-water sediment does too.
• Set the temperature. The DOE suggests about 120°F for most homes.

Why does my hot water smell like rotten eggs after summer?

Warm water sitting in a tank for months can react with the anode rod and give off a sulfur smell. A flush and running the hot taps often clears it. If it keeps coming back, the anode rod may need attention, and we can look at it during the visit.

Found a leak when you got back? We're open 24/7

If you walk in and find water, do these three things first:

1. Stop the water. Close the cold valve on the heater, or the main to the home.
2. Stop the heat. Breaker off for electric. Gas knob to "Off" or "Pilot."
3. Take photos of the heater, the floor and anything wet, before you clean up.

Then call (480) 555-0147. We'll find out whether it's a valve, a fitting or the tank, and tell you plainly. If you smell gas, leave the home and call 911 and Southwest Gas or your propane supplier from outside before anything else.

For leaks at night or on weekends, see our emergency water heater repair page. If you're wondering about a claim, our guide on whether insurance covers a water heater leak explains what policies usually do and don't pay for.

Mobile homes, park models and site-built homes

Seasonal homes here come in every shape. Each has its own concerns:

We also serve seasonal homes in Gold Canyon. For everything else we do, start at our Apache Junction water heater leak repair page.

What does snowbird water heater service cost?

It depends on what the visit includes and what we find. A simple close-up or start-up costs far less than a repair. A tank flush runs about $75–$150 as a Phoenix-area average. Valve and fitting repairs sit in between, and Angi lists an Apache Junction water heater repair average of about $646, typically $422–$1,196. We explain the price before any work starts, and if something needs your OK while you're away, we call first.

Snowbird water heater service FAQs