Pool Heater Repair Near Me – Fast Local Service in Orange County & LA

How long does pool heater repair take?

Most repairs take 1-2 hours if we have parts on the truck. Simple stuff like igniter replacement or thermostat adjustment? 30-45 minutes. Complex repairs like heat exchanger replacement? 2-3 hours. The longest part is usually diagnosis – figuring out why your heater’s acting weird. We had one tricky Raypak last month that took 90 minutes just to diagnose (turned out to be a spider nest in the pressure switch tube – seriously).

Can you repair my pool heater the same day?

Usually yes, if you call before noon and we have the parts. We stock common parts for Hayward, Pentair, Jandy, and Raypak heaters. Weird stuff like circuit boards for 10-year-old Sta-Rites might need to be ordered. But for typical “my heater won’t turn on” calls? Same-day pool and spa heater repair near me is what we do. Yesterday fixed 4 heaters between San Juan Capistrano and Seal Beach, all before dinner.

Do you service both residential and commercial pools?

Absolutely. Whether it’s a backyard spa in Laguna Niguel or a 100,000-gallon community pool in Anaheim Hills, we fix them all. Commercial pool heater repair near me searches usually come from property managers dealing with angry residents. We get it – nothing makes HOA meetings worse than “the pool’s been cold for two weeks.” We prioritize commercial repairs because 50 angry condo owners is way worse than one unhappy homeowner.

Should I repair or replace my pool heater?

The honest answer that nobody wants to hear: if your heater’s over 10 years old and needs a major repair (heat exchanger, control board), replacement might make more sense. Here’s our rule of thumb:

• Under 5 years old: Almost always repair (unless physically damaged)
• 5-10 years old: Repair if under $800, consider replacement if more
• Over 10 years: Replace if repair exceeds 50% of new heater cost
• Over 15 years: Usually replacement (parts become impossible to find)

New heaters are way more efficient too. We had a customer in Dana Point with a 12-year-old Jandy needing $1,400 in repairs. New high-efficiency Pentair was $2,200 installed and cut their gas bill by 30%.

What’s that error code on my pool heater mean?

Every brand has different codes, but here are the most common ones:

• “LO” – Low flow (clean your filter first!)
• “IGN” or “IF” – Ignition failure
• “HLS” – High limit switch (overheating)
• “PS” – Pressure switch open
• “SNS” – Sensor failure
• “SFS” – Stack flue sensor (Pentair specific)

Don’t just clear the code and hope – it’s telling you something’s wrong. We’ve seen too many “intermittent” error codes turn into dead heaters.

Why does my pool heater keep shutting off?

Nine times out of ten, it’s low water flow. Your heater needs steady water flow or it overheats and shuts down for safety.

Common causes of heater shutoff:

• Dirty filter (most common – clean it!)
• Partially closed valve someone forgot about
• Clogged pump impeller
• Bad pressure switch giving false readings
• Cycling thermostat (reaching temp then cooling)
• Ventilation problems (especially after Santa Ana winds)
• Gas pressure fluctuations

We debugged one in Brea that only shut off on Tuesdays – turned out the landscapers were partially closing a valve every week when they blew out the equipment area.

Do you work on old pool heaters?

We’ll work on anything, but here’s the truth about old heaters – parts get impossible to find. Got a 1990s Teledyne Laars? Good luck finding a control valve. 2005 Sta-Rite? Maybe. The oldest heater we successfully fixed recently was a 1998 Raypak in Los Alamitos – only because Raypak still makes some compatible parts. Sometimes we have to get creative with universal parts, but if your heater’s old enough to vote, might be time for an upgrade.

What’s the difference between a heat pump and regular heater?

Here’s the simple explanation:

• Gas/Electric heaters: Create heat by burning gas or using electric elements
• Heat pumps: Steal heat from the air and transfer it to your pool

The practical differences:

• Gas heater can raise your pool 20° overnight
• Heat pump might take 2-3 days for the same rise
• Gas heater costs $300-400/month to run
• Heat pump costs $50-75/month
• Gas works in any weather
• Heat pumps struggle below 50°F

In coastal areas like Huntington Beach where it never freezes, heat pumps are amazing. Inland like Chino Hills where it hits 35 degrees? Stick with gas.

Can you fix pool heater leaks?

Depends where it’s leaking:

• Leaking union or gasket: Easy fix, $100-200
• Cracked header: Repairable, $400-600
• Leaking heat exchanger: Often game over for older heaters ($1,500-2,000)
• Pressure relief valve dripping: Replace valve, check for overheating cause

We’ll always check if it’s covered under warranty first – Pentair and Hayward both have decent warranties on heat exchangers if you registered the heater.

Why is my pool heater making noise?

Noises tell stories. Here’s our heater noise decoder:

• Whistling: Scale buildup or gas flow restriction
• Clicking: Relay problems or ignition attempting to fire
• Rumbling/Booming: Delayed ignition (DANGEROUS – shut it off!)
• Whooshing: Normal combustion sound for most heaters
• Banging: Thermal expansion or serious ignition delay
• Squealing: Fan motor bearings (heat pumps)
• Gurgling: Low water flow or air in system

We had a customer in Placentia whose heater sounded like a dragon – turned out mice built a nest in the combustion chamber. Another in El Toro had a heater that literally sang – harmonics from a loose heat exchanger tube.