Repair vs. Replace: The Utah Valley Handyman's Decision Matrix for Windows, Water Heaters, and Drywall Damage

You're standing in your basement, staring at a water heater that's making weird noises. Or maybe you're looking at a foggy window in your Herriman living room, wondering if you can just replace the glass. Or there's that drywall hole in the hallway that your teenager definitely didn't make with a doorknob (wink, wink).

The question is always the same: Do I repair this thing or just replace it?

Here's the deal: Many homeowners waste thousands on replacements they didn't need and throw good money after bad on repairs that were never going to last.

So let's break down the actual decision-making process for three of the most common "repair or replace" headaches Utah homeowners face: windows, water heaters, and drywall damage.

The Windows Question: When Utah Weather Tells You It's Time

Windows in Utah take a beating. We've got temperature swings that go from single digits in January to triple digits in July. That expansion and contraction cycle is brutal on seals, frames, and glass.

Repair if:

• The window is less than 10 years old and just has a broken seal (that foggy look between panes)

• The frame is solid wood or vinyl with no rot or warping

• Only the hardware is broken (locks, cranks, balances)

• It's a single pane of glass that cracked

A broken seal on a double-pane window in Sandy? That's usually a $150-$300 repair, depending on size. Replacing just the glass unit is way cheaper than a whole new window, and if the frame is solid, there's no reason to rip everything out.

Replace if:

• The frame is rotted, warped, or shows moisture damage

• You're getting drafts even after weatherstripping and caulking

• The window is original to a home built before 1990 (Utah energy costs make this a no-brainer)

• Multiple seals have failed across different windows in the house

Here's the thing: if you're in West Valley City and your 1980s aluminum windows are still "working," they're costing you extra in heating and cooling. At that point, replacement isn't about the window: it's about your utility bill. Homeowners can see noticeable reductions in heating and cooling costs after upgrading old single-pane or aluminum windows, especially when combined with proper air sealing.

Want to know more about small fixes that impact your home's value? Check out our post on 10 small issues that quietly tank your home's value.

Water Heaters: The Ticking Time Bomb in Your Utility Room

Water heaters are weird because they can fail in a hundred different ways, and some are $75 fixes while others mean you're buying a new tank.

Repair if:

• The unit is less than 8 years old

• It's a simple thermostat, heating element, or pressure relief valve

• There's no visible rust on the tank itself

• The leak is coming from a valve or connection point (not the tank)

Plenty of $30 thermostats can save homeowners a $1,200 water heater replacement. If your Riverton home has hard water (and let's be honest, most of the valley does), you might just need to flush the tank and replace the anode rod. That's a $150-$250 service call versus buying new.

By the way, if you're dealing with hard water issues, we wrote a whole guide on fixing hard water problems in Utah homes.

Replace if:

• The tank is 10+ years old (even if it's "working fine")

• There's rust-colored water coming out of your hot tap

• You see moisture or rust on the outside of the tank

• The leak is coming from the tank body itself

• You've already repaired it twice in the past two years

Here's the math: if your water heater is 9 years old and needs a $400 repair, you're throwing money at something that's statistically about to die anyway. In hard-water areas like much of the Salt Lake Valley, tank-style water heaters often last toward the lower end of the typical 8–12 year lifespan if not regularly maintained. At that point, spend the $1,000-$1,800 on a new unit and get another decade of reliable hot showers.

The 50% Rule: A common rule of thumb many contractors use is the 50% rule. If the repair costs more than 50% of what a replacement would cost, just replace it. This applies to basically everything in your house, but it's especially true for water heaters.

Drywall Damage: Size Matters (And So Does Location)

Drywall is one of those things where homeowners either panic about nothing or completely underestimate the problem. Let's get this straight.

Repair if:

• The hole is smaller than a softball

• It's in a non-load-bearing wall

• There's no water damage, mold, or structural issues behind it

• The texture is simple (orange peel, knockdown)

A four-inch hole in your Magna hallway? That's a $150-$250 patch and paint job. We cut out the damaged section, put in a backer, mud it, sand it, texture it, and paint it. Done in a day. Even something the size of a dinner plate is still repairable for under $400.

Replace if:

• The damage is widespread (like water damage from a roof leak)

• There's mold behind the drywall

• Multiple areas of the same wall are damaged

• The studs or framing are compromised

• It's an entire wall that needs new insulation anyway

If you've got water damage in a Sandy bathroom from a slow leak, we're not patching: we're cutting out the entire affected section, checking for mold, possibly reframing, and putting up new drywall. At that point, trying to save $100 on drywall means you're risking mold growth behind your walls.

One more thing: if the damage is in a high-visibility area like your living room and the texture is complicated (like hand-troweled knockdown or popcorn), sometimes it's actually cheaper to skim-coat and repaint the whole wall than to try to match a patch perfectly. That's where experience matters.

Other Factors for Your Decision Matrix

Beyond the specific item, here are some questions you should ask yourself:

1. How long are you staying in this house?
If you're selling in six months, we're probably repairing unless it's something that'll kill the inspection. If you're staying for ten years, we're making the investment-grade decision.

2. Will this affect your home value or sale?
A 20-year-old water heater will get flagged on an inspection. A patched window might not. Check out our thoughts on curb appeal and maintenance for more on this.

3. What's your total maintenance budget right now?
If you've got five things that need attention, we might repair three and replace two. Prioritization is key.

4. Are there rebates or tax credits available?
Utah periodically offers some solid energy efficiency programs and rebates. Availability and eligibility vary by year and provider, so be sure to check in every so often so you don't miss out on some great deals.

Why You Want a Licensed Contractor Making This Call

Look, I get it: there are a lot of "handymen" in the Salt Lake Valley who'll give you a price without actually diagnosing the problem. The difference with working with a licensed general contractor is that we're looking at the whole system. We work with individually licensed and insured electricians and plumbers to make sure everything is done properly.

When you call about a leaking window, we're checking the flashing, the caulking, the drainage plane, and the framing. When you call about drywall damage, we're looking for the why behind it. And when you call about a water heater, we're testing pressure, checking code compliance, and making sure you're not going to have the same problem in six months.

We specialize in those smaller, high-impact repairs that big remodeling companies won't touch, but we bring full B100 General Contractor expertise to every job. That means you get honest recommendations based on building science, not just what'll get us the biggest invoice.

The Bottom Line

The repair-versus-replace decision isn't always clear-cut, but here's the framework we use:

• Under 50% of replacement cost and less than 2/3 through its lifespan? → Repair

• Over 50% of replacement cost or nearing end of life? → Replace

• Safety or code issue? → Replace, no question

• Cosmetic in a low-priority area? → Repair (or just live with it)

If you're in Herriman, Sandy, Magna, Riverton, West Valley City, or anywhere in the Salt Lake Valley and you're staring at something wondering "repair or replace?", that's literally what we do all day. Give us a call and we'll give you the honest answer: even if that answer is "just leave it alone for now."

Because sometimes the best repair is the one you don't do yet.