Water Heater Repair or Replacement?
No hot water, a leak or a rumbling tank? What to check first, and when replacing the heater is the better call.
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- The water heaterBrand, model, fuel and size, so you can compare quotes like for like
- Drain, disconnect and remove the old unitLabor for the swap
- Haul-awayThe old heater leaves with us
- Thermal expansion tankWhere your water system needs one
- Relief valve discharge pipeRun down to just above the floor
- Drain panWhere a leak would damage the room
- Gas shutoff and sediment trapGas units only
- Vent connectorChecked and replaced if it is undersized or corroded
- Water connectionsShutoff valve and connectors
- Permit and inspectionWhere the job requires one
Lines your house does not need are left off, and each line that stays has its price beside it.
We replace water heaters; we do not repair them
We do not offer repair visits. If your water heater has failed or is near the end of its life, we replace it, with one free, itemized estimate and the old unit hauled away.
If you are not sure yet, the checks below are safe for a homeowner and often tell you which way it will go.
What to check first
- No hot water, electric: check the breaker for the water heater. If it has tripped and trips again after a reset, stop and call a professional.
- No hot water, gas: check that the gas control is on and, on older units, whether the pilot is lit. Follow the lighting instructions on the label; if you smell gas, leave and call your gas utility from outside.
- Not enough hot water: a tank that runs out much sooner than it used to may have sediment or a failed element or dip tube.
- Water around the base: find where it comes from. A drip from a fitting or the relief valve pipe is different from water coming out of the tank itself.
Signs the tank is done
Water leaking from the tank body, rusty hot water, or a tank past 10 to 15 years old with recurring problems usually means replacement.
- Water seeping from the tank itself: the lining has failed and the tank cannot be repaired.
- Rust-coloured hot water only (cold runs clear): the tank is corroding inside.
- Rumbling or popping as it heats: heavy sediment, common with hard water, and a sign of age.
- Age: the Department of Energy gives storage water heaters a life of 10 to 15 years (DOE). The date is on the rating plate or coded in the serial number.
Water heater leaking?
Shut off the cold-water valve on the pipe above the heater, turn the gas control to Off or switch off the breaker, and catch the water. Then plan the replacement.
- Turn the cold-water valve on the inlet pipe above the heater to closed.
- Gas heater: turn the gas control knob to Off. Electric heater: switch off its breaker.
- Put a pan or towels under the leak and move anything that can be damaged.
- If you smell gas, leave the house and call your gas utility from outside.
A leak from the tank itself, not from a fitting, means the tank has failed and cannot be repaired. Call us with the size and fuel and we will price the replacement.
When it is time to replace
Where we install
Northern Virginia, Washington D.C., and Montgomery and Prince George's counties in Maryland, from our base in Arlington. Each area page lists the local permit office, water supplier and what they mean for your water heater.
Questions homeowners ask
Get an itemized water heater estimate
Tell us what you have now and what you want next. The estimate is free and itemized.
Phones answered every day, 10 AM to 9 PM
Arlington, Alexandria, Fairfax, Falls Church and Loudoun