5 signs your water heater needs replacing
- Age
- Rust and corrosion
- Can't drain water through the drain valve
- The tank is leaking
- Water is only warm, or cold
If your storage tank is nearing the end of its 10–13 year life, replacement is the obvious choice: new models are up to 20% more efficient and save money over their lifetime. If it's only a few years old, repair may be the way to go. But once minerals have corroded a tank enough to leak, repair isn't an option.
The good news: modern water heaters are much more efficient, with foam insulation between tank and shell and new glass liners that resist corrosion. Or go tankless — water is heated only as it flows, by a powerful gas burner or electric element.
Tank or tankless?
A new storage tank is the quickest, lowest-cost replacement and usually fits in the same spot with the same connections. A tankless heater costs more up front and may need a larger gas line and new venting, but it gives you endless hot water on demand, frees up floor space and can cut your water heating costs. For a household that runs out of hot water, or a condo where every square foot counts, tankless is often worth a look. We'll give you a clear price for both so you can compare.
What's included in a water heater installation
- Sizing for your household's hot water use
- Gas permit and inspection
- Draining, removal and disposal of the old tank
- Gas connection and shut-off valve
- Venting to code for the new heater
- Seismic strapping, as required in BC
- Temperature and pressure relief valve and discharge line
- Expansion tank, where required
- Startup, leak check and temperature setting
- Walkthrough of your new water heater
Same-day water heater replacement
Nobody plans to replace a water heater, and nobody wants to go days without a hot shower. When your tank fails, call us in the morning and in many cases we can have a new one installed and running the same day, anywhere in Vancouver, Burnaby, Coquitlam and the Lower Mainland. Tankless conversions take a little more planning, since they may need a new gas line or venting, but we'll get you a firm date quickly.
