Water Heater Replacement

Enjoying your nice hot shower when suddenly your feel ice cold freezing water. Bummer no hot water, now what do I do? Leaving to work, you walk into your garage to find your water heater leaking all over the floor. Now what? Let's look at some things to know about your water heater repairs and or replacement.

What type of water heater?

Gas, Propane, Electric, Tankless or boiler? Most water heaters will have some type of identification with a sticker or sorts. It can be useful to take a picture (of the sticker and the water heater) with your phone or tablet to better assist you. The type of water heater will determine your costs of the water heater, possible repair possibilities and replacement options. This info will also be helpful if you are calling a professional to replace your water heater and if you are planning on purchasing your own water heater.

In this article we will mostly discuss tanked/ traditional water heaters

Best water heater?

Most homeowners have no idea what water heaters work best. We could shop at Sears, Home Depot or Lowes. Most hardware stores stock some type of water heater. So which one is the best? Several factors come into play. What to know…

Warranty on water heater tank and components

Warranty or life span will tell how long to expect this water heater to live. Remember by flushing your water heater seasonally you can extend the life span of most water heaters.

Insulation factor

Insulation Factor is important because it tells you the tank thickness. The thicker or the better insulated the tank the less money you spend heating your water. The less thick the tank is, the quicker the water will warm.

Energy factor

The greater the Energy Factor, the more efficient the water heater and the more energy and money it will save. The energy factor (EF) indicates a water heater's overall energy efficiency based on the amount of hot water produced per unit of fuel consumed over a typical day.

Your best bet is to talk with a plumbing professional, look up reviews on line or talk with neighbors how may have had their water heater replaced at some point. As a plumbing professional, I remind everyone you get what you pay for regardless of brand or where you buy your water heater. As a plumbing professional we purchase our water heaters from non-box stores, plumbing warehouses. They usually always cost more, but save money with your water heating bills and last longer.

Water Heater Costs?

Water heater replacement cost will depend on where you live, what code requirements you area has and who you have install your water heater. We replace water heaters all over Rocklin, Roseville, Folsom, Lincoln, Auburn and the foothill communities and typical cost range between $1000 to S1500. At Crystal Blue we use the Bradford White water heaters and pull permits every time. We install our water heaters to meet all code requirements and make sure our customers are safe and have the best water heating solution available to them.

DIY or Handyman or Professional?

Replacing your water heater yourself can be dangerous. Electric water heaters deal with a tremendous amount of electricity, so I recommend using a professional. Venting for newer more efficient water heaters can be dangerous if not vented properly. So make sure or have a professional do it. Other options are using a handy man. You can lower costs but remember they are a handyman and not a professional for a reason. Professional Plumbing companies that install water heaters can vary in costs so be sure to price them and check their reviews.

Tim Sjobeck I'm not a politician; I'm not in the military. But as a plumber, I protect your world. Without me, your world smells a whole lot different! CrystalBluePlumping.com