Water Heater Services

Most average water heaters, whether tanked or tankless, generally don’t require much maintenance. The best thing that you can do so that your water heater can have an efficient and long life is to flush it out. We generally recommend flushing your water heater annually, or more frequent if you have hard water.

In our area, we find that tanked water heaters generally last 8-12 years and tankless units generally last 20 years plus. Now, it’s important to understand that those figures are’t gospel. It’s not uncommon to see water heaters that last longer than those estimations (or sometimes not as long). But, once your unit is older than those figures, the likelihood of them failing increases exponentially. Water heater failure could translate the getting to work late with no (hot) shower or major water damage. So, take a look at the age of your water heater. If it’s on the older side – inspect it regularly for leaks and make a plan to have it replaced.

Some of the primary factors that play a role in how much hot water you can expect from your system include; the units size, temperature setting, fuel type and incoming water temperature.

The larger the unit you have, the more hot water it will make. Gas units will recover their temperature much faster than electric ones. The temperature you keep your unit at will affects its production. And, the warmer the incoming water is, the faster your system will heat the water. Each of these factors have their pros and cons, but there’s simply too many variables to consider when calculating your systems capabilities. If you are looking for the most hot water possible, a 75 gallon water heater or a tankless unit will certainly provide you with the longest showers.

Generally speaking, gas tanked water heaters are roughly 55% efficient. Electric water heaters (tanked or tankless) are generally extremely efficient – usually 95% or better. High quality condensing tankless water heaters are also super efficient – generally 95% or more.

Tanked water heaters have many pros; they have proven themselves as an effective way to heat water. They work flawlessly with instant hot water recirculation. They are simplistic in design, function, maintenance and repairs. They will work if the electricity goes out and they’re relatively economical to install.

Tanked water heaters also have cons; they are very inefficient compared to modern technologies. They burn fuel regularly to maintain the water temperature inside the tank. They only last 8-12 years. They have a finite amount of hot water before running cold, and they commonly leak when they fail which can cause water damage.

Tankless water heaters also have many pro’s; they are extremely efficient – generally twice as efficient as their tanked counterparts. They only use fuel when you are using hot water. They last a very long time – you can expect 20 years or longer. They will provide “endless” hot water such that multiple showers can be in use at the same time, or back to back showers without fear of running out of hot water. And they generally have excellent warranties and technical support.

Like everything, tankless water heaters also have cons. For one, they don’t make hot water if the electricity goes out. They require maintenance – usually annual flushing. They are more expensive to install – compared to a tanked water heater. And repairs can be somewhat complicated (if necessary).

There are pros and cons to tanked and tankless water heaters. Deciding between the two can be confusing – if you’re interested in information about tanked or tankless water heaters, give us a call at (928) 778-7120.

When replacing a water heater, only the hot water needs to be shut off. Now, if the supply valve needs to be replaced – you can expect all of the water to be shut off for 30 minutes to an hour. But most plumbing professionals work hard to keep the cold water on during the install, so that you can flush toilets and wash your hands.

For a professional installation of a tanked water heater – plan on anywhere from 2 to 4 hours. For a professional tankless water heater installation – generally 5 to 8 hours.

Generally speaking, the plumbing connections – like the shut off valves, supply connections, venting, t&p etc. are as old as the heater. Sometimes, some of these components can be reused to cut cost when replacing a water heater, but often they are found to be a liability and should be replaced. Unless one of all of these components were replaced within the last year or two, we generally recommend replacing everything and starting from scratch to reduce the risk of a water, gas or venting leak.

Additionally, plumbing codes and local requirements change, because of those changes, it is common for an older system to need updating with new components to ensure that it is meeting legal requirements.

Different governing organizations have different rules on whether you need a permit or not for the replacement of your water heater. Refer to your local governing agency to determine if a permit is needed?