Water Heaters are interesting. We all need them, whether you’re in a residential or commercial building. I have a phrase for putting in water heaters – along with a philosophy that I live by – Patch & Match. It simply means: don’t reinvent the wheel. If possible and it’s within code, I suggest you put in the same model. If not, the piping etc., will have to be modified and, in some cases, will be an entirely new install, which ups the price.
When I go to a house or a business to price out a water heater, there are three things I’m looking for right away. Was the water heater professionally installed (and I can tell)? Is this water heater still under warranty? And, last but not least, I check if I can see the date of the installation; because I know that the very next question after price is: How long will my water heater last (That is a topic in and of itself. Tune in next time…)?
If the water heater is not leaking, my advice is not to change it. I’ll share a story with you. A couple of years ago, my youngest brother purchased his second home. Not too long ago, he called me while I was working. He asked if I had time to install a new water heater for him because his old one was broken. I was really busy and had no time to ask him a lot of questions. I figured since it was his second home, he probably knew a bit about a broken water heater. Realizing he was a bit panicked, I told him that I would come out right after work and put a new water heater in for him. I told him to go and get the water heater; clean up; have the new water heater next to the old one waiting for me. The first thing I noticed when I got there was how much he had cleaned up. I couldn’t believe how clean everything was. I thought I would be walking in puddles of water. I asked him how he cleaned up the water so well and told him that he had done an amazing job. He looked at me in confusion. I asked him, “Wasn’t the water heater leaking all over the place?” He said, “No.” I then asked if it had leaked at all. He replied, “No,” to which I said, “Are you kidding, me? This water heater (which was an electric water heater, by the way) doesn’t need to be changed.” He told me that it wasn’t giving him hot water. I asked if he had checked the electrical panel to see if the circuit was turned off. He had not. I checked and the circuit for the water heater was still on. So, I told him that, more than likely, I just needed to change the water heater’s elements. They go bad after a time. But, now that my brother had brought me out there and I had no elements in my truck, I changed the water heater. My brother learned a costly lesson that day. Putting in new elements is much less expensive than changing out your water heater.
Tip: When you call a plumber, make sure you clearly state the problem. Is the water heater leaking? And, if it is leaking, from where is it leaking – the top or the bottom. Additionally, make sure you clearly state what type of water heater it is (assuming you know): natural gas, propane, electrical, or oil. How many gallons is the water heater? Check to see who makes the water heater and what date it was installed? Perhaps it is still under warranty. Final thought: take a breath and assess your situation. Finding out as much about the problem as possible can save you hundreds, if not thousands, of dollars.