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Should you repair or replace your water heater?
When the hot water stops, the first question is whether you need a repair or a new heater. Three things decide it: what failed, how old the heater is, and who owns it.
or dial (365) 363-3352Answered day and night
- Checks you can do yourself, in order
- What to leave alone and why
- Written for Toronto houses and condos
- Call us if it is already leaking
A price before we startNothing cut or opened until you say yes.
- Licensed & insureddetails confirmed on the call
- Phones answered 24/7a person, not a queue
- Price before we startcall-out rate on the phone
- Old Toronto & East Yorkhouses, condos, businesses
1. What failed?
| Problem | Usually |
|---|---|
| Pilot won’t stay lit, igniter or thermocouple | Repair |
| Electric element or thermostat | Repair |
| Relief valve dripping | Repair, and check the water pressure |
| Power-vent fan or pressure switch | Repair |
| Leak from the tank itself | Replace |
| Rusty hot water from a corroded tank | Replace |
2. How old is it?
The manufacture date is on the rating plate, sometimes coded into the serial number. A typical tank lasts roughly 8 to 12 years. If yours is in that range and needs a major repair, replacing it is usually the better spend. If it’s only a few years old, almost any repair short of a leaking tank is worth doing, and it may still be under warranty.
3. Do you own it or rent it?
Many Toronto homes rent their water heaters. If yours carries a rental company’s sticker, or you see a monthly rental charge on a bill, call the rental company first: repairs are normally their responsibility. If you’d rather own your next heater, read the buyout and return terms in your agreement before deciding.
Signs it’s near the end
- Brownish water from the hot side only
- Loud rumbling and popping that flushing no longer fixes
- Moisture or rust around the base of the tank
- Hot water running out much sooner than it used to
If you’re replacing anyway
Think about the next ten years or more. A growing household might want a bigger tank or a tankless heater. If the basement is being finished, the location and venting may need to change. We’ll walk you through the choices with a price for each.
See water heater repair and installation for what we do.
Water where it shouldn’t be? Call now.
A plumber answers day and night, and the call-out rate is quoted before anyone drives over.