Tank water heater replacement
30, 40, 50 and 75-gallon gas and electric. Old unit hauled away, permit pulled, straps and expansion tank fitted to code.
Tank replacement across Orange County, from Orange
Most tanks in Orange County give out somewhere between eight and twelve years. Hard water shortens that. When the tank body itself is leaking, the glass lining has failed and there is nothing to repair. The water is coming through steel.
We carry 30, 40, 50 and 75-gallon gas and electric units and we size to the house, not to whatever is sitting in the truck. A family of four in a two-bath house is usually a 50-gallon gas; a condo with one bath is often better off with a 40 that recovers faster than the old one did.
What the day looks like
Drain and pull the old unit. Set the new one, usually on a fresh drain pan. Re-plumb with new flex connectors and a new shut-off. Two seismic straps, upper third and lower third. Expansion tank if the house is on a closed system. New T&P discharge line to outside. Gas flex and sediment trap on gas units, or the disconnect checked on electric. Light it, check the draft, insulate the lines to Title 24, and haul the old tank away.
Time on site
Most straight swaps are three to four hours. Add time if the closet has to be re-worked or the venting has to change.
At a glance
- Time on site 3-4 hrs on site
- Hours Open 24 hours, seven days a week
- Area Orange and all of Orange County
- Pricing Quoted before the work starts, and it holds
What every install includes
Ask the other quote whether these are in it. The full list is here.
-
The permit, pulled by us
California requires a plumbing permit to replace a water heater, and the inspection is where the strapping, venting and relief valve all get checked. We pull it and we meet the inspector.
-
Two seismic straps
Upper third and lower third of the tank, lower strap at least four inches clear of the controls. Required in California, and the first thing an inspector checks.
-
Expansion tank on a closed system
Any house with a pressure regulator, check valve or backflow preventer at the meter is a closed system. Heated water expands, the expansion has nowhere to go, and it pushes the T&P valve open until something gives. The expansion tank absorbs it.
-
T&P discharge line done properly
Full-size pipe, run downhill, no valve on it, no threads on the end, terminating outside where a drip is visible.
-
Drain pan and drain line
Wherever a leak would reach drywall, ceiling or floor. Attics and upstairs closets always.
-
New water flex connectors, gas flex, shut-off valve and sediment trap
We do not reuse twelve-year-old brass.
24 Hour Emergency Service
We are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
A real person answers, day or night. Tell us what the heater is doing and we will tell you what happens next before anyone gets in a van.
Open 24 hours, seven days a week
Related water heater services
-
Tank water heater repair
Thermocouples, gas control valves, elements, thermostats, dip tubes, T&P valves, anode rods.
Book a repair -
Tankless water heater installation
Gas line sized properly, new venting, condensate handled, isolation valves fitted so the next descale is twenty minutes.
Ask about a tankless conversion -
Tankless repair and descaling
Error-code diagnosis, flow sensors, igniters, and a vinegar or solution descale through the service valves.
Book a descale
Offer
10% off for first time customers, seniors and military.
Mention it when you call or put it in the form. It comes off the quoted price before the work starts, so there is nothing to negotiate afterwards.
One discount per job.
Questions about tank replacement
How long does a tank replacement take?
Three to four hours for a straight swap. Longer if the closet has to be reworked or the venting has to change.
Why does a tankless unit need a bigger gas line?
A tankless unit fires at a much higher input than a tank because it heats water on demand instead of over an hour. A half-inch line that happily fed a 40-gallon tank will starve it, and you get error codes instead of showers. We run the gas load calculation before quoting, not after.
What is descaling and how often does a tankless need it?
Hard water leaves calcium inside the heat exchanger. Descaling circulates solution through it for about forty-five minutes and brings the flow rate back. Roughly once a year on Orange County water, every two years if you have a softener.
Why do I need an expansion tank?
If your house has a pressure regulator, check valve or backflow preventer at the meter, it is a closed system. Water expands when it is heated and on a closed system that expansion has nowhere to go, so it pushes the T&P valve open or stresses the tank. An expansion tank absorbs it. It is a code requirement on closed systems, not an upsell.
What is Title 24 and does it affect my water heater?
Title 24 is California's building energy efficiency standard. For a water heater replacement, the part you will actually see is pipe insulation on the hot and cold lines at the heater. It is included in every install we do.
Book tank replacement
Send the details and we come back with a number. If there is water on the floor right now, call instead.