Choosing the tank
- We look at your household size, the number of bathrooms, and whether you have a soaker tub. A 40-gallon tank suits many three-bedroom homes, but larger families or big tubs often need 50 or 60 gallons. Recovery rate, how fast the tank reheats, matters as much as size.
- The venting type has to match your house: atmospheric (into a chimney), power-vented (out a side wall with a fan) or direct-vent. If the furnace was upgraded to a high-efficiency model, an old atmospheric water heater may have been left alone in an oversized chimney, which can cause venting problems. We check that.
The installation
- The gas is shut off, the old tank is emptied and unhooked, and its replacement is set level on a stand or pan. Gas connections are made with a sediment trap and a proper shut-off, and are leak-tested. Water connections include dielectric fittings or approved connectors and, where the system needs one, a thermal expansion tank.
- The temperature and pressure relief valve gets a discharge pipe to within a few inches of the floor. Venting is installed to the manufacturer's clearances. Then the tank is filled before the burner is lit.
Signs you need this
- Rust-coloured water from hot taps only
- Water at the base of the tank
- The tank is more than 12 years old
- Showers turn cold earlier than they did
- Crackling when the burner lights
Rental or owned
- Rental water heaters are common in Ontario. If the present tank is rented, the rental company has to be told and arrangements made for its return, and check the terms of your agreement before replacing it. We can install an owned tank in its place.
- We take the old tank away and leave the area clean. You get a note of the model, the install date and the warranty terms for your records.
How the job runs
- 1
Your household needs and venting type are assessed.
- 2
Gas and water are isolated and the old tank comes out.
- 3
The new tank is set, piped, vented and leak-tested.
- 4
The tank is filled, lit and checked for temperature and draft.
Richmond Hill note: most houses here sit on York Region municipal water with fairly hard supply, and many basements have a floor drain tied to the sanitary lateral. Mention both on the phone; it changes what goes on the truck.
Want a second opinion on your own pipes first? Dial (365) 363-1575; the person answering holds the wrench.