Water Heater Replacement in Greensboro, NC

When replacement is the right call

Some problems can't be fixed with a part. Plan on a new unit if you see:

• Water seeping from the bottom of the tank or from under the outer jacket
• Rust coming through the tank wall or around the inlet and outlet fittings
• A heater around 10 to 15 years old, the typical life span the U.S. Department of Energy gives for storage tank models
• Several repairs in the past couple of years, with the next one quoted near the cost of starting over

If the tank is dry and sound and the trouble is an element, thermostat or thermocouple, a repair is usually the better value.

Choosing what goes in

Most replacements are like for like: same fuel, similar size, same spot. That keeps the job simple. A few decisions are worth a minute of thought first:

Size. Think about how many people shower in the morning and whether you run the dishwasher or washer at the same time. Going smaller to save a little up front often means running out of hot water.

Fuel. Homes with gas usually stay with gas, which Piedmont Natural Gas supplies in Greensboro. Switching fuels means new wiring or a new gas line and venting, which adds work.

Tank or tankless. If you're thinking about a tankless unit, decide before the plumber arrives, since the installation is different.

Permits and the Greensboro inspection

The City of Greensboro issues its own plumbing permits, and its fee schedule covers water heaters of all kinds, plus a separate line for the gas connection on a replacement. The plumber doing the work normally pulls the permit. An inspection checks things you can't easily see yourself, like the relief valve discharge, the venting on a gas unit and the connections.

Water quality and your new tank

Greensboro's water is moderately soft, averaging 43 to 46 milligrams per liter of hardness in the City's water quality report. Softer water means less scale inside the tank than in hard-water regions, though sediment still settles. Draining a little water from the valve at the bottom of the tank now and then helps a new heater last.

What affects the cost

The price depends on tank size and type, gas or electric, how hard the old unit is to get out (crawl spaces and attics take longer), whether venting, gas lines or a drain pan need updating, and the permit. Ask for the price to include haul-away of the old tank so there are no surprises.