Nobody thinks about a water heater while it works. The day it quits, you want a plain answer: repair or replace, and when.
Signs it is time to deal with it
Most water heaters do not die all at once. They warn you, if you know what to look at.
- Hot water runs out faster than it used to, or it is not as hot.
- There is water on the floor around the tank, even a small ring.
- The tank crackles or rumbles while it heats.
- Hot water comes out brownish or smells off while the cold water is clear.
- The date on the tank's label is far back and nobody has checked it since.
A leak from the bottom of the tank means the tank itself is done. A leak at the top, on a fitting or a valve, is often repaired without changing the unit. That is the first thing we check.
Repair or replace: how we decide with you
It mostly depends on the tank's age, the failure and where it is leaking. A recent unit with a burnt element or a bad thermostat gets repaired. An older tank leaking from the bottom gets replaced: a repair would not hold, and the next water damage would cost more than the unit.
Look at the date on the label. Tell us what you see. We explain the most reasonable option for your situation and give you a free estimate before we start. Nothing is done without your go-ahead.
For a replacement, we drain the old tank, take it out, install the new one with the right fittings, the relief valve and a drain pan where the location calls for it, and check pressure and temperature before we leave. The old unit leaves with us.
Why work with Plomberie MD
A small crew from Cantley, RBQ licence 5870-4099-01, installing water heaters in new houses and in houses that have already seen two or three tanks come and go. We do the work clean, we leave no surprises, and we show you what we did before the mechanical room door closes.
One honest note: we do not rent water heaters. If yours is a rental, check your contract before you call. If you want out of the rental and want to own your own, we can talk about it.
The Gatineau area
In Gatineau, as everywhere in Québec, the great majority of water heaters are electric. In the older parts of town, Hull, Pointe-Gatineau, Vieux-Gatineau, the tank often sits in a corner of a finished basement, sometimes in a tight closet where it was put in long ago. When it leaks, the floor and the walls around it pay for it.
In the newer houses of the Plateau, Aylmer or Cantley, the water heater sits in a mechanical room with a floor drain, which changes how we install it and what protection we recommend.
We come to every part of the city and to the municipalities around it. Tell us your area when you call.
Common questions
No hot water: is it necessarily the water heater?
Often, but not always. A tripped breaker, a burnt element or a thermostat out of adjustment give the same symptoms as a finished tank. We check that before we talk about replacing anything.
Water heater replacement in Gatineau: how much does it cost?
We do not quote without knowing which unit is in place, where it sits and how it is connected. After seeing the installation, or with a few photos and the date on the label, you receive a free written estimate before we start.
How long does a water heater last?
It varies with the water, the use and the upkeep. The date on the tank's label tells you where yours stands. A tank near the end of its life in a finished basement deserves a look before it leaks, not after.
My water heater is leaking a little. Can I wait?
A leak from the bottom of the tank cannot be repaired and will not stop on its own. Shut the water supply to the tank and the breaker, put a towel down, and call us. A leak on a fitting at the top is less urgent but is quickly fixed.
Do you do gas water heaters and tankless units?
Tell us what you have and what you want; we tell you plainly what we install and, if a unit does not suit your house, why.
Do you take the old tank away?
Yes. We drain, disconnect and remove the old unit, and it leaves with us.