A flooded closet or garage: what to do in the first hour
The first sixty minutes decide how much damage you end up with. A 40 to 50 gallon tank can empty onto a floor in a short time, and most of the cost afterwards comes from wet drywall, flooring and stored belongings, not the heater.
Close the water supply.
Find the cold pipe into the top of the tank and turn the valve. If it will not close, shut the main valve for the house, or the meter valve if the main is also stuck.
Kill power or gas.
Switch off the dedicated double breaker for an electric heater. For gas, turn the control to off. If water is near the panel or outlets, do not step into it.
Drain the pool, carefully.
Squeegee or shop vac only if the power is off and nothing electrical is standing in water. Open a garage door or run a hose to a drain to move water out.
Document, then call.
Take photographs, note the age and model on the label, and call your insurer and then the 24/7 line. We can discuss same-day replacement when stock and schedule allow.
If you smell gas at any point, leave the building, then call 911 or your gas utility from outside before you call us. We do not give a response time for gas calls, and no plumber should.
When a leaking tank means replacement
A tank that leaks from the body, the seams or the bottom has corroded through, and no part will stop it. Water at a pipe fitting or a valve is a different story, and we cover that on our water heater repair page.
Age is the other signal. A tank in its mid-teens that has started leaking is almost always finished. A tank past 20 that still works is living on borrowed time. Rust-coloured hot water, a tank that rumbles and a puddle that appears and disappears also point toward the end.
We look at the data plate first for the build date. Then we check the base, the connections and the drain valve so we can tell you whether the leak is the tank or something attached to it.
Same-day replacement, honestly described
Same-day appointments are possible when available, and for a failed tank we try. What decides it is stock, the time of your call and how much prep your space needs. Standard sizes in common fuel types are more likely to be same-day than unusual ones.
Night and weekend work is possible through the 24/7 line, and after-hours replacements are priced for that hour. If we cannot finish the same night, we can often stop the leak and make the area safe so you are not in a flood while you wait for the unit.
We cannot promise a time, and we would rather say so than give you a window we might miss.
Choosing size and fuel
A 40 gallon tank suits many two or three person households, and 50 gallons is common for families with a soaking tub or a lot of laundry. Sizing is not just about people. Morning shower overlap, a big tub and the recovery speed of the heater all count.
| Option | Best when | Trade-off |
|---|---|---|
| Gas tank | You already have a gas line and a working vent | Needs venting and combustion air, and gas work is a separate trade step |
| Electric tank | No gas line, or the vent is hard to fix | Needs a suitable 240 volt circuit, and recovery can be slower |
| Hybrid heat pump tank | You want lower running cost and have space and airflow | Larger, louder, needs clearance, condensate drain and more upfront cost |
| Tankless | You want endless hot water and have room for it | Gas line and vent sizing matter, see our tankless page |
| Same-size swap | The old setup worked and you want minimal change | Repeats any problems with the old location, such as a leak-prone closet |
If you are weighing a wall-hung on-demand unit, read about tankless water heaters first, because the gas line and vent are not always ready for one.
Swapping gas for a heat pump water heater
Callers do ask about moving from a gas tank to a heat pump unit. It can be done, and we will talk through it, but it is not a like for like swap. The new unit needs space around it, a circuit, a condensate path and air it can draw from.
The old gas line and vent have to be dealt with too, either capped or reused. We make no promise about rebates or savings, and we do not state what the code requires. Ask your utility about incentives and ask the building department about permit rules for your address.
The honest advice is to call and describe the space. If it is a small closet with no airflow, a heat pump tank may not suit it, and a standard electric or gas tank might.
Venting: from a chimney to a side wall
Many older Mill Creek homes still have a gas heater connected to a masonry or metal chimney. When a new unit has a different venting type, or the chimney liner is the wrong size, the vent may need to be rerouted to a side wall.
That is more than a swap, because it involves a new wall penetration, a different vent product and sometimes a different heater. Ask us what kind of vent your new unit needs and who does what, and get that in the quote before any work starts.
What to ask about in the quote
Replacement quotes vary a lot in what they include. Do not assume anything. Ask these questions, and write the answers down.
- Is haul-away of the old tank included, or extra?
- Who pulls any permit, and is it part of the price?
- Are new supply connectors, a drain pan and a shutoff valve included?
- Is an expansion tank part of the job, and why or why not?
- What does the manufacturer warranty cover, and who handles a claim?
- What is the labour warranty, if any, and is it in writing?
We give a clear price before work starts, and we will walk through these items on the phone. Warranty terms vary by manufacturer and model, so we read from the unit's own paperwork rather than make claims for it.
What drives the price of a replacement
What changes the cost of a replacement
No two replacements are the same, and a clear price before work starts depends on a short list of factors.
Insurance: sudden damage, such as a tank that bursts and floods a room, is often covered, while slow leaks over time often are not. Read your policy or ask your insurer. Call the 24/7 line to get your own price.
Seismic strapping and Mill Creek's older homes
Many homes in the original plat were built between 1976 and the early 1980s, so a lot of the water heaters in them are replacement units, some of them the second or third. That is a good moment to check how the tank is held to the wall.
Western Washington is earthquake country, and tank water heaters are commonly strapped. Ask us to look at the strapping when we replace the heater, and ask the building department what applies at your address. We do not state requirements here.
Closets in condos and townhomes often have no drain or pan, so a leak runs into the next room or unit. A pan with a drain line is worth talking about during a replacement.
Landlords, property managers and businesses
If you own a rental or manage a building, tell the dispatcher who can approve the work, who has keys and whether tenants are home. A building with no hot water for days becomes a bigger problem for you than the heater itself.
For small commercial spaces, such as an office or shop with a tank, the same sizing and venting questions apply. Our commercial plumbing page covers other business plumbing needs. Tell us the make and size on the label and we can plan the visit.
Water heater replacement questions
How is a water heater replacement priced?
The price combines the new unit, the labour to remove and install it, and any extras your setup needs, such as venting changes or a new circuit. We give a clear price before work starts, and we explain what is in it.
Ask about haul-away, permit and drain pan, because those are the items that vary between quotes.
Do you handle water heater replacement emergencies at night or on weekends in Mill Creek?
Yes, the 24/7 line takes calls at any hour, and we aim for same-day replacement when stock and the schedule allow. If we cannot finish that night, we try to stop the leak and make the area safe.
We do not promise an arrival time. Close the cold supply and turn off power or gas while you wait.
My water heater is about 15 years old and leaking. Is it worth repairing?
Usually not, if the water comes from the tank itself. A tank leak cannot be patched. If it is a fitting or a valve, a repair may still make sense, and we will check before saying either way.
Read our repair page for the cases where fixing is wiser.
Can you install a unit I have already bought?
Often yes, but we will want to see the model and check that it suits your venting and fuel. Details are on our water heater installation page. We will be honest if the unit you bought is the wrong one for the space.
Does the price include haul-away and the permit?
Do not assume. These are items to ask about in the quote. We will tell you what is included in ours, and permit rules vary, so ask the building department what applies to your address.
Can you do a replacement the same day?
Sometimes. It depends on stock, the time of your call and your site. Common sizes in common fuel types are easier. Call the 24/7 line and give the label details so the dispatcher can tell you what is realistic.
Can I switch from gas to a heat pump unit?
Possibly, depending on space, airflow, a circuit and a condensate path. We do not promise rebates or savings, and incentives are best checked with your utility. Describe your closet or garage on the phone and we will say if it is a fit.
Can you replace a heater at my rental or business?
Yes, we handle both. Tell us who can approve the work, who has access and whether tenants will be home. For a flooded unit, we will move quickly on the water and sort the paperwork next.
Do you serve towns near Mill Creek?
Yes, we serve Mill Creek and nearby towns, including Bothell. Give the dispatcher your address when you call.