Water heater services

The single most valuable thing you can do before calling is work out which of those four groups you are in. A homeowner who says "my water heater is broken" gets sold a replacement. A homeowner who says "I have no hot water and the pilot won't stay lit on a nine-year-old gas unit" gets a real diagnosis.

Repair is often the right answer on a unit under about eight years old with a working tank. Elements, thermostats, thermocouples, and gas control valves are all replaceable parts. A leaking tank is different. Once the steel tank itself has rusted through, there is no repair — the unit is done, and any contractor telling you otherwise is wrong.

Gas water heater work is the one area where you should not shop on price alone. Combustion appliances vent exhaust, including carbon monoxide, and a bad vent connection is a life-safety problem rather than a comfort problem. CPSC has issued recalls on gas tankless units specifically for carbon monoxide hazards, including a 2026 recall of VST-brand tankless heaters. Never attempt gas piping or venting work yourself.

Maintenance services are cheap relative to the appliance and are the only lever you have on lifespan. NerdWallet puts tank life at roughly 10-15 years with proper maintenance and tankless at up to 20 years or longer.

How to choose

Diagnose before you accept a replacement quote

Ask what specifically failed and whether the tank itself is leaking. If nothing is leaking and the unit is under eight years old, ask for the repair price alongside the replacement price.

Treat gas and venting as licensed work only

Gas piping, vent connectors, and combustion air are not DIY. Licensing rules vary by state and city — confirm the specific license your jurisdiction requires and that the person doing the work holds it.

Ask whether maintenance is included in the install

Many installers will flush the tank and check the anode rod on a service visit for far less than a standalone call-out. Bundle it.

Tankless needs descaling, tanks need flushing

They are different services. If you have hard water and a tankless unit, descaling is not optional maintenance — scale in the heat exchanger is the main way tankless units fail early.

Insist the old unit is hauled away in the quote

Disposal is a real cost and a common add-on after the fact. Get it in writing.