Gas Water Heater Replacement in Burlington

When you need gas water heater replacement

Most residential gas tanks last somewhere between eight and twelve years. Rust-tinted hot water, popping or rumbling from sediment, a damp ring around the base, or a pilot that refuses to stay lit are the common signals. A slow weep from the tank itself cannot be repaired; the steel liner has failed. Our letter on signs your water heater is failing walks through them in more detail.

Not every problem calls for a new tank. A thermocouple, gas valve or anode issue is sometimes a repair. We will tell you which side of that line you are on.

How the job is done

1. Close the gas cock and cold supply, empty the old heater and unhook it.
2. Check the venting: draft, slope, connector condition and clearances.
3. Stand the replacement level, adding a pan wherever a leak could do harm.
4. Connect the gas line with a sediment trap and test every joint for leaks.
5. Make up water connections, fit the relief valve discharge and add an expansion tank where needed.
6. Fill, purge air, light and confirm proper draft and temperature.

Burlington homes and this work

A large share of Burlington households rent their tank rather than own it. If yours is a rental, the removal and return of the old unit has to be arranged with the rental company, and some contracts carry buyout terms. Read owning or renting a water heater before you decide. Older homes may also have a shared chimney vent with the furnace; when a high-efficiency furnace was installed years ago, that chimney may now be too large for a lone heater, and that may affect draft.

What affects the scope

• Tank size and whether you stay with a conventional vent or move to a power-vented model
• Condition of the existing gas piping and venting
• Whether an expansion tank, new shut-off valve or drain pan is needed
• Access: tight furnace rooms and finished basements take longer

Before we arrive

Clear a working space of about a metre around the heater. Note the brand and age on the rating plate if you can see it. A rotten-egg smell means everyone outdoors first, then a call to Enbridge Gas from the yard.

Choosing a size

A 40-gallon tank suits many smaller households, while families with several bathrooms often step up to 50 or 60 gallons. Recovery rate matters as much as capacity: a burner that reheats quickly can make a smaller tank feel larger. We will ask how many people live in the house, how often baths are drawn and whether a large soaker tub is involved, then suggest a size that fits rather than the biggest one available.