How tank-type water heaters work

To learn about how tank-type water heaters actually work, click on the following links:

• Howstuffworks.com tank-type water heater article
• Wikipedia traditional tank-type water heaters article

When to replace a water heater

Living without hot water is not fun, so it is important to know when to replace your water heater.  Water heaters need to be replaced when:

1. All of the water hot fixtures in a residence do not get hot water.

2. Water is leaking from the water heater. (Water heaters have a temperature and pressure relief valve (T&P) that is designed to release regular pressure build up.  This pressure exits the T&P in the form of slowly dripping water.  This process of pressure relief is perfectly normal and does not mean the water heater needs to be replaced. The T&P is a pipe extending from the side of water heater (typically towards the top of the water heater)

3. One can smell a gas leak coming from the water heater.

4. The water heater is making noises (banging, grinding, metal bending).  The only sound a functioning water heater makes is a “whirring” sound when the water heater’s burner is firing.

5. The exterior of the water heater is bulging outwards or caving inwards.

6. The water heater is on fire, smoking, or sparking.

Buying a water heater from a home improvement store: How it really works

Most people buy their water heaters from places like Sears, Lowe’s, Home Depot, and Orchard Supply Hardware.  The main reasons are consumer confidence in the store’s name and products and the belief these stores offer superior prices and service than smaller companies.

Let’s first look at the water heaters big stores sell and those sold by All Valley Plumbing.  Big stores carry popular brand names like Kenmore and Whirlpool and tout their superiority over other water heaters, like State water heaters, the brand All Valley Plumbing sells.  The truth is that despite having different brand names, Kenmore water heaters and State water heaters are made by the same manufacturer.  This means that if you prefer Kenmore water heaters over State water heater, you are basically choosing your water heater based on the sticker.

In terms of price, large stores have an advantage of purchasing power compared to All Valley Plumbing and any other small company.  However, large companies give up their advantage in purchasing power and more because they inflate their prices in order to cover additional costs smaller companies do not incur, like logistical support and corporate offices.  For customers, this means paying an extra 30% to 50% on an additional part, meaning another $10 out of your pocket.

Finally, what is the difference between the service large stores offer and the service All Valley Plumbing and smaller companies offer? The answer is that there is largely no difference.  We believe this because large stores use sub-contracted, third party companies to perform their installs.  In All Valley Plumbing’s case, it is one of the largest and most respected “stocking installers” in the nation for Sears, having performed over 10,000 water heater installs for Sears in the past seven years.  We carry hundreds of Sears’ water heaters and install a majority of the water heaters Sears sells in the Bay Area.  The chances are that if you have purchased a water heater from Sears and it was installed in the Bay area in the past 7 years, All Valley plumbing did the work.

Water heaters, permits, and being "up to code"

People might think that water heaters are simple to install, involving little more than removing the old water heater and slapping in the new one.  This is simply not the case for a few reasons.

First, water heaters are complex machines that have a lot of moving parts that all must be working correctly.  Second, in order to replace a water heater, the home’s “existing facilities” (the pipes, connections, running to and from the water heater) need to be working properly and meet certain standards.  Lastly, and most important, water heaters and a home’s existing facilities have dangerous things like running water, gas, and electricity running through them 24/7.