What Does A Water Heater Cost?

Cost of Installing a Water Heater in Houston

One of the most frequent questions we get at Nick’s Plumbing & Air Conditioning is “what does a water heater cost?” There are several factors that go into the answer, so we’re going to try and clear up a little of the confusion of a water heater purchase.

The most important appliance in your entire home has got to be your water heater. Some may make an argument for the television or the electric can opener; but without your water heater, the most basic household tasks become almost impossible. Imagine having to cook, bathe or do laundry without the convenience of a water heater.

Unfortunately, their importance does not cancel out the fact that eventually, you’re going to have to replace your water heater. Tank-type water heaters have a life expectancy of seven-to-twelve-years, depending on water quality and usage. Regardless of whether the unit is gas or electric, their lifespan is about the same, as it is almost always the tank itself that fails, not the components of the unit.

If you’re fortunate enough to be replacing your water heater BEFORE it has a chance to fail, you’re going to save yourself thousands of dollars in potential water damage repairs. Your initial cost of installing a water heater in Houston is going to be high, even under the best of circumstances. Having to add an additional $10,000 – $20,000 to repair floors, walls, and carpeting damaged by the flood of forty gallons of water only makes a bad situation worse.

How Do I Know When It’s Time to Replace My Water Heater?

When a water heater begins to fail, it will let you know that the end is near in several ways. You will start to notice that it takes a lot longer for your showers to get hot, or that the water just isn’t as hot as it used to be. Grinding or clunking noises from your water heater indicate significant sediment build up, causing your unit to lose efficiency.

If your current water heater is older than seven years old, it is a good time to start thinking of replacing it. Even though your tank will probably last a full ten years, any water heater older than seven years that needs ANY repairs should probably be replaced. Spending a $100-$200 to put a “band-aid” on a failing water heater now could eventually cost you that $20,000 in repairs later.

What Does a Water Heater Cost?

The average cost of a water heater installation ranges from $800 to $2,200 for a tank-type unit, and between $4,000 and $8,000 for tankless units. If the unit is going in the attic, the installation is going to cost more than it would if it were in the garage or a ground-floor utility room.

If you’re in an older home with the original plumbing, the pipes connected to the water heater may need to replaced. Older pipes develop cracks and corrosion, particularly around hot water heaters, due to the constant expansion and contraction of these pipes. The decision to use copper pipes as opposed to flexible PEX pipe will also result in a higher installation cost.

The cost of installing a water heater in Houston that is tankless may seem prohibitively expensive, but when you consider their virtually maintenance-free operation, their efficiency and their twenty-year-plus life expectancy, the sting of the initial cost is soothed by the benefits.

If your current water heater is older than seven years old, it is a good time to start thinking of replacing it. Even though your tank will probably last a full ten years, any water heater older than seven years that needs ANY repairs should probably be replaced. Spending a $100-$200 to put a “band-aid” on a failing water heater now could eventually cost you that $20,000 in repairs later.

Average Costs of Gas, Electric, and Tankless Water Heaters in Houston

Do I Need to Hire a Plumber to Install My New Water Heater?

Water heater installation in Houston is not a project for the do-it-yourselfer or the local handyman. In the state of Texas, the law requires a licensed plumber to install a water heater. When you decide to install a new water heater in your home, be sure to trust the licensed and experienced professionals at Nick’s Plumbing and Air Conditioning Services with the task.Water heater installation in Houston is not a project for the do-it-yourselfer or the local handyman. In the state of Texas, the law requires a licensed plumber to install a water heater. When you decide to install a new water heater in your home, be sure to trust the licensed and experienced professionals at Nick’s Plumbing and Air Conditioning Services with the task.

How Long Will It Take to Install My Water Heater?

Generally, a tank-type water heater can be installed in less than a day. Tankless water heater installations can take a full day or even stretch into two days for more complex systems, which adds to your overall cost of installing a water heater in Houston.

Nick’s Plumbing & Air Conditioning has been installing water heaters and performing all types of home and commercial plumbing in the Houston area since 1979. We offer cost evaluations and we warranty our work as well as all the products we install.

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