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Newmarket, Aurora, East Gwillimbury & King

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A woman boiling water in a steel pot on a stove

Cold Showers, Rumbling Tanks, Small Puddles

Water Heater Repair for Newmarket Homes

Many water heater problems are repairs, not replacements. A thermocouple, an element, a thermostat or a valve can often bring a tank back to steady service for years.

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  • A plumber on the line when you call, not a call centre
  • Options explained before anything is cut or replaced
  • Parts for common repairs carried on the van
  • Older Main Street homes and newer subdivisions alike
  • Licensed trade plumbers
  • 7-day call line
  • Newmarket & York Region
  • Residential & commercial
Service
Water Heater Repair
Category
Water heaters
Where
Newmarket and nearby York Region
Booking
By telephone

Clues that point to water heater repair

  • Hot water gives out much sooner than it used to.
  • The pilot on a gas tank keeps going out.
  • Water at the tap is lukewarm no matter how long it runs.
  • Popping or rumbling noises as the burner fires.
  • A small drip from the relief valve pipe or the drain valve.

A puddle under the tank itself, with water coming from the body rather than a fitting, is different. That usually means the inner tank has failed, and repair is no longer possible.

Our method, in order

  1. Read the label. Age, fuel, capacity and venting type tell us what parts are involved and whether repair is sensible.
  2. Test before replacing. We check elements and thermostats with a meter on electric tanks, and the thermocouple or flame sensor on gas tanks, instead of swapping parts on a guess.
  3. Look at the venting. On gas units, a blocked or poorly sloped vent can trip safety controls. We check draft as part of the visit.
  4. Flush if needed. Sediment causes many of the noises and some of the lost capacity.
  5. Explain the outcome. If repair is worth doing, we do it. If the tank is near the end, we say so plainly.

Newmarket houses and this job

A large share of Newmarket homes have a rented tank. Where yours is rented, repairs are normally the rental company’s job, and you should call them first; the company name is usually on a sticker on the tank. We are glad to look at owned tanks and to advise on rentals, but we will not open a tank that belongs to someone else without your go-ahead.

Hard water is common across York Region. It speeds up sediment buildup in tanks and scale on electric elements, which is why a tank that is only eight or nine years old can already be noisy. Our circular on how long water heaters last describes the usual lifespan.

Bench note

If you smell gas near the water heater, get out of the house and ring Enbridge Gas or 911 once you are outdoors. Do not try to relight the pilot.

Booking a repair

Call with the make, age and fuel type if you can read them from the label. If the tank is past saving, we can talk through gas replacement, electric replacement or a tankless unit.

Phoned-in questions

How do I know if my tank is rented?

Check the tank for a rental company sticker and a monthly charge on your gas or utility bill.

Is a dripping relief valve dangerous?

It is a warning sign. The valve may be worn, or pressure and temperature in the tank may be too high. Have it checked rather than capping it.

Keep reading

Call (365) 990-3021