Gas tank water heaters
Pilot light out again, or water pooling under the gas tank? Find out whether it needs a part or a new tank.
Popular size
A 40 gallon gas hot water heater handles many 2 to 4 person households, because a gas burner reheats water faster than electric elements.
Expect a typical installed range of about $1,100 to $1,500 for a 40-gallon gas tank.
Other sizes
Choose by headcount and the label's first-hour rating:
Going up a size can need a larger vent, so the plumber checks before installing.
Setup
A natural gas hot water heater needs a gas line sized for its burner, a shutoff and sediment trap, a vent with proper slope and clearance, and enough combustion air. In garages, gas units are raised where code requires.
Gas water heater installation also needs a City plumbing permit and inspection.
Pilot keeps going out? Get the gas valve checked.
Call (832) 783-9416Repairs
Usually a worn thermocouple or a dirty pilot tube.
A failed igniter or flame sensor on electronic models.
Sediment buildup or a failing dip tube.
Leave the house and call the gas company from outside before anything else.
Brands
Rheem, Bradford White and A.O. Smith are common gas tank brands. Ask the plumber which they install and service.
When it is time for a new unit, a tankless water heaters Houston upgrade is worth pricing alongside a new tank.
Garage installs
Gas water heaters in garages are typically set on a stand so the burner sits above the floor, where code requires it, to keep vapors from spilled fuel away from the flame. In flood-prone parts of Houston, TX, a raised stand also keeps the burner and controls out of shallow standing water.
Garages also need protection from vehicles, either a bollard or a location out of the parking path. A plumber checks both when replacing a garage unit.
Care
A little upkeep adds years:
Gas tanks
Commonly about 8 to 12 years.
Yes. The City of Houston requires a plumbing permit and inspection.
Yes, with a 240-volt circuit. The gas line is capped.
Propane needs a propane-rated unit and the right regulator setting.
You're put through to a local plumber who supplies, installs and quotes it.
Share the size and age of your gas tank and what it is doing, and we'll put you through to a local plumber in Houston, Texas.
