Water heater installation in Toronto

A water heater usually warns you before it fails. Rusty water, rumbling noises, a pilot that won’t stay lit, water around the base or a tank past ten years old all point to repair or replacement soon. A leak from the tank itself is the one sign that can’t wait.

• Hot water runs out much faster than it used to
• Rusty or discoloured hot water
• Rumbling or popping from the tank
• Water pooling around the base of the tank
• The tank is more than 10 years old

Most water heater repair calls trace back to a few parts: the thermocouple, the gas control valve, the igniter, elements and thermostats on electric tanks, the venting, or scale inside a tankless unit. Here is what each symptom usually means and how we fix it.

Every water heater installation in Toronto follows the same steps: we shut off the gas, water and power, drain and remove the old tank, set the new unit, and connect the water, gas and venting to code. Before we leave, we test for leaks, confirm the venting works, set the temperature and show you the shut-off valves.

• You get a two-hour arrival window and a text when the technician is on the way
• The old tank is drained, removed and recycled
• A TSSA-certified gas technician makes the gas connections and checks the venting

Repair a water heater when the tank is sound and the fault is a part like a thermocouple, element or gas valve. Replace it when the tank leaks, it’s past ten years old and needs a costly part, or it can’t keep up with your household anymore. We price both options for you.

A tank water heater keeps hot water ready and costs less upfront. A tankless water heater heats water only when you open a tap, takes a fraction of the space, keeps up with back-to-back showers and lasts longer, but costs more to install. The better choice depends on your household and how long you’ll stay.

Tankless water heater installation takes more planning than a tank swap because a tankless unit burns much more gas while it runs. We check that your gas line and meter can supply it, plan a side-wall vent, and size the unit to the number of taps and showers you use at the same time.

Incoming water is much colder in a Toronto February than in August, so a tankless unit has to raise the temperature further in winter and delivers less flow. We size for winter, not summer.

A power-vented water heater uses a fan to push exhaust through plastic pipe out a side wall, so it doesn’t need a chimney. A chimney-vented tank relies on natural draft up the flue, and a direct-vent model draws air from outside and vents through the wall without a fan.

In many older Toronto homes, a new high-efficiency furnace stops using the chimney and leaves the water heater alone in a flue that is too big for it, which can cause poor draft. A power-vented tank or a chimney liner fixes it.

The right size for a hot water tank replacement depends on how much hot water your household uses in its busiest hour, not just how many people live there. We look at showers, a soaker tub, laundry and the dishwasher, then match a tank’s first-hour rating or a tankless unit’s flow rate to that peak.

Bigger isn’t always better, especially in a tight Toronto basement.

Many Toronto homes rent their water heater. Renting covers repairs, but over the life of a tank the monthly payments often add up to more than buying one. If you’re weighing a buyout, read your rental agreement for removal and buyout terms first, and we’ll quote a replacement so you can compare.

A gas water heater is a fuel-burning appliance, so it must vent properly, and Ontario requires carbon monoxide alarms in homes with fuel-burning appliances. Gas work in Ontario is regulated by the TSSA (opens in a new tab), and on every gas water heater installation in Toronto and the GTA, a TSSA-certified gas technician makes the gas connection.

Every tank also needs a working temperature and pressure relief valve piped toward the floor. Tanks are commonly set around 60°C to keep bacteria from growing, and a mixing valve can reduce the risk of scalds at the tap.

A leaking water heater can fail without warning: close the cold water valve on top of the tank, shut off the gas or the breaker, and call us. If you smell gas, leave the house first and call Enbridge Gas from outside.

• Leaking tank: close the cold water valve on top so it stops refilling
• Gas smell: leave right away without using switches, then call Enbridge Gas at 1-866-763-5427 from outside
• Carbon monoxide alarm: get everyone outside and call 911

Enbridge has more advice on its gas safety page (opens in a new tab). Once the home is safe, request a repair or call us.

Water heater replacement cost depends on the type of unit, its size and fuel, the venting it needs, and whether the gas line or water piping needs updating. You get a flat-rate price for the whole job before any work starts, and the price doesn’t change halfway through.

A little maintenance helps a water heater reach its expected life. Flushing a tank clears the sediment that makes it rumble, checking the anode rod catches corrosion early, and descaling a tankless unit every year keeps its heat exchanger clean. Our maintenance plan can include your water heater alongside the furnace and AC.