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Trade entry ยท Water heaters

Gas Water Heater Replacement in Pickering

Replacing a worn-out gas tank comes down mostly to venting, gas connections and sizing. Here is what a proper replacement involves in a Pickering home.

  • On the truck: multimeter, combustion and draft check, drain hose and pipe wrenches
  • First look: the rating plate, venting, T&P valve and drain valve
  • Permit often needed; we check with the City first
  • Scheduled around your plans, quoted in writing
  • A price range on the phone, a firm quote before work
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Shower cabin with transparent glass doors near toilet bowl and sink in modern bathroom with wooden furniture and tiled walls
Shower cabin with transparent glass doors near toilet bowl and sink in modern bathroom with wooden furniture and tiled walls.

Open 7 daysEmergencies any hour

  • Licensed plumbers, details on request
  • Quote before any work starts
  • Pickering and Durham Region
  • Residential and commercial

What you can do first

  1. If the tank is leaking, close the cold water valve on top of it.
  2. Set the gas control knob to pilot or off.
  3. Photograph the label so we can see the model, size and venting type.
  4. Find your rental agreement if there is one.

Prefer electric or tankless? See electric water heater repair and tankless installation.

Signs you need gas water heater replacement

  • Water pooling under the tank, especially from the tank body rather than a fitting
  • Rusty hot water from every tap, not just one
  • Rumbling or popping as the burner fires, from sediment that cannot be flushed out
  • Hot water that runs short far sooner than it used to
  • A tank older than its rated life, which is commonly in the region of eight to twelve years

Read the label to learn the age; our note on how long a water heater lasts explains how to decode serial numbers.

We start by confirming who owns the tank. Many Pickering homes rent their water heater, and a rental cannot simply be removed without involving the rental company.

How we handle the job

We start by confirming who owns the tank. Many Pickering homes rent their water heater, and a rental cannot simply be removed without involving the rental company. If you own it, we review size and venting with you, then plan the swap.

On the day, the gas is shut off at the appliance valve, the old tank is drained and disconnected, and the new unit is set level, often on a pan. Gas work is done by a licensed gas technician as required in Ontario. We reconnect the water lines, add or replace the thermal expansion tank where needed, check the venting draft, and leak-test the gas connection before lighting the burner. You get a walk-through of the controls and the shut-offs.

Pickering homes and this problem

Older houses here often share a chimney between the furnace and water heater. Once a furnace has been swapped for a high-efficiency model venting through the side wall, the water heater is left venting alone up an oversized chimney that does not draft well. That situation sometimes points toward a power-vented tank. Newer homes in Seaton and Duffin Heights usually already have power-vent or direct-vent units, which makes a like-for-like swap simpler.

Job note: at any smell of gas, get everyone outdoors before ringing Enbridge Gas or 911. Leave switches alone and make no attempt to relight anything.

What affects the cost

The main factors are tank capacity, natural draft versus power-vent, whether the venting or gas line must be changed, and whether the old tank sits in a tight finished space. Hauling away and disposing of the old tank is part of the job. Rental buyouts are a separate matter between you and the rental company; check their current terms. For a broader comparison, see tank versus tankless and rent or buy.

Questions callers ask

Can I replace a rented water heater with one I own?

Usually yes, but the rental agreement may include removal or buyout terms. Contact the rental company and check the current terms before the swap.

Does a gas water heater need a permit in Pickering?

Any gas appliance work in Ontario needs a licensed gas technician, and the work falls under TSSA rules. We can explain what applies to your particular install.

Related pages

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