3 services · Columbus
Water heaters in Columbus, OH
Most tank water heaters last about 8 to 12 years. A plumber can often repair a heater that stops making hot water, but a tank that leaks from the bottom has failed and needs to be replaced. Tankless heaters last longer but cost more to install, especially if the gas line or venting has to change.
- Licensed local plumbers
- The problem explained before work starts
- Price agreed before the job begins
Water heaters services in Columbus
Water heater repair
UrgentIf a gas water heater has no hot water, the pilot, thermocouple or gas valve is the usual cause; on an electric heater it's usually an element or thermostat. Those parts are repairable. A tank that leaks from the bottom can't be repaired and needs to be replaced.
Water heater replacement
A leaking tank or a heater past about 10 years old is usually replaced rather than repaired. A proper install includes a permit, correct venting (adjusted for altitude where needed), an expansion tank where required, a drip leg on the gas line and a relief valve discharge pipe.
Tankless water heaters
A tankless water heater heats water as it flows, so it doesn't run out, but it needs a larger gas line, its own venting and a unit rated for your elevation. Installed correctly and descaled regularly, it can outlast a tank heater.
Local conditions
Water heaters in Columbus: what's different
Columbus basements often hold the water heater near a floor drain. Cold incoming water in winter makes heaters work harder.
Permits come from the City of Columbus Building and Zoning Services.
Older homes in historic neighborhoods may share a chimney between the heater and furnace, which has to be checked at replacement. Many owners add an expansion tank and replace corroded shutoff valves at the same time. Annual flushing removes sediment and helps the tank last.
Cold incoming water in winter also makes basement heaters work harder and run out sooner in large households.
- Water and sewer in Columbus
- The City of Columbus Division of Water supplies water; the Division of Sewerage and Drainage handles sewers.
- Permits in Columbus
- Plumbing permits are issued by the City of Columbus Building and Zoning Services.
Columbus housing and plumbing
German Village and Victorian Village have 1800s and early 1900s homes with old drains and laterals; outer neighborhoods are mostly post-war and newer.
Other Columbus conditions that affect plumbing
- Basement water: Heavy spring rain tests sump pumps and floor drains.
- Frozen pipes: Cold snaps freeze pipes near rim joists and exterior walls.
- Aging laterals: Historic neighborhoods have old clay laterals prone to roots.
- Combined sewers in older areas: Parts of central Columbus still have combined sewers, and the city has worked on reducing overflows, but basement backups can still occur in heavy storms.
Neighborhoods and ZIP codes
Plumbers on Thawline cover Columbus and Franklin County, including German Village, Clintonville, Short North, Victorian Village, Hilltop, Olde Towne East. ZIP codes: 43085 · 43201 · 43202 · 43203 · 43204 · 43205.
When to call a plumber in Columbus
- No hot water, or hot water that runs out much faster than it used to
- Water pooling around the base of the tank
- Rumbling or popping from the tank
- Rusty or smelly hot water
- A pilot that won't stay lit or a tankless unit showing an error code
- A heater more than 10 years old before it fails
How these problems start and how to choose between repair options is covered in the water heaters guide.
Water heaters questions in Columbus
How long do Columbus water heaters last?
How long does a water heater replacement take?
More plumbing in Columbus
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