Repairing a tank heater
Leaks, rumbling and a heater that no longer heats may trace to a single part.
Water Heater Repair and Installation in San Jose
A leaking tank, cold showers or a worn-out heater all lead to the same choice between a repair, a new tank and a tankless unit. Call to talk over your household’s hot water use and the heater you have now.
We cover tank and tankless heaters, heat pump models and new heaters in a new spot. The plumber you hire handles the work, and the notes below cover the City’s permit rules.
Water heater jobs we take on
Replacing a tank
A swap puts a new tank where the old one stood. Tell us the size and fuel type of the heater you have, and the plumber you hire matches it or talks through a change.
Switching to tankless
Tankless means water is heated on demand by a wall-hung unit. Gas or electric supply and venting must match the model, so the plumber you hire checks those before installation.
Moving or adding a heater
A heater in a new location is a different job from a straight swap, with new connections and plans behind it. The permit section below says what the City asks for.
Water heater permits in San Jose
San Jose says installing or replacing a water heater requires a plumbing permit. Single-family and duplex properties apply online at SJPermits.org, and some heater types need an electrical permit as well.
Heat pump water heaters need both plumbing and electrical permits. Swapping a gas heater for a different type, or putting a heater of any kind in a new location, means submitting plans through the City’s Standard Plan Review service. A closed system, such as a house with a pressure reducing valve at the water service, needs an expansion tank.
Who may install one
Installing a water heater is part of California’s C-36 class. Past the meter, the owner’s water and gas piping up to the structure is part of it as well, and the class comes from the Contractors State License Board.
Straps on a heater that is already there
San Jose’s page on water heaters says the California Plumbing Code requires every heater to be braced and strapped against earthquakes, and it spells out that this covers existing heaters as well as new and replacement ones.
The City sets the strap count by size. A heater up to 52 gallons takes two straps, a 75 gallon heater takes three and a 100 gallon heater takes four.
Choosing the right size
Tank sizes come from the water heater size calculator, which asks how many people are at home and which hot water uses run at the same time at peak. The tankless flow calculator suits tankless units and also factors in your town’s winter weather.
Reading a heater’s age
Not sure how old your water heater is? The serial number decoder works the age out from the label, so you can judge whether a repair still makes sense.
See leak finding, the repiping page and the homepage for related pipes.
Call for a free plumbing quote
Call us to discuss your current issue and how we can assist you. The call is free and you get a free, personalized estimate with no obligation. We're here to help.
Call (855) 321-3426