VALLEY PLUMBING AND HEATING

wATER HEATER REPAIR & REPLACEMENT

       Water heater repair and replacement is one of our specialties. Wondering how to stop a water heater from leaking?  We know the answers.  Give Rio Grande Plumbing a call and we can get plumbers in Mission, plumbers in McAllen, or  plumbers in the Rio Grande anywhere else. 
​       We use Rheem Water Heaters because they are backed by a 6 year warranty, (tanked) and 1/5 year warranty on tankless heaters.  We can work on any brand, however. 
       The water we have in the Rio Grande Valley is very hard.  This causes a lot of water heaters to go out in 4 to 5 years.  The parts inside corrode and rust.  This is normally the cause of the leak, no matter what brand you have installed in your home.  It always helps to accompany your heater with a softener.  This will not only give longer life to your water heater, but to all of the pipes throughout your house as well.  Look below for more information on heaters. 

Water heater sizes and types

       Have you been asking yourself, "which water heater to use?" There are several factors you need to consider.  
The first thing to recognize is how much water are you circulating throughout your home or business at one time.  You may have a typical 3 bedroom, 2 bath house with 1 kitchen.  Do you use natural gas or electricity?  How many watts is your current heater set up for?  We have charts that help calculate just how big of a heater you need.  
       The typical water heater for a 3b 2b home is a 40 gallon electric.  You can move up to the 50 gal for about the same price.  If you have a large home, you may want to consider getting 2 separate units in the house depending on how large it is.  If is is smaller, you can still stay with the 40 gallon, as it is usually priced below the 20 and 30 gallon heaters simply because it is sold much more often.  
       If you prefer tankless, there are different options to consider as well.  If you have a large home, you'll want to get an RTEX 36.  The sizes go down from there, all the way to a 10, which serves only one general area, such as the kitchen sink.  

tankless vs tank storage water heater

       Tankless Water heaters are an efficient, fast way to heat the water going to your fixtures.  They use high powered burners that, as water is run through your heat exchange, quickly heat water that goes directly to your faucets or shower.  No hot water is stored in a tank.  
       One of the benefits to using a tankless is that it can be up to 22% more efficient that your tank storage heater.  It can also last longer. One of the disadvantages is that if it does malfunction and rupture, you may have a bigger mess on your hands than with a tank.  When a tank leaks, you'll normally see it leak slowly out of the bottom first and it should give you enough time to get it handled with minimal water flow. 
     When a tankless heater fails, it is possible that the connection where the water flows has corroded and it can gush water.  If you are not home or not able to see it for a while, you could have more damage as a result of the water flow. This shouldn't totally scare you away from a tankless water heater, but it is something to be aware of. 
        No matter which one you choose, plumbers in McAllen can service it.  We have been around a while and will continue to be when it's time to replace it.