Given the unexpected nature of most hot water heater failures, price is at the forefront of concerns for most of our customers. Below, we will look to discuss the cost of water heater installation in Lexington Park by examing the different things that impact pricing.
Standard Gas & Electric Water Heaters
When shopping around for a new hot water heater it is important to understand some basic information so that you can make the decision that is best for you and your home.
First, it is important to understand what type of power supply your current unit runs on. Do you have a gas powered water heater or an electric one?
The most common types of water heaters we see in St. Mary’s County are standard 40-50 gallon gas units. The replacement cost for one of these units can vary from $900 to $1,200 depending on some variables like whether or not we need to pull a permit for the replacement. If you need a new drip pan or earthquake straps installed, this can move you closer to the $1,200 range. If not, a reasonable estimate would be the low end, at $900.
For an electric hot water heater installation the pricing does not change much. That same $900-$1,200 estimate is going to be accurate here as well.
Every once and a while we get a call from a homeowner who’s water heater is still working just fine. They aren’t calling because they’ve experienced a sudden, unexpected failure of their hot water heater. Rather, they are shopping around for an upgrade to a tankless hot water heater. The main drawback of standard hot water heaters is their limited water supply. Most hot water heaters hold somewhere between 40 and 50 gallons of hot water for use. This can make taking multiple showers and/or running appliances simultaneously nearly impossible. With a tankless water heater this hot water supply issue goes away. Instead of holding a limited amount of water for use in a tank, a tankless water heater heats water on demand for use. Essentially moving your homes water supply from 10’s of gallons to unlimited. The major drawback with tankless units is that they are more expensive, more difficult to install, and can be expensive to repair if they stop working for any reason.
To give you a ballpark figure, a tankless water heater installation will typically coast upwards of $2,500.