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Drain Pros TNWoman-owned · TN LLP #5045

water heating · TN LLP #5045 · verify.tn.gov

Water Heater Replacement

Tank replacement sized to the house, with the old unit hauled off.

Quick answer

We replace tank water heaters sized to the house and haul the old unit off, across the Bradley–McMinn corridor and greater Chattanooga. Tennessee license #5045.

A water heater replacement is the job where getting the gas, venting, and connections right matters most. We size the tank to how the house actually uses hot water, fit it properly, and take the old one with us.

A replacement is the job people most often get sold wrong, because the easy version is to pull the old tank and drop in whatever is on the truck. Done that way it usually works, and it usually costs you either capacity you needed or money you did not.

We treat it as a real install: the right size for how your household actually uses hot water, the gas and venting connected to code, the expansion tank and safety pieces the code calls for, and the old unit hauled off.

What the job covers

  • Tank replacement sized to the household, not just swapped like-for-like
  • Correct gas, water, and venting connections to code
  • Expansion tank and code upgrades where required
  • Haul-off and disposal of the old unit
  • The old unit hauled away as part of the job

Before and after

Water heater replacement — the same job, both ends.

The old water heater in place before replacementBefore
The replacement water heater installed and connectedAfter

How to tell

Signs you need water heater replacement

  • The tank is leaking from its body, not a fitting — this one is not repairable
  • The unit is past about ten to twelve years old
  • Persistent rusty water even after the lines run clear
  • You are on the second or third repair in a short span
  • It can no longer keep up with the household’s hot-water demand
  • Heavy rumbling from years of sediment that flushing no longer fixes

Sizing it to the house, not the box it came in

The right size is set by how many people draw hot water at the same time, not by square footage or by matching whatever number was on the old tank. An undersized unit leaves you cold at the end of a morning; an oversized one costs more to buy and to keep hot.

We size it to real use, and we will tell you honestly if your existing tank was the wrong size all along. Getting this right is most of the value of doing a replacement properly.

How we work

How we handle water heater replacement

Step 01

Size it to your household

Match the tank to real simultaneous demand, not the number on the old one.

Step 02

Install to code

Gas, water, and venting done right, plus the expansion tank and safety pieces the code requires.

Step 03

Haul the old one off

The old tank leaves with us — disposal is part of the job.

Step 04

Talk about longevity

If hard water shortened the last one, we cover what would make this one last.

Permits

Some plumbing work requires a permit and an inspection, and some does not. Whether one is required for your job is determined by the Authority Having Jurisdiction — the city or county building and codes office for your address — and it is at their discretion.

Usually requires a permit

  • Water heater replacement and tankless conversion
  • Whole-house repiping
  • Water service line and sewer line replacement
  • Gas line installation and repair
  • Relocating a fixture to a new position

Usually does not

  • Drain cleaning and clearing blockages
  • Emergency and repair work
  • Like-for-like fixture replacement
  • Water heater repair
  • Camera inspection and diagnostics

This is general guidance rather than a ruling, and it can differ from one town to the next. The Authority Having Jurisdiction makes the determination. Across the Bradley–McMinn corridor we pull the permit and book the inspection ourselves. Inside Hamilton County and Chattanooga the permit office does not accept an application from our license class, so permit-required jobs there are referred to a licensed partner who does the work and meets the inspector.

Common questions

Water Heater Replacement: your questions answered

Why can you not replace a water heater inside Chattanooga?
Yes. We replace water heaters inside Chattanooga city limits the same as everywhere else we serve.
What size water heater do I need?
It depends on how many people draw hot water at once, not just the square footage. We size it to real use so you are not paying to reheat a tank that is too big or running out with one that is too small.
Do you take the old unit away?
Yes. Haul-off and disposal of the old tank are part of the job.
Should I go tankless instead while I am at it?
Sometimes it is worth it, sometimes it is not, and it depends on your gas line, venting, and hot-water habits. We will give you the honest trade-off rather than upsell by default.
How long does a replacement take?
A straightforward tank-for-tank replacement is typically a single-day job.
What kind of warranty do you offer?
A one-year workmanship warranty on plumbing from the date of completion, covering the specific work performed — it does not extend to unrelated or pre-existing conditions. Drain cleaning carries a 30-day warranty unless we state otherwise, excluding closet augers. Manufacturer warranties cover the parts and equipment separately. That is the whole of it, in writing.
Are you actually licensed?
Yes. Tennessee Limited Licensed Plumber #5045, issued by the state Board for Licensing Contractors and verifiable through the state's public lookup at verify.tn.gov. No competitor in this market puts their number on the page — we lead with ours.

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Book Drain Pros TN for water heater replacement.

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TN Limited Licensed Plumber · #5045 · verify at verify.tn.gov

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