Water Heater Repair in Kansas City, MO, and Surrounding Areas

Inception Plumbing has a team that you can rely on for all types of water heater services. We ensure prompt solutions to all your hot water heater needs. Best of all, they come at reasonable costs. Reach out to our highly-qualified plumber in Kansas City, MO, and surrounding areas whenever you need water heater services:

• Water Heater Replacement Kansas City, MO
• Water Heater Repair Kansas City, MO
• Water Heater Maintenance Kansas City, MO
• Water Heater Installation Kansas City, MO

WATER HEATER REPLACEMENT

If your water heater is rusty, corroded, leaking, or just plain old, it may be time to replace it. At Inception, we’ll work with you side by side to help you determine what kind of water heater will best serve your Kansas City, MO, or surrounding area property. We believe strongly in giving our customers as much information as possible before they make a new investment to their home which is why we specialize in a variety of water heater systems.

STANDARD WATER HEATERS

These are typically what people think of when they think of a water heater, and they are the most common type of hot water heater system. Standard water heaters last about 8-10 years for an electric heater, and 6-8 for a gas heater. Tank-type water heaters come in different varieties such as standard atmospheric, power vent and power direct vent. These different styles are usually decided based on space, the need for efficiency, and installation limitations. You will also have the option of using fuel gas (propane or natural) or an electric utility source within your home. When deciding on the style of your Kansas City heater, you’ll also need to determine the desired capacity. Standard water heaters can range from 30 up to 75 gallons, and if more hot water is needed, two can be installed side by side in a balanced system to meet your needs.

• Pros: If you’re looking for reliability and a proven means of heating, a standard 40 or 50-gallon heater is likely what you are looking for. These storage tank-type heaters can be installed as gas or electric depending on what currently exists in your home. They are reliable, and low cost both upfront and down the road.
• Cons: They are always on. Unlike tankless water heaters, energy is constantly being used to heat the water inside. They are also bulky. They frequently take up a lot of space in storage or utility rooms, which can be a problem if you don’t have much space to start with. They can also be inadequate, depending on the size of your Kansas City, MO household.

FUN FACT

In the beginning, there was only cold water and people just didn’t bathe as much. They would usually mask body odor with perfumes and oils or just went about their day smelly. Even as recent as the turn of the century, running hot water was considered a luxury. It was really only available to those who were more financially well off. Now, in the United States today, personal supply of hot water is thought of as a necessity just like food, water, and shelter.

TANKLESS WATER HEATERS 

The tankless water heater is fairly new here in the states. This item always seems to get brought up by the customer’s curiosity. Either they’ve seen them on TV, or a friend has had one installed. Tankless hot water heaters are quite the popular item in Kansas City and the surrounding areas. This type of heater heats water directly, without the use of a storage tank. When a hot water tap is turned on, cold water will travel through the piping within the unit. There, the water is either heated by a gas burner or less commonly an electric element. This unit will provide the fixture with an endless supply of hot water. Tankless water heaters are very small in comparison to a traditional tank-type water heater, which makes them great for limited space. Also, only heating water on demand vs storing hot water can help cut back on utility expenses. Unfortunately, tankless heaters are limited to a certain flow rate, which does limit their ability to run numerous fixtures simultaneously. So, depending on the home’s demand for water, this could result in more than one heater being needed, but one heater is usually sufficient for a standard home.

• Pros: These are an extremely popular item because they take up minimal space and only heat water on demand. If you don’t demand hot water at your fixture it doesn’t burn fuel. These are ideal for long term savings on your utility cost.
• Cons: They do require a bit more maintenance than a standard water heater and are more expensive to purchase. Also, your home will need to be evaluated to make sure your area and utilities can accommodate one.

HEAT PUMP WATER HEATERS 

The heat pump water heater is designed to move heat from one place to another instead of generating it directly. Heat pump water heaters are a great choice if you’re installing an electric heater in your home. These can be two to three times more efficient than a typical electric water heater. To understand the concept of a heat pump water heater, just imagine a refrigerator that’s working in reverse. While a refrigerator removes heat from an insulated box and expels that heat to the surrounding air, a heat pump water heater takes the heat from surrounding air and transfers it to the water that’s in the tank. This is extremely efficient because it is a lot easier to transfer energy instead of making it. They do heat water with electricity like a standard electric, but only during peak usage demands.

• Pros: Heat pump water heaters have a very low operational cost and can be two to three times more energy-efficient than a standard electric water heater.
• Cons: They’re limited to only using electricity for operation, and have a higher initial cost than a standard heater. Also, heat pump water heaters do not operate efficiently in a cold space.

REPAIRING A WATER HEATER

Sometimes replacing an old heater just isn’t an option financially, a quick repair is all you need to get up and running again. A new water heater can be an expensive investment and at Inception Plumbing, we completely understand that. We are more than happy to help you assess the issue and give you a solution that best suits your needs. Our technicians can determine if your water heater is repairable or not, and make sure you’re investing in the right option.

SHOULD YOU REPAIR OR REPLACE YOUR WATER HEATER?

A good repair can help extend the life of your original investment. The downfall to repairing versus replacing is the gamble you take as a customer. Diagnosing the cause of the faulty water heater, plus the installation cost and parts can add up, but still not near the cost of a new heater. So what’s the risk? Well, based on the heater’s age, you could be paying a plumber to install a new burner assembly on a tank that’s on the verge of giving up. Once the holding tank goes, unfortunately, all of the new parts go along with it. A good plumber can thoroughly inspect your water heater and help you make the right decision on repairing versus replacing it.

REPAIRABLE WATER HEATER ISSUES

• T&P Valve
  This valve can become faulty for numerous reasons but is usually an easy fix. It’s also a low-cost item, which is nice, so your heater can stay put.
• Gas Control Valve
  If you have a gas water heater that’s not heating properly this can be the culprit. Replacing this valve is a bit costly and more in-depth than a T&P,  but can fix your problem.
• Burner Assembly
  Another gas water heater issue could be the burner assembly. This can also fix your problem but is quite costly as well.
• Leaking Supply Lines
  Supply line leaks are a very common issue that can be resolved with minimal cost. Old piping or a bad supply valve can result in a leak, and Inception can get it fixed in no time flat.
• Electric Heating Element
  This applies only to electric water heaters and is a fairly inexpensive part that commonly gets tired. By draining the tank we can remove it and get you up and running in no time at all.

NON-REPAIRABLE WATER HEATER ISSUES

• Leaking Tank
  If the holding tank itself has started to leak, there is pretty much no hope of saving the water heater. At this point, you’ll definitely need to replace it.
• Structurally Rotting
  Here is another issue that can’t be resolved with a repair. If the bottom of the heater can’t support the tank anymore, then it’s time to replace it.
• Excessive Mineral Deposits
  Flushing your tank of sediment should be a scheduled routine maintenance procedure, but unfortunately, if this is neglected you could be in for a surprise. Excessive mineral deposits can destroy a perfectly good water heater.
• Damaged Taps
  Repairing your supply lines can be a simple procedure, but if the water heater taps are corroded or damaged, there is usually not much we can do for it.

ROUTINE WATER HEATER MAINTENANCE

Most Kansas City, Missouri homeowners don’t realize that their water heaters require routine maintenance. By taking the time to flush sediment out, or check the pressure of your thermal expansion tank, you can really help extend the life of a heater. Old heaters can have a potential buildup of calcium and other sediments, which can cause them to not heat as efficiently as they once did. These maintenance procedures can be done annually by an Inception technician. Preventive maintenance makes sense. Give us a call! We’ll keep an eye on your investment.

• Expansion Tank Pressure
  Expansion tanks are designed to help eliminate thermal expansion. When the water heater tank is heated, the water inside will expand and create pressure throughout your system. This is perfectly acceptable when you are demanding hot water at your fixture, but when not using hot water this can become a problem. This trapped rise in pressure, over time, can damage your tank or cause your pressure relief valve to periodically open and leak. So keeping an eye on this device can be beneficial in the long run.
• Temperature & Pressure Relief Valve
  A quick inspection of your T&P valve is never a bad idea. A temperature & pressure relief valve is an extremely important device put in place to prevent the heater from swelling and potentially exploding. These can become tired and faulty which typically results in a small drip from the discharge piping near the floor. Inception Plumbing can take care of these small issues for you very quickly.
• Sediment Flush
  The United States has large amounts of hard water throughout. These minerals love to make themselves at home in your water heater. Just like your routine dental appointment to get that build up before it has a chance to start, your water heater is much the same. Inception can flush your water heater tank of these unwanted deposits before they take over.