Water Heater Installation & Repair
WATER HEATER INSTALLATION & REPAIR IN Reedsburg, WI.
A storage water heater carries a design life of about 8 to 12 years, and the sacrificial anode rod inside corrodes first so the steel tank does not. Ernstmeyer Plumbing Co. LLC installs and repairs gas, electric, and tankless water heaters throughout Reedsburg, WI, and nearby Baraboo, Lake Delton, and Wisconsin Dells. Hard water shortens every one of those numbers.
TANKS ANNOUNCE THEMSELVES BEFORE THEY QUIT.
Hot water running out sooner than it used to. Popping or rumbling when the burner fires. Rusty water on the first draw of the morning. A damp ring on the floor that dries and comes back. None of that is a leak yet, and all of it means the tank is closer to the end than the middle.
Replacing on your schedule costs the same as replacing in a panic, minus the wet carpet. That is the whole argument for looking at an older tank before winter.
- Gas, electric, and tankless installation
- Free estimates on replacement
- Venting, relief piping, and shut-offs to code
- Repairs when the tank still has life left
WATER HEATER INSTALLATION & REPAIR
SIZE IT WRONG AND YOU LIVE WITH IT.
A 40-gallon tank in a house with two teenagers and a soaking tub is a daily argument. A 75-gallon tank in a two-person household burns money keeping water hot that nobody uses. We size to how many fixtures run at once and how fast the tank has to recover, not to whatever was there before, because the last one may have been wrong too. The math takes 10 minutes.
HARD WATER IS ROUGH ON TANKS AROUND HERE.
Scale settles on the bottom of a gas tank and forces the burner to heat through an insulating crust, which wastes fuel and cooks the steel above it. On electric units it coats the elements until they fail. Flushing annually and keeping an anode rod in good shape adds years to a heater in this water. We check both on every service call.
GETTING THE OLD TANK OUT IS HALF THE JOB.
Water heaters live in the worst spots in a house: crawl spaces, tight utility closets, basements with a turn in the stairwell that a 50-gallon tank barely clears. Knowing how to get the old one out without gouging the drywall is half the job. Thadd Ernstmeyer holds Wisconsin Master Plumber license 996751 and has swapped heaters in nearly every kind of house this area has. Where does yours sit?
WHAT A PROPERLY INSTALLED HEATER DELIVERS
HOT WATER THAT LASTS
A correctly sized unit refills as fast as the household empties it. Nobody schedules showers around the heater, and the last person in still gets hot water.
LOWER ENERGY BILLS
Newer units insulate better and lose less standby heat. Swapping a scaled, 12-year-old tank for a right-sized modern one usually shows up on the utility bill within the first full month.
NO FLOODED BASEMENT
Tanks that fail from age rarely leak politely. Replacing before the seam goes keeps water off the floor and out of everything stored around the heater.
SAFE VENTING AND RELIEF
Flue draft, combustion air, and a relief valve piped properly are what stand between a water heater and a serious incident. All three get checked and corrected on every install.
A UNIT YOU CAN SERVICE
Unions at the connections, a drain valve you can reach, and shut-offs where a person can actually turn them. 10 years on, the next repair does not require cutting pipe.
WARRANTY THAT HOLDS UP
Manufacturers void coverage on improper installation more often than people realize. Work done to code by a licensed plumber keeps the warranty intact if anything does go wrong.
WHAT WE INSTALL
OUR WATER HEATER WORK
Six services cover everything from a thermostat that drifted out of range to a full changeover from tank to tankless. Which one you need usually becomes obvious within a few minutes on site.
GAS TANKS
Gas Storage Water Heater Installation
Atmospheric and power-vented units sized to household demand, with venting, gas connection, and relief piping done to code. The old tank leaves with us and the area gets cleaned. Same-day swaps are common.
ELECTRIC
Electric Water Heater Installation
Standard and high-recovery electric units for homes without gas service. We check element sizing against the circuit, replace corroded connections, and set the thermostats where they belong. Scale gets flushed out first.
TANKLESS
Tankless Water Heater Installation
Endless hot water in a fraction of the footprint, sized by flow rate and temperature rise rather than gallons. Gas line capacity and venting get checked before anything is ordered.
REPAIRS
Water Heater Repair and Part Replacement
Thermocouples, gas valves, heating elements, thermostats, dip tubes, and relief valves. If the tank itself is sound, a repair is usually the better value and we will tell you so.
MAINTENANCE
Flushing and Anode Rod Service
Draining sediment and replacing a spent anode rod are the two things that actually extend tank life in hard water. Both are quick, and both are worth doing yearly here.
EXPANSION
Expansion Tanks and Relief Valve Work
Closed systems need somewhere for heated water to expand, or pressure climbs until the relief valve weeps. We install and replace expansion tanks and correct relief discharge piping that was run wrong.
★★★★★
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Mike T.
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THE WORD ON OUR WORK
WHAT OUR CLIENTS SAY.
Water heaters generate the most grateful calls we get. One customer had been quoted a week's wait elsewhere and had hot showers again the same day. Another needed a remote-controlled solution for a rental he manages from a thousand miles away.
★★★★★
I was thoroughly impressed by the remarkable level of care and foresight shown throughout the entire experience. Every stage reflected a deep understanding of what makes a process truly effective and enjoyable. The final outcome was exceptional and left me with complete satisfaction.
Andrew A.
★★★★★
Many plumbers to chose from, but the honest, friendly, knowledgeable approach is hard to beat. They have helped me out many times after being introduced during a 4000 sqft home build a few years back.
Kurt H
Common Questions
frequently asked
questions.
The questions homeowners ask before deciding whether to repair or replace, answered without steering you toward the more expensive option by default. Ask us anything this list misses.
How long should a water heater last?
Eight to 12 years for a storage tank, longer for tankless with regular descaling. Hard water and skipped flushing pull that number down; an anode rod replaced on schedule pushes it back up. Check the date on the label.
Is a tankless water heater worth it?
For households that run out of hot water or want the floor space, usually yes. For low-demand homes with a working tank, the payback stretches out. Gas line capacity often decides the answer. We check that before recommending one.
Why is my water heater making popping or rumbling noises?
That is sediment on the tank bottom trapping water underneath, which flashes to steam and pops through the crust. Flushing helps if it is caught early; a heavily scaled tank rarely comes back fully. It is also a warning sign.
What temperature should I set my water heater to?
120 degrees suits most households. It is hot enough to discourage bacteria, cool enough to reduce scald risk, and it slows scale buildup compared with the 140 setting many units ship with. Dishwashers without boosters may want more.
Can a leaking water heater be repaired?
It depends where it leaks. Fittings, valves, and the relief line are all repairable. A leak from the tank body itself means the steel has rusted through, and no repair will hold. That one gets replaced, usually the same day.
How long does a water heater replacement take?
Most swaps run two to four hours from arrival to hot water. Ernstmeyer Plumbing Co. LLC keeps common sizes available for homes around Reedsburg, WI, so a failed tank rarely means a cold night. Tight spaces add some time.
Why does my hot water smell like rotten eggs?
That is usually a reaction between the magnesium anode rod and bacteria in the water, common on wells. Switching to an aluminum-zinc rod and sanitizing the tank clears it in most cases. The smell is not dangerous itself.
Why have a licensed plumber install a water heater?
Because venting, gas connections, and relief piping are where installs go wrong, and manufacturers void warranties over them. Ernstmeyer Plumbing Co. LLC pulls permits and installs to code across Reedsburg, WI, and the surrounding towns. The paperwork matters later.
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HOW WE WORK
FROM COLD SHOWER TO HOT WATER, HERE IS HOW.
STEP 01
Find Out What You Actually Need
We ask about household size, fixture count, peak demand, and what the current unit does badly. Sizing starts there rather than with the number stamped on the old tank. The old one may have been wrong.
STEP 02
Look at the Space and the Utilities
Access, venting route, gas line capacity, and electrical service all shape what can go in. Checking them before ordering avoids the delivery that will not fit through the door. It happens more than you would think.
STEP 03
Quote Repair and Replacement Together
If the existing unit can be saved, that price goes next to the replacement price. You see both prices and decide. Any work that is not included in the original estimate will be added as a separate line item.
STEP 04
Drain and Remove the Old Unit
The tank gets isolated, drained, and carried out without dragging sediment across the floor. Protection goes down on stairs and finished surfaces before anything moves. The old unit leaves with us for disposal.
STEP 05
Install, Vent, and Test
New unit set level, connections made with unions, relief valve piped to code, and venting checked for proper draft. Then it gets filled, purged, and fired with us watching. Nothing is left to settle later.
STEP 06
Set It and Show You How
Temperature set to 120 degrees, shut-offs pointed out, and the drain valve explained so you can flush it yourself. Warranty paperwork goes to you before we leave. Questions are welcome any time.
GET YOUR FREE ESTIMATE
FIND OUT WHAT THE RIGHT UNIT COSTS, FREE.
Send your household details through our contact page and we will size the unit properly, price both repair and replacement, and tell you honestly which one your tank deserves. No obligation, no pressure. Any work that is not included in the original estimate will be added as a separate line item.
WHAT YOUR FREE WATER HEATER QUOTE COVERS:
- Demand sizing for your actual household
- Access, venting, and gas capacity check
- Repair and replacement prices side by side
- Removal and disposal of the old unit
- Permit and inspection handling
- Warranty registration paperwork