A Rockwood homeowner on Spokane’s South Hill called us with no hot water. The water heater in this house is not in a garage or a basement corner. It is a 50 gallon electric unit mounted horizontally in the crawl space, strapped into a steel cradle between the joists, which is a setup we see in a fair number of older South Hill homes.
The Call
The homeowner had lost hot water entirely and wanted to know whether the unit could be saved. With an electric water heater that is a fair question, because a failed heating element is a repair, not a replacement, and it costs a fraction of a new tank.
What We Found
We gave the homeowner every option in writing: replace the element, replace the tank, or convert to tankless. The tank had enough age and wear on it that a new element would have bought a short reprieve at best, so the homeowner chose a full replacement and we scheduled it for two days later.
That is the honest version of this decision. An element replacement is the right answer when the tank itself is sound. On a unit near the end of its life, it usually means paying twice.
The Replacement
Crawl space work adds a layer to a straightforward swap. The old tank had to come out horizontally and the new 50 gallon electric unit had to go back into the same cradle, then be strapped, leveled and reconnected in a space with very little room to work.
We ran new water connections and a new electrical whip to the unit, and the work was permitted through the City of Spokane. The homeowner had hot water back that afternoon.
Before and After
Materials and Equipment
- 50 gallon electric water heater
- New water connections and electrical whip
- Steel support cradle and strapping
- City of Spokane permit
Warranty
The tank carries its manufacturer warranty, and the installation is covered by our workmanship warranty.
Serving Rockwood and Spokane’s South Hill
We work throughout Rockwood, the Perry District and the wider South Hill, from Rockwood Boulevard and Lincoln Park across to Grand Boulevard. Crawl space and closet installations are common in 99203, and they are worth replacing before they fail rather than after, because a leak in a crawl space is not one you notice quickly. Our water heater team can tell you whether an element will do the job or whether the tank is finished. We also install tankless water heaters where the space suits them, and we offer financing on full replacements. Our Raptor Titanium membership also covers an annual water heater flush and inspection, priority scheduling and a five year warranty on plumbing installations.
Need a water heater looked at?
On an electric tank it may be an element rather than the tank itself. We check before we quote a replacement.