A Comstock homeowner on Spokane’s South Hill called us with a leaking gas water heater and no confidence it would last the week. The unit sat in a narrow basement closet, which is common in these older South Hill homes and makes a replacement more involved than it looks. We carried a matching 50 gallon unit on the truck so the work could be finished on the first visit.
The Call
The homeowner had water showing around the base of the tank and asked us to bring a replacement rather than come out twice. That is usually the right call once a tank is leaking. A fitting or a valve can be repaired, but a tank that has rusted through cannot, and waiting rarely ends well.
What We Found
The existing gas water heater had reached the end of its service life and was leaking. It was also tucked into a tight closet with the venting running up through the floor above, so the replacement had to be set and connected in the same footprint.
Homes around Comstock and Manito were largely built before the current code requirements, so we often find older installations that need bringing up to standard while the unit is swapped. Spokane’s hard water shortens tank life as well, since sediment settles and traps heat against the bottom of the tank.
The Replacement
Our team drained and removed the old tank, then set and connected a new Rheem 50 gallon natural gas water heater in the same closet, with the gas connection, water connections and venting reworked to fit the new unit properly.
The work was permitted through the City of Spokane and inspected the following month. The homeowner had hot water back the same day.
Before and After
Materials and Equipment
- Rheem Guardian 50 gallon natural gas water heater
- New gas and water connections
- City of Spokane permit and inspection
Warranty
The tank carries its manufacturer warranty, and the installation is covered by our workmanship warranty.
Serving Comstock, Manito and the South Hill
We work throughout the South Hill, from the Manito Park and Grand Boulevard area south through Comstock and the 29th Avenue corridor. Many homes in 99203 still have their original closet or basement installations, and a tank in that kind of space is worth looking at before it fails rather than after. Our water heater team can tell you whether yours has life left in it. We also install tankless water heaters where a tank no longer makes sense, 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?
Leaking right now, or just old enough to worry about? Either way we will tell you honestly what it needs.