Water Heaters

Yes. We hold Washington contractor licenses BALLANG062QD and BASHAAP823QR, and our technicians are licensed professionals. We are also a Mitsubishi Diamond Elite Contractor, a Trane Comfort Specialist and a Lennox Premier Dealer, and a longstanding member of the Air Conditioning Contractors of America.

Yes. Ballard Heating, Cooling, Electric & Plumbing offers financing options to help you spread the cost of larger projects, such as a new heat pump, furnace, air conditioner, water heater, or electrical panel upgrade, into manageable monthly payments. Visit our Financing page to see current options, or call us at 206-784-8101 and our team will walk you through what's available for your project.

We quote upfront, before the work starts, so there is no surprise at the end. For larger jobs we put a detailed proposal together onsite and back it with our Price Lock Guarantee, which means the price we put in writing is the price you pay. Estimates are free.

Ten to fifteen years with maintenance. Sediment build up in the bottom of the tank is what usually shortens it, because the burner then heats through a layer of sediment rather than water. An annual flush is the single highest value thing you can do for it.

Ten to fifteen years is typical. Flushing it annually and replacing the anode rod when it is spent both extend that, and both are commonly skipped. Once a tank is past twelve years and showing rust at the fittings, planning the replacement beats waiting for it to fail.

Since 1993. We have been locally-led and operated that whole time, which is more than thirty years working on homes in this region. That matters more than it sounds: Puget Sound housing stock runs from 1920s bungalows to new construction, and the right answer for one is rarely the right answer for the other.

Often the same day. If you call before 1pm we can usually get a technician to you that day, and members of our 5 Star Maintenance Plan go to the front of the queue. Our vans are stocked, so most common repairs are finished on the first visit rather than waiting on a part.

Not always. Condensation on a cold tank, or a discharge from the temperature and pressure relief valve, both leave water on the floor without the tank itself having failed. But a tank leaking from the body cannot be repaired and needs replacing, so it is worth identifying which it is quickly.

Check the breaker first, then the reset button on the upper thermostat, which trips on a high limit and catches people out. If it resets and trips again, or you have lukewarm water only, that usually means a failed heating element, and there are two of them.

Worth costing out. A heat pump water heater uses considerably less electricity than a standard element tank and often attracts rebates and tax credits. It needs enough surrounding air space to work, and it cools the room it sits in, so a garage or basement suits it better than a closet.

Most often a failing thermocouple, which is the safety device that shuts the gas off if it does not sense a flame. It can also be a draft, a blocked vent or a dirty pilot assembly. A pilot that will not stay lit is worth a technician rather than repeated relighting.

It is our annual maintenance membership. Members get discounted annual maintenance, priority service, no overtime charges, a discounted diagnostic fee that is free at the Platinum level, an extended repair warranty, discounted water heater service, and a reminder when your maintenance is due. Members who call before 1pm can usually be seen the same day.

It depends on peak demand rather than household size alone. A rough guide is forty to fifty gallons for two or three people and fifty to eighty for a larger household, but a family that showers at the same time every morning needs more than the count suggests. We size it on how you actually use it.

A three year labor warranty on our work as standard, plus a Lifetime Workmanship Warranty. Manufacturer warranties on the equipment itself run separately and vary by brand and model. A Comfort Shield Extended Warranty is available if you want coverage beyond that, and we will explain what each one covers before you decide.

That is sediment. Water trapped under the layer at the bottom of the tank boils and forces its way through, which is the popping you hear. It is a sign the tank needs flushing, and if it has been left long enough the sediment can be hard to clear.