Gas Water Heaters in Navarre: What You Can Handle and What to Leave to a Plumber

Jobs Most Homeowners Can Do Safely

These tasks need basic tools and common sense, and they help a heater last. Read the manufacturer's instructions on the tank label first.

• Relighting a standing pilot by following the printed instructions on the heater
• Adjusting the thermostat dial, keeping it around 120 degrees for most households
• Draining a few gallons of sediment through the drain valve with a hose to a floor drain
• Lifting the relief valve test lever once a year with a bucket underneath
• Keeping storage, laundry and flammable products well away from the burner
• Insulating accessible hot water pipes near the heater

Where DIY Gets Risky

Replacing a gas water heater looks simple in a video: unhook a few pipes, swap the tank, hook them back up. The hard parts are the ones that are easy to get wrong without noticing. A gas fitting that seems tight can leak slowly. A flue connector without enough upward slope, or with an unsealed joint, can spill carbon monoxide into the basement every time the burner fires. A relief valve discharge pipe that is too small, capped or run uphill can defeat the one safety device protecting the tank from rupture.

Other jobs that belong with a professional include replacing a gas control valve, converting a heater between natural gas and propane, changing the vent type, moving the heater, and any work on the gas supply line. Many properties around Navarre run on propane, and propane leaks are especially hazardous because the gas settles low in basements. If propane piping needs work, our propane line service in Navarre covers it.

After High Water: Do Not Relight a Flooded Heater

Navarre sits along the Tuscarawas River, and low-lying basements in the area can take on water during heavy storms or high river levels. If floodwater reached the burner or gas control of your water heater, do not relight it. Manufacturers generally advise that a gas control valve exposed to water be replaced, because internal corrosion and debris can cause it to malfunction. In practice, a heater that sat in floodwater is usually replaced entirely.

Once the water recedes, we can inspect the heater and the surrounding gas and water piping and give you a clear recommendation. K & K also offers plumbing damage inspections and insurance assistance.

What You Get When We Do the Work

We start with a free estimate and explain what we found. After you approve the specifications, we handle everything: shutting off and capping the gas, draining and removing the old tank, setting the new heater, making gas, water and vent connections, installing a new relief valve and discharge pipe, and checking for leaks and proper draft. A quality inspection and a walk-through finish the job.

When the issue is murky, such as intermittent hot water, odd pressure or a heater that works one day and not the next, our plumbing troubleshooting service is a good place to start. Navarre is about 13 miles from our East Canton shop, and we also serve Brewster, Massillon, Beach City, Bolivar and Strasburg.

A Good Middle Ground

Plenty of homeowners do the routine chores themselves and call us for an annual check of the parts they cannot easily see, such as the anode rod, the burner and the vent. That combination keeps costs down while covering the safety-critical items. For more about tank types and sizing, see our gas water heater overview, or get in touch to schedule a visit.