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Water Heaters · ConvertElectric to Gas Water Heater Conversion
An electric to gas water heater conversion replaces the electric tank with a gas one and adds three things the house never had at that spot: a gas line branch, a vent to the outside and, for power-vent models, a standard 120-volt outlet. It pays when the house already has natural gas for the furnace and the family runs out of hot water, because a gas tank recovers roughly twice as fast as an electric tank of the same size. If there is no gas at the property, compare a larger electric tank or a heat pump water heater instead.
The gas line is the first addition. A branch is run from the existing piping, usually near the furnace, to the tank location, sized under CSA B149.1 for the water heater's input and the length of the run, then pressure-tested and leak-checked. Before that we add up every gas appliance against the capacity of the meter and the main pipe: a furnace, range, dryer, fireplace and barbecue line can leave little room. If the meter is too small, Enbridge Gas changes it; if the pipe is, part of it is upsized.
The vent decides the model. Most conversions have no chimney at the tank, so the choice is a power-vent tank, which uses a fan to push exhaust through plastic pipe to a sidewall and needs an ordinary outlet nearby, or a direct-vent tank, which vents by natural draft through a coaxial pipe and has to stand at an outside wall. Power vent gives freedom on location; direct vent keeps working when the hydro is out. Either way the termination must clear windows, doors, the gas meter and grade by the code distances.
What you get for it is recovery. A typical 4,500-watt electric tank puts about 15,000 BTU an hour into the water, while a 40,000 BTU gas burner delivers roughly double that after flue losses, so a 40- or 50-gallon gas tank does the work of a larger electric one. What you pay is installation: the published band for a gas tank is $1,200–$2,500 installed depending on size and venting, and the new gas branch and vent run are quoted on top. A short run in an open basement is a modest addition; a tank on the far side of a finished basement may not be worth converting.
Gas work in Ontario is restricted to TSSA-licensed technicians, and the new piping is tested before the appliance is lit. The old 240-volt circuit is made safe at the panel, and any new outlet for a power-vent fan is electrical work under ESA rules. A house that was all-electric now has a fuel-burning appliance, so Ontario's carbon monoxide alarm rule applies if it did not already. Where no gas main reaches the road, as in parts of rural Caledon, Kilbride, Lowville, Campbellville, Carlisle and rural Flamborough, the choice is propane or staying electric.
Conversion makes sense when
- The house already has natural gas, and the meter and piping have room for another appliance
- Showers run cold even though the electric tank is correctly sized and both elements work
- The electric tank is near the end of the usual 8–12 year life, so a tank is being bought either way
- The tank stands close to the gas piping and to an outside wall
- A rented electric tank is being returned and you are deciding what to own next
How it works
We total the input of every gas appliance, read the meter's rating, measure the pipe from the meter to the branch point and walk the route to the tank and the wall. The written quote separates the tank, the gas line and the vent so you can see where the money goes.
The branch is piped and tested, the wall is cored for the vent, the electric tank is drained and removed, and the gas tank is set, vented and connected to the water lines. Most conversions are one working day; long gas runs through finished space take longer.
The burner is fired and gas pressure and venting are checked under load. The old electrical feed is disconnected at the panel by an electrician, carbon monoxide alarms are confirmed, and the old tank is hauled away. Ask for a conversion quote.
Common questions
Is converting a water heater from electric to gas worth it in Ontario?
It is worth it when gas is already in the house, the run to the tank is short and the household outgrows what an electric tank can recover. It is harder to justify when the tank sits far from the gas piping or an outside wall, because the line and vent can cost as much as the heater. For a small household that never runs out, a new electric tank is the cheaper answer; the comparison is in electric vs gas water heaters.
Can my gas meter handle a water heater as well?
Usually, but it is checked and not assumed. Every meter has a rated capacity and every pipe size a limit for its length. We total the furnace, range, dryer, fireplace and anything outdoors, add the water heater and compare. A tank adds far less load than a tankless unit. If the meter is short, Enbridge Gas replaces it; undersized pipe is corrected under gas line upgrade.
What happens to the old electrical circuit?
The 240-volt cable that fed the electric tank is disconnected and made safe at the panel, or left capped in a junction box if you want it kept for later, and that is a licensed electrician's task. A power-vent gas tank needs only a standard 120-volt outlet for its fan and control. A direct-vent tank needs no electricity at all.
Should I convert to tankless instead of a gas tank?
If you are already paying for a gas line and a sidewall vent, price both. A tankless unit runs $3,500–$6,500 installed and gives continuous hot water, but it draws several times the gas of a tank, so the line and sometimes the meter must be larger. A gas tank is the lower-cost conversion; tankless suits larger households with back-to-back showers.
What if there is no natural gas on my road?
Then the choices are propane, a larger electric tank, or a heat pump water heater, which uses a fraction of the electricity of resistance elements. Much of rural Caledon and rural Flamborough is in this position. Whichever you pick, the tank itself is covered on our water heater services page, and current incentives are listed on the rebates hub.