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Hot Water · Urgent ReplacementSame-Day Water Heater Replacement
Same-day water heater replacement is realistic when the new tank matches the old one on three points: size (40, 50 or 60 US gallons), fuel, and vent type. A matching tank-for-tank swap takes 2–4 hours and runs $1,200–$2,500 installed, with no overtime, weekend or holiday surcharge. Call with those three details from the rating label and we will tell you plainly whether today is possible.
What makes a replacement quick is not the labour, it is having the right tank. The rating label on the jacket gives the capacity in US gallons and litres (40 gallons is 151 L, 50 is 189 L, 60 is 227 L) and the fuel: natural gas, propane or electric. The vent you can see for yourself. A metal pipe rising from a hood into the chimney is atmospheric, a plastic pipe leaving a fan on top is power vent, and a sealed tank piped straight through the wall behind it is direct vent.
A swap stops being same-day when something has to change. An atmospheric tank on a chimney with no liner, a vent that does not meet the new tank's requirements, a move from tank to tankless, or an odd size such as a short tank for a low crawl space all add parts and time. We say so on the phone instead of discovering it in your basement. The full range of options, repairs included, is on the main water heater page; this page is only about getting a failed tank replaced fast.
If the tank is leaking now, three steps limit the damage before anyone arrives. Close the cold inlet valve on the pipe entering the top of the tank. Turn the gas control knob to off, or for an electric tank switch off its breaker. Then run a garden hose from the drain valve at the bottom to the floor drain and open a hot tap upstairs so the tank can empty; how to turn off a leaking water heater walks through each valve.
If the failed tank is a rental, it is not yours to scrap. The sticker on the jacket names the owner, usually Enercare or Reliance, and the account holder has to make the call: they can send their own crew to replace it under the contract, or give you the terms for ending the rental and a return authorization for the old tank. If you switch to an owned tank, keep the authorization number, the pickup or drop-off receipt showing the serial number and date, and the final bill at zero. Rent of $25–$45 a month adds up to $4,500–$8,000 across a tank's 15 years, which is why many people treat a failure as the moment to buy instead of rent.
Replace today rather than repair when
- Water is coming from the tank body or pooling under it: the steel has rusted through and no part fixes that
- The tank is past 12 years and the repair quote is a gas control or more than one part
- Hot water has turned rusty or brown while the cold runs clear
- The burner chamber or the base of the jacket shows rust streaks and scorch marks
- It has already been repaired this year and has failed again
How it works
Read the capacity and fuel off the rating label and tell us what the vent looks like and whether the tank is leaking. We confirm whether a matching tank is available today and give you the price range before a truck moves.
Water and fuel are shut off, the tank is drained to the floor drain and removed. A rental tank is set aside for its owner with the paperwork; an owned one is hauled away.
The new tank is connected, filled and fired, gas joints are leak-tested, and the draft and relief valve are checked. A full tank of hot water follows roughly an hour later on gas, longer on electric. Reach the 24/7 line by phone or through our contact page.
Common questions
Can you really replace a water heater the same day I call?
Often, not always, and we will not promise a time we cannot keep. It depends on when you call, what that day's emergency calls look like, and whether a tank matching yours in size, fuel and vent type is on hand. The shop is on North Service Road in Burlington beside the QEW, and the emergency line is answered around the clock.
Do you charge more on a Saturday night?
No. There is no overtime, weekend or holiday surcharge, so a tank replaced on a Saturday evening is priced the same as one replaced on a Tuesday morning. Regular hours are Monday to Friday 7 AM to 9 PM and Saturday 8 AM to 6 PM; Sundays are for emergencies, and a leaking tank counts as one.
Should I shut the water heater off while I wait?
Yes if it is leaking, if the relief valve is discharging, or if you smell gas; in that last case leave the house and call Enbridge Gas from outside. Close the cold inlet, turn the gas control to off or switch off the breaker, and drain the tank if water is escaping. An electric tank must never be powered while empty.
What do I keep when I switch from a rental to my own tank?
Four things: the rental company's written buyout or removal terms, the return authorization number, the receipt for the tank's pickup or drop-off with its serial number, and the final statement showing the account closed. Keep our invoice with the new tank's model and serial as well. The steps differ a little by company; see getting out of an Enercare rental.
Can I upgrade size or go tankless during an emergency swap?
Going from 40 to 50 gallons is usually possible on the same visit if the taller, wider tank fits the space and the vent connection. Changing fuel or vent type, or moving to tankless at $3,500–$6,500, involves new venting and often a larger gas line, so it is quoted and scheduled as its own job instead of being rushed on the day the old tank fails.