Water Heater Replacement in Boulder, CO

When repair stops making sense

• Water weeping from the steel shell or pooling under the base
• Rust or a metallic smell in the hot water
• Banging and hissing as the heater runs
• Less hot water than the household used to get
• Corrosion at the top fittings or relief valve
• An age on the label that puts the unit well into its second decade

A plumber can usually tell in one visit whether a part will get you more years or whether the tank itself is done.

Boulder specifics

City of Boulder Utilities treats its own water at the Betasso and 63rd Street plants, from sources including Barker Reservoir, North Boulder Creek and Boulder Reservoir. Boulder disinfects with chlorine rather than chloramine and runs a corrosion control program. The city's water report doesn't give a hardness number, so ask your plumber what they see on old tanks locally if you're weighing a softener.

Planning & Development Services, at 1101 Arapahoe Ave, issues plumbing and mechanical permits, and the city lists water heaters among single-trade permit work. Simple repairs like clearing a stoppage are exempt, but a heater replacement is not.

Xcel Energy supplies gas in Boulder. If you smell gas, leave the house immediately, then call 911 and Xcel at 1-800-895-2999. For an after-hours water problem that needs the city to shut off service, Boulder asks customers to call 303-441-3200.

Cost drivers

• Gas, electric or heat pump, plus size and efficiency
• Venting changes, especially when switching to a sealed or power-vented unit
• Gas line, shutoff and connector updates
• Expansion tank and drain pan if the inspection calls for them
• Crawl space, basement or closet access
• Permit and removal of the old heater

When you call

The call goes to an independent plumber who serves Boulder. Have the old heater's capacity, fuel type and age ready, and describe where it's installed and any leak. When comparing quotes, confirm each one includes the city permit, the inspection and disposal of the old unit. If you're thinking about moving from gas to an electric or heat pump heater, say so on the call, because that changes the electrical work and the permit scope and is easier to plan before the old tank comes out than after.