Water Heater Repair & Replacement

Nobody thinks about their water heater until it stops working, and then it's the only thing anyone in the house can think about. Getting a hot water heater repair professional out quickly and getting the diagnosis right the first time is usually the difference between an inexpensive fix and a flooded basement. Based in Arlington Heights, S and J Plumbing & Sewer handles water heater repair and installation in dozens of communities across the north, northwest, and west suburbs, from Lake Forest to Crystal Lake, as well as select North and Northwest Side Chicago neighborhoods. We work on gas and electric tank units as well as tankless systems.

Our licensed plumbers diagnose, repair, maintain, and replace water heaters of every type. Here are some of the brands we work on regularly:

Bradford White
A.O. Smith
Rheem
GE
Kenmore
Reliance
State
American
Whirlpool
Rinnai

...plus many other major brands. If yours isn't on this list, call us anyway; there's a good chance we've worked on it.

Have a peek at our coupons page and you may be able to save money on your next service call.

Water Heater Maintenance & Regular Care

Your water heater runs on either gas or electricity, both of which can be dangerous if the unit isn't properly maintained. Gas units also vent carbon monoxide, a byproduct that must be safely routed out of the house. That's exactly why hot water heater maintenance, repair, and installation should only ever be handled by a licensed, trained professional, not a weekend project.

A water heater should be inspected and flushed at least once every twelve months. Sediment builds up at the bottom of the tank over time, and flushing it out keeps the unit running efficiently and quietly. Plan to flush your tank once a year and replace the anode rod every 3 to 5 years, or about half that if your home is on a private well, which is common around Huntley, Wauconda, and other outlying communities. Waiting until the tank ruptures and floods your utility closet costs a lot more than a maintenance visit would have. Gas and water emergency shut-offs on the supply lines should also be exercised periodically so they don't seize up right when you need them.

When you schedule a maintenance visit with us, our technicians inspect the tank for wear, clean out sediment, check the burner or heating element, and confirm there's no corrosion or hidden leak. We also test the thermostat and the pressure relief valve, since a valve that's stuck shut is a genuine safety hazard, not just a maintenance footnote.

Once a water heater passes the 8- to 10-year mark, especially if maintenance has been spotty, it's worth having a plumber assess whether repair or replacement makes more sense. The most common hot water heater problem we run into is a slow leak from a rusted-through tank. If it's not caught early, it can go from a drip to a burst tank fast.

Signs You Need Hot Water Heater Repairs

Most water heaters run for years without issue, but like any mechanical system, they eventually show signs of trouble. A few things worth checking if yours seems off:

Water pooling around the base of the unit, which usually points to a leak in the tank
Water that's lukewarm, runs out faster than it used to, or takes longer to heat
Rumbling or popping noises, which usually mean sediment has built up and the heating element is working harder than it should
Discolored or smelly water, which often means the inside of the tank has started to corrode

An S and J Plumbing & Sewer technician works on a water heater.

Gas Water Heater Repair Signs

If your pilot light is out, flickering, or won't stay lit, that's a clear sign something needs attention. A weak or inconsistent flame can point to a dirty thermocouple, a failing gas valve, or a problem with the gas supply line itself. These units also draw on your home's water supply and vent combustion byproducts, which is exactly why gas water heater repairs should always be handled by a licensed plumber, not diagnosed over the phone.

Electric Water Heater Repair Signs

Electric units fail differently. A burnt-out heating element is the most common culprit behind lukewarm water, and a tripped breaker that won't reset can mean the unit is drawing more current than it should. If you've reset the circuit breakers more than once for the same water heater, that's a sign to have it looked at rather than keep resetting it.

If you notice any of these symptoms, whether you’re in Palatine, Skokie, or Glen Ellyn, it's best to schedule hot water heater repair services sooner rather than later. Waiting rarely makes the problem cheaper to fix.

Water Heater Replacement

Every water heater eventually reaches the end of its useful life. A few signs it's time to start shopping instead of repairing again:

It needs frequent repairs just to keep functioning
Your utility bills have crept up as the unit's efficiency has dropped
There's visible physical damage or rust on the tank itself
The unit is between 8 and 10 years old

If you're not sure which side of that line your water heater falls on, ask one of our plumbers to take a look during your next service call. We'll give you an honest, in-person assessment and walk you through repair versus replacement based on what we actually find, not a guess made over the phone.

If replacement is the right call, we handle the whole process: removing the old unit, running a proper hot water heater installation, and testing everything before we leave. We'll also help you weigh a traditional tank against a tankless upgrade based on your household's hot water needs and budget. If cost is the main hesitation, our financing options and coupons are worth a look before you rule anything out. For homeowners searching for hot water heater replacement near me, whether that's a split-level in Buffalo Grove or a century-old home in Oak Park, this is exactly the kind of job we handle every week.

A plumber repairs a tankless water heater

Tankless vs. Traditional Water Heaters

If you're replacing a water heater anyway, it's worth deciding whether to stick with a tank model or switch to a tankless one.

A traditional tank hot water heater stores 40 to 80 gallons and keeps it hot around the clock. It costs less upfront, the technology is familiar, and repairs tend to be simpler since most plumbers (including ours) have worked on hundreds of them. The trade-off is that it's always spending energy to keep that water hot, and once the tank runs out, you're waiting for it to recover.

A tankless hot water heater heats water on demand instead of storing it, which means no standby energy loss and, in theory, an endless supply of hot water. The catch is a higher upfront cost for the unit and installation, and sometimes an upgrade to your home's gas or electric lines to support it. Older homes in places like Evanston and Park Ridge are more likely to need that kind of upgrade. For many households, the long-term savings and convenience are worth that tradeoff, but for others, a well-maintained tank does the job just fine. During an in-person visit, our plumbers can lay out the real numbers for your specific home rather than a generic pitch either way.

Tankless Water Heaters: Installation, Repair & Maintenance

If you've decided tankless is the right direction, or you already have one that needs attention, S and J Plumbing & Sewer can help. We install, repair, and maintain tankless units from:

Rinnai
Bosch
Takagi
Noritz
Navien

...and several other manufacturers.

Benefits of Tankless Water Heaters

Since a tankless unit connects directly to your home's plumbing instead of storing water, you get hot water on demand without paying to keep a 50-gallon tank warm around the clock. That typically means lower water usage and lower utility bills over time, plus a smaller footprint once the old tank is gone. Tankless units also tend to outlast tank units.

One thing worth knowing upfront: The efficiency advantage shrinks somewhat during a Chicago-area winter. Heating incoming cold water instantly from around 40 degrees Fahrenheit up to 120 degrees takes real energy, more than heating water that's already sitting warm in a tank. It's still typically the more efficient option overall, just not by as much in January as in July.

Signs You Need Tankless Hot Water Heater Repair

The most common problem we see with tankless units is mineral buildup inside the heat exchanger, which is exactly why regular descaling matters. Beyond that, watch for ignition failures, a clogged inlet filter, or trouble with the gas supply, any of which can leave you with no hot water at all. These repairs are more specialized than those for a standard tank, so tankless water heater repair is best left to a technician who works on these units regularly.

Tankless Water Heater Replacement

An aging tankless unit shows its age the same general way a tank does: repairs get more frequent, efficiency drops, or there's visible damage to the unit. The good news is that a well-maintained tankless system can last 15 to 20 years or more, well past what most tank units manage, so replacement tends to come around less often.

Tankless Water Heater Maintenance

Tankless units need a different kind of upkeep than tank units. Instead of an annual flush, they need periodic descaling to clear mineral deposits from the heat exchanger, especially in homes with harder water or a private well. Staying on top of that single maintenance task is usually enough to keep a tankless unit running at peak efficiency throughout its lifespan.

An S and J Plumbing & Sewer truck parked outside of a home.

Why Choose S and J Plumbing & Sewer for Water Heater Repair and Replacement

Every technician we send out is licensed, trained, and equipped to handle gas or electric, tank or tankless. We use quality parts, we don't upsell repairs you don't need, and we'll always give you options rather than a single take-it-or-leave-it estimate, based on an in-person look at your specific unit.

We also offer 24-hour emergency service. A water heater rarely fails at a convenient time, so if you wake up to a flooded utility closet, call us, and we'll get a technician out to you.

Additional Plumbing Services

Water heaters are one piece of what we handle. We're also here for:

Whatever the plumbing issue, our licensed team is ready to help.

Frequently Asked Questions

Not always. Old hot water heaters can pose safety risks, especially if they haven’t been properly maintained. Corrosion and faulty heating elements can lead to bigger problems, including slow leaks or even a tank rupture. Regular maintenance checks catch most of these issues early. If your unit is nearing the 8 to 10 year mark and hasn’t been serviced in a while, it’s worth having a licensed plumber inspect it before it becomes an emergency.

Traditional tank water heaters typically last 8 to 12 years, while tankless models can run 15 to 20 years with proper maintenance. Lifespan comes down to water quality, installation quality, and how consistently the unit has been flushed and inspected. If yours is approaching that window or showing signs such as rust-colored water or rumbling noises, our licensed plumbers can assess whether repair or a full hot water heater replacement makes more sense for your home, whether it’s in Arlington Heights, Northbrook, or Downes Grove.

The most common red flags are lukewarm or inconsistent hot water, rumbling or popping sounds from sediment buildup, discolored water, and any pooling moisture around the base of the unit. Catching these early, rather than waiting for a full breakdown, is usually what separates a simple hot water heater repair service from an emergency replacement. If you're noticing any of these, S and J Plumbing & Sewer offers 24-hour emergency service to get ahead of it. Our technicians will diagnose the issue in person and walk you through whether it needs a repair or a full water heater installation.

There's no single "best" brand, but Bradford White, A.O. Smith, Rheem, and Rinnai have strong reputations for durability and easy-to-source parts, which matters as much for repairability as the initial build quality does. Reliability also comes down less to brand and more to who's servicing it. A correctly installed, well-maintained Bradford White or A.O. Smith unit will outlast a neglected premium model. Our technicians work on all major brands, including Rheem, Bradford White, A.O. Smith, GE, and Rinnai, and we're happy to give you an honest read on your specific model's remaining lifespan during a repair visit.

Licensed, trained plumbers should always handle water heater repair. Water heaters combine gas lines or electrical connections with pressurized water in a single appliance, and gas units carry the added risk of carbon monoxide exposure from improper venting. S and J Plumbing & Sewer's technicians are licensed for both gas and electric water heater repair and installation in Arlington Heights and well beyond, from Jefferson Park on Chicago's Northwest Side to Wilmette, Elmhurst, and dozens of other communities we serve.

See what your neighbors are saying! Check out our reviews page to see why homeowners from Rogers Park to St. Charles trust S and J Plumbing & Sewer for their water heater repairs, replacements, and more.