Repair or replace, honestly
Where it is leaking from matters more than how loud it is. A dripping valve or a dead element is a part, and parts are worth replacing. Water seeping from the tank itself means the tank is done, because the steel has rusted through from the inside and no repair puts that back. We read the date code with you, look at where the water is coming from, and tell you which one you have rather than which one is worth more to us.
Sizing is where these jobs go wrong
The lazy answer is to match whatever was there before, which is fine only if the house never ran out of hot water. Bathrooms get added, showers get bigger, and families change. We ask how the hot water actually behaves — who runs out, when, and doing what — and size from that. A tank that is too small gets blamed on the plumbing for years.
Tankless is not automatically the right answer
Tankless units give endless hot water and take up less room, but they are fussier about what feeds them. Gas models often need a bigger gas line and different venting, electric models need the panel to support them, and hard water needs periodic flushing to keep the heat exchanger clear. We tell you what your house would need before you fall in love with the idea, because the conversion work is usually the part that decides it.
How A Call Goes
- 01
You Get A Person
Not a form, not a callback window. If it is an emergency we will talk you through the shut-off while we are getting to you.
- 02
We Look At It Properly
Including the parts nobody enjoys — under the house, behind the panel, down the line with a camera when it matters.
- 03
You Get The Price First
A flat rate for the job, agreed before we start, and no evening or weekend premium. If a second problem turns up you hear it then, not on the invoice.
- 04
We Fix It And Clean Up
Floors protected, water tested, and the space left the way we found it. You see it working before we pack the van.
Water Heaters: common questions
How do I know my water heater is on the way out?
Hot water running out sooner than it used to, rusty or metallic water at the hot tap, rumbling from sediment, or damp around the base. Damp at the base is the serious one. If you tell us the symptom and the age off the label, we can usually say what you are looking at before we come.
Is tankless worth it for my house?
It depends on the house more than the unit. Gas supply, venting route, electrical capacity and how hard your water is all decide whether the conversion is straightforward or the biggest part of the job. We look at those first and give you the real comparison, including staying with a tank.
How long will we be without hot water?
Most straight swaps are done within a working day, so you usually have hot water again the same evening. A conversion, a move to a different spot, or venting changes take longer. We tell you which yours is before you book it, not on the day.
Plumbing throughout Clackamas County
Most of our calls come from Clackamas County and the neighborhoods around it. If you are outside it and something has just started leaking, call anyway — we will either come or tell you honestly who can get there faster.