Repair or replace: a decision table
Use this as a starting point. We confirm each row on site, and we will tell you if a repair is the cheaper honest answer.
| Situation | Repair | Replace |
|---|---|---|
| Water leaking from the tank body or seam | Not possible | Yes, the tank liner has failed |
| Leak at a fitting, valve or relief line | Usually, if the tank is sound | Only if the tank is also old |
| Tank over about 10 years with a major fault | Rarely worth it | Usually the better value |
| Tank under about 8 years, bad element or thermostat | Yes | Not needed |
| Rust-colored hot water from the tank | Anode check may help in a younger tank | If the tank itself is corroding |
| Repeated repairs in one year | Costs keep stacking | Often yes |
| Gas unit with a failed burner or flue draft problem | Depends on age and parts | Often yes if old |
Age comes from the rating label. The Department of Energy generally puts storage tank life in the 10 to 15 year range.
Why many Wildwood heaters are due now
Census Bureau estimates for 2020 to 2024 give 1992 as the median year Wildwood homes were built. About 42.8 percent of the city's 13,391 housing units predate 1990. A heater original to a 1992 house would be over 30 years old, which is far past typical tank life, so the unit in your house is almost certainly a replacement.
What that means for you: the label date is a better predictor than how the water feels. A tank installed by a builder or a prior owner in the 2010s may be right at the point where failure risk climbs. Replacing on your schedule costs less stress than replacing at 2 a.m. with water on the floor.
When a failed water heater is an emergency
A tank that has started pouring water, a unit that smells of gas or a heater that is hot to the touch with no hot water at the taps all call for action. Close the cold water valve at the top of the tank. Switch off the breaker or turn the gas control to off, and keep people and pets away from a wet floor near an electric unit.
We take night and weekend calls on our 24/7 line. When the tank is clearly beyond repair, we can often arrange a same-day replacement when a suitable unit is available, and the price is clear before any work begins. Photograph the leak, the label and the damaged area for your insurer before cleanup.
Tank failed? Get it replaced tonight
Call and tell us the fuel type, the tank size on the label and where it sits. We will work out the next step.
Choosing the type of replacement
Like-for-like gas or electric tank
The simplest swap keeps the same fuel, size and location. Existing gas lines, venting, power circuit and water connections can often be reused, which keeps the job short. Many people choose this when the old tank just wore out and nothing about the household has changed.
Heat pump (hybrid) electric
The Department of Energy describes heat pump water heaters as markedly more efficient than standard electric resistance tanks, because they move heat from the surrounding air instead of generating it directly. They need clear airflow and a place to drain condensate. Manufacturers specify minimum room volume and temperature range, so a small closet may not suit one.
Moving from gas to a heat pump
Some households ask about replacing a gas tank with an electric heat pump unit. That change usually needs a dedicated 240 volt circuit, a condensate path, and a decision about capping or reusing the gas line and flue. It is a planned job, not a same-hour swap, and we explain the full scope before you commit.
Tankless
Tankless units heat water on demand and need a gas line and venting sized to match, or a large electric circuit. They are a bigger upgrade than a tank swap, and our tankless water heater page covers that route in detail.
What gets checked before the new unit goes in
A good replacement is more than lifting out one tank and setting another. These items are checked each time.
- Size and recovery.
A household of five needs a different tank than one or two people. The rating label gives capacity and recovery rate, and we match both to your hot-water use.
- Venting on gas units.
The flue has to carry combustion gases outside. We check slope, connections and draft, and test for backdrafting after the swap.
- Relief valve and discharge line.
The temperature and pressure relief valve needs a proper discharge pipe. This is a safety device, not an extra.
- Expansion control.
Where the house has a check valve or pressure reducing valve, heated water has nowhere to expand, so an expansion tank may be needed.
- Shutoffs and flex lines.
Old gate valves that will not close and brittle connectors are replaced rather than reused.
- Drain pan and floor drain.
A pan under a unit in a finished space limits the damage the next time something leaks.
How replacement day runs
- 1
Confirm the old unit and the plan.
We read the label, check fuel, venting and the circuit, and give you a clear price for the chosen replacement.
- 2
Shut down and drain.
Water and power or gas go off, the old tank is drained to a safe point and disconnected.
- 3
Set, connect and vent.
The new heater is set level on a pan, connected with new shutoffs and flex lines, and vented or wired to match.
- 4
Fill, purge and test.
We fill the tank before power goes on, purge the lines, light the burner or restore power and check for leaks, venting and temperature.
- 5
Haul away the old tank.
The old unit leaves with us, and you get the model information for your records.
Permit questions and water quality
Permit rules vary, so ask the Wildwood building department before replacing a water heater. The city's permit page lists new or replaced plumbing among work needing a building permit, and the city has adopted the St. Louis County Plumbing Code (Chapter 1103, adopted 2019). We cannot say whether a specific swap needs one.
Missouri American Water supplies the city with treated surface water. Its 2023 report lists hardness from 66 to 150 ppm at Meramec plants and 82 to 226 ppm at Missouri River plants. Homes on private wells need their own test. Scale shortens heater life, so a water softener is worth considering with a new tank.
What affects the price of a water heater replacement
We do not publish prices on this page, because the unit and the site conditions drive the bill. You get a clear price before work starts.
A 40 gallon tank, an 80 gallon tank, a heat pump unit and a tankless model sit in very different price classes.
Switching between gas and electric adds circuit, gas line, flue or condensate work.
A flue that no longer meets current St. Louis County Plumbing Code requirements must be corrected as part of the job.
Tight basements, attics and stairs add labor, as does hauling the old tank out.
Night and weekend emergency work can cost more than a scheduled daytime install, and we state that first.
A tank that fails from age or corrosion is generally a maintenance cost, while water damage from a sudden burst may be covered. Your policy decides, so ask the insurer before discarding the old tank.
For a price on your tank, call our 24/7 line and give us the label details.
Serving Wildwood and the area around it
Replacement calls also come from Chesterfield, Ellisville and the Meramec side near Eureka. If you are still weighing options, our water heater installation page covers planned installs in new or remodeled spaces.
Questions we hear in Wildwood, MO
Yes. Our dispatch line is staffed 24/7, including nights and weekends. We can often arrange a same-day replacement when a suitable unit is available. Otherwise we make the situation safe and set a plan, and the price is clear before work starts.
Water from the tank body, rust-colored hot water, a unit past 10 to 15 years and repeated repairs all point to replacement. A leak at a fitting or a failed element on a young tank is usually a repair.
Often yes, but it is a planned conversion. It needs a 240 volt circuit, clearance for air and a condensate drain. The gas line and flue also have to be dealt with. We explain each item before you decide.
Capacity and recovery rate should match household size and peak use, such as showers plus laundry. The rating label on your current tank is the starting point, and we adjust for your family and fixtures.
Permit rules vary, so ask the building department. The city lists new or replaced plumbing among work that needs a permit, and plumbing falls under the St. Louis County Plumbing Code. We do not guess on permit rules.
Leave the building and call Spire at 800-887-4173 or 911 from outside before you call a plumber. Do not use switches or flames. We can work on the unit once the utility confirms the building is safe.
Hard water leaves scale on elements and the tank floor, and softened water reduces that. Hardness varies by water source, so test your tap first. Wildwood homes on wells need a separate test.
Have a question this page did not answer? Call (855) 575-2890 at any hour and a dispatcher will talk it through.