Water Heater Installation in Yakima, WA
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Yakima County asks a lot of a water heater
Homes here need heat from September through June, ten months a year, and winter nights average 24°F from December through February. Cold water coming into the tank takes more energy to heat, so the unit is working through most of the year, not just a few cold weeks.
The county has seen 62 winter storms and 21 damaging wind events over the past ten years, and close to a quarter of Washington households lost power for a full day or more in 2024. A gas water heater with a standing pilot keeps working through an outage. One that relies on electronic ignition does not, until the power comes back.
The federal minimum efficiency for a storage water heater is not one number. It is set by the tank's rated volume, so a different size tank has to meet a different minimum. Whatever replaces the one you have now needs to meet the standard for its own size, not the one you were used to.
- 24°F
- the average winter night, and colder incoming water means longer heating
- 10 months
- September through June, the months homes here need heat
- 23%
- of Washington households lost power for a day or more in 2024, and a heater with an electric element or electric ignition stops without it
NOAA nClimDiv, 1991–2020 normals
A heat pump water heater would save about $280 a year to run in Washington compared with an electric water heater.
Estimates for a typical Washington home, from EIA household energy data and Washington fuel prices. Your home will differ.
- How do I know it's time to replace my water heater?
- Age is the first thing to check. Tank water heaters have a working life, and once yours is old and something starts going wrong, that is usually the tank itself failing rather than a part worth repairing. Rusty water, a tank that feels tender to the touch or rumbles loudly, or water pooling underneath are signs of that. If yours is old and showing any of these, replacing it before it fails outright is worth doing, since a tank that lets go can flood the space around it.
- Should I switch to a tankless water heater?
- It depends on what you want out of it, not on there being a right answer for everyone. Tankless units heat water only when you're using it. You are not paying to keep a tank of water hot around the clock, and you get a steady supply instead of running out partway through a shower. What changes for the house is real. Tankless units need a gas line sized for their higher draw, or a dedicated electric circuit, and venting suited to that specific unit. A contractor can look at your gas line, your electrical panel, and where the unit would go, and tell you what your house would need to make the switch.
- What changes when you install a tankless water heater?
- The unit itself is smaller and mounts on a wall instead of taking up floor space, but what feeds it has to change too. Tankless units draw more gas or more electricity in the moment than a tank does. The gas line or the electrical circuit often needs to be upsized to match. Venting is different as well, since these units need venting rated for their exhaust, not whatever was already in place for the old tank. A contractor can check your gas line, panel, and vent path and tell you exactly what's needed before the swap.