Broward · Miami-Dade · Jacksonville
Water Heater Installation
Water heater installation is the full replacement of your old unit with a new, properly sized tank — permitted, brought up to code, and finished with the drain pan, expansion tank, and relief-valve discharge line that inspections look for. We help you pick the right capacity for your household before we quote anything, and we haul the old unit away when we are done.
What the job includes
- A sizing conversation first, so the new tank matches your household instead of a shelf default
- Removal and haul-away of the old unit, included in the job
- New drain pan with a drain line where the location calls for one
- Thermal expansion tank when your system requires it
- Temperature and pressure relief valve with a code-correct discharge line
- Permit handling and coordination of the required inspection
- New shut-off valve and supply connections, tested before we leave
How you know it’s time
The current heater is past ten years old and repairs keep stacking up
When repair visits start arriving closer together on an aging tank, replacement usually becomes the cheaper path — we can do that math with you honestly.
Rust or dampness at the bottom of the tank
Moisture seeping from the tank shell means the liner has corroded through. There is no repair for that; it is the clearest sign the unit is done.
Your household outgrew the tank
More people, a garden tub, back-to-back morning showers — a tank sized for the previous owners does not have to be the tank you keep.
The garage unit has no drain pan or expansion tank
Plenty of older Florida installs predate today's requirements. Replacement is the natural moment to bring the setup up to current code.
When to make the call
Replace on your schedule, not the tank's. When age and symptoms line up — slower recovery, rust at the fittings, a repair quote nearing half the cost of new — pick a convenient morning and plan it calmly. Choosing capacity and placement with a clear head beats grabbing whatever is in stock the day the old one gives out, and it means the pan, expansion tank, and permit all get done properly.
Local knowledge
Water Heater Installation is a different job in Broward than in Jacksonville. We know both.
Broward & Miami-Dade
In the 1990s–2000s communities of Weston, Pembroke Pines, Miramar, Doral and West Kendall, whole streets of builder-grade heaters are reaching replacement age together — most of our South Florida installs are planned swaps rather than emergencies. We fit an expansion tank, a drain pan and, where the heater sits above living space, a leak sensor. Condo installs in Aventura, Fort Lauderdale and Miami Beach are coordinated with the association on shut-offs and access.
Jacksonville & the First Coast
Most Jacksonville homes sit on concrete slabs, so water heaters live in garages and interior closets — exactly where a missing drain pan turns a quiet leak into ruined drywall and flooring. JEA and Clay County Utility Authority systems are typically closed at the meter, which is why an expansion tank belongs in a correct install, and replacements across Duval, Clay, St. Johns, and Nassau counties require a permit and inspection. Meanwhile, builder-grade tanks installed across Nocatee, Oakleaf, and Yulee in the 2000s are all reaching replacement age together.
Questions
Water Heater Installation. Ask us anything.
Last reviewed September 16, 2026
What size water heater do I need for a family of four?
A 40- to 50-gallon tank fits most families of four — 50 is the safer call if you run back-to-back showers, a large tub, or hot-water laundry. Habits matter more than headcount, which is why we have a five-minute sizing conversation before quoting, so you buy capacity you will actually use.
Do I need a permit to replace a water heater in Florida?
Yes — water heater replacement requires a plumbing permit and inspection in Florida and the surrounding Florida counties. The inspection verifies the safety items, like the relief-valve discharge line, that protect your home. We pull the permit and handle the paperwork as part of the job.
Do I need an expansion tank with my new water heater?
If your home has a closed plumbing system — a check valve or pressure-reducing valve at the meter, standard on JEA and Clay County Utility Authority service — then yes, code calls for one. It gives heated, expanding water somewhere to go. We check your setup during the quote and include one only when your system needs it.
How long does it take to install a new water heater?
A straightforward like-for-like replacement takes a few hours, with hot water back the same day. Relocations, fuel conversions, or code items a very old install never had add time — and we tell you that before installation day, not during it.
What happens to my old water heater?
We haul it away and dispose of it properly, and that is included in the quoted price rather than tacked on. You will not be left wrestling a rusty tank to the curb or waiting on a pickup schedule.
Also in the family
Serving Broward County, Miami-Dade County, Jacksonville & the First Coast.