Water Heater Repair & Installation Boerne TX

Water Heater Service for Boerne and Fair Oaks Ranch

Pulliam Plumbing Services repairs, replaces, and installs tank and tankless water heaters in Boerne, TX and Fair Oaks Ranch, TX. We provide same-day emergency response and service every major brand, including Rinnai, Rheem, Navien, Noritz, Bosch, and Titan. We have over 15 years of local Hill Country experience. Call (210) 857-8583.

A water heater problem is rarely just a hot water problem. It’s a “we have houseguests showing up in four hours” problem, a “the garage floor is now a swimming pool” problem, a “we just lost hot water on the coldest morning of the year” problem. Pulliam Plumbing has been handling exactly that across Boerne, Fair Oaks Ranch, and the Hill Country since 2010. We service gas and electric, tank and tankless, and we show up the same day on emergencies.

Call (210) 857-8583 or request service online.

Common Water Heater Problems We Fix

No Hot Water at All

On gas water heaters, this almost always traces back to the pilot light, thermocouple, or gas control valve. On electric units, it is typically a failed heating element or tripped high-limit thermostat. We diagnose in 15 minutes and give a straight answer: repair this part for $X, or replace the unit for $Y.

Not Enough Hot Water

The shower starts hot and goes cold halfway through. Usually one of three causes: sediment buildup at the bottom of the tank (very common in Boerne because of hard water), a failed dip tube mixing cold water with the hot supply, or undersizing because the tank is simply too small for the household’s actual demand.

Discolored, Rusty, or Smelly Water

Rusty hot water means the tank’s sacrificial anode rod has been consumed and the tank itself is corroding. Once that shows up, the clock is running, usually 6 to 18 months before a leak. A rotten-egg smell points to anaerobic bacteria in the tank, often fixable with a flush and anode rod replacement, sometimes requiring chlorination.

Popping, Rumbling, or Banging Noises

That is mineral scale from Hill Country water collapsing on the burner or heating elements. A descaling flush can buy time. Severe cases mean replacement, because once scale has reduced tank capacity by 20 to 30 percent, the unit is past saving.

Water Leaking from the Tank Body

A leak from a fitting is repairable. A leak from the tank body itself is terminal. No patch, sealant, or repair will work. Once the steel tank wall fails, replacement is the only fix. Catch it early and you replace on your schedule. Catch it late and you replace at 11 PM with water pooling around your hot water heater. That is when our emergency plumbing team gets the call.

Pilot Light Won’t Stay Lit

Almost always a thermocouple, sometimes a bad gas valve, occasionally an obstructed flue or downdraft from a cold chimney. All repairable, none expensive.

How to Tell If Your Water Heater Is Inefficient

If you are paying more for hot water than you used to, and nothing in the household has changed, your unit is probably losing efficiency. Watch for:

Higher gas or electric bills with no change in usage patterns.
Longer recovery time between hot water uses, because the unit has to work harder.
Audible operation including popping, rumbling, or scale noise.
Lukewarm hot water even at the max thermostat setting.
Visible scale or rust at the drain valve when you flush the tank.
Age over 10 years, because efficiency naturally declines, and modern units are 15 to 30 percent more efficient at the same fuel type.

A water heater past 10 years old is usually costing more in monthly utility bills than the financing payment on a new unit would. We are happy to do the math with you on your specific situation.

Tank vs. Tankless: Which Is Right for Your Boerne Home?

Traditional Tank Water Heaters

Best for: most existing homes, households with predictable daily hot water demand, homeowners watching upfront cost.

40, 50, 75, or 80-gallon capacities.
Gas or electric.
8 to 12-year typical lifespan in our hard-water area (12 to 15 years with diligent annual flushing).
Lower upfront cost: $1,500 to $3,000 installed for most residential applications.
Recovery time of 30 to 60 minutes once depleted.
Simpler maintenance: annual flush, anode rod inspection every 3 to 5 years.

Tankless (On-Demand) Water Heaters

Best for: larger Fair Oaks Ranch homes, households with peak demand (multiple showers running simultaneously), homeowners willing to invest upfront for long-term savings, anyone tired of running out of hot water.

Endless hot water within the unit’s flow-rate capacity.
20+ year lifespan with proper maintenance.
25 to 35 percent energy savings versus a tank unit at the same fuel type.
Higher upfront cost: $3,500 to $6,500 installed (more if gas line upsizing or new venting is required).
Wall-mounted, frees up significant floor space.
Critical maintenance note: Hill Country hard water destroys tankless units that are not flushed annually. Our tankless water heater service includes annual descaling on every install. Learn more about residential water heating efficiency from ENERGY STAR.

Hybrid Heat Pump Water Heaters

A newer option worth considering for Boerne homes with adequate garage or utility-room space:

60 to 70 percent more efficient than standard electric tanks.
Higher upfront cost ($2,000 to $4,000+), but federal tax credits available.
Best in spaces with 700+ cubic feet of air volume.
Quieter than people expect.

We can walk you through whether this makes sense for your home.

Water Heater Brands We Install and Service

We are trained on and stock parts for every major manufacturer serving the Texas market:

Rinnai. Industry-leading tankless, especially the Sensei series. Our most-installed tankless brand.
Navien. Strong tankless and combi-boiler lineup, excellent for larger homes.
Noritz. Reliable tankless workhorses, great mid-range pricing.
Bosch. Premium tankless including the Greentherm series. Also reliable tank units.
Rheem. Excellent traditional tank lineup, solid tankless options, widely available parts.
Titan. Compact electric tankless for point-of-use or single-bathroom applications.
A.O. Smith, Bradford White, State. Common tank units we service, repair, and replace.

If your unit is a brand not listed here, call us anyway. We likely service it. We do not sell-through one manufacturer. We recommend what fits your home and budget.

Should You Repair or Replace?

Under 6 years old: Almost always repair.
6 to 10 years old: Repair if cost is under 50 percent of replacement.
10+ years old: Replace. Repair money is wasted money.
Any age with a tank-wall leak: Replace immediately.
Tankless under 12 years with descale history: Repair.
Tankless 12+ years or no maintenance history: Replace.

We give straight answers, not a sales pitch. Sometimes the right call is to repair a 9-year-old unit so you can budget a planned replacement next year instead of an emergency one in February.

Water Heater Installation Process

When you replace with Pulliam Plumbing:

In-home assessment. We size correctly based on bathrooms, occupants, peak demand patterns, and fuel type. A correctly sized unit costs less to run and lasts longer.
Permit pull. Required in Boerne and Fair Oaks Ranch for water heater replacement. We handle it.
Removal and proper disposal of your old unit. No leaving the carcass in the garage.
Code-compliant installation. Proper venting, expansion tank, T&P relief discharge, drip pan on second-floor or attic installs, gas or electric connections to current code.
Final inspection coordination with the City of Boerne or applicable jurisdiction.
Warranty registration. We register the manufacturer warranty for you so coverage starts on the right date.

Tank Water Heater Maintenance Schedule

Tank water heaters last 8 to 12 years in the Hill Country on average. With proper maintenance, you can push that to 12 to 15. Without maintenance, expect 6 to 8. The difference is one or two hours of attention per year.

Annually

Flush the tank. Shut off the power or gas, attach a garden hose to the drain valve, open the pressure relief valve to break the vacuum, then open the drain valve and let the tank empty. Refill with fresh water to flush remaining sediment. 30 to 45 minutes total. This single task is the biggest factor in tank lifespan in Boerne because of how much hard-water sediment collects at the bottom of the tank.
Test the T&P (temperature and pressure) relief valve. Lift the test lever briefly and let it snap back. You should hear a short burst of water release through the discharge tube. If nothing happens, or if the valve leaks continuously afterward, replace it. A stuck T&P valve is a safety failure.
Visual inspection of fittings and base. Walk around the unit. Look at fittings, connections, the base of the tank, and the floor underneath for any sign of moisture, rust, or corrosion. Catching a hairline fitting leak in February prevents a flooded garage in August.

Every 6 Months

Quick exterior check. Twice a year, give the connections and visible piping a 30-second look. Most catastrophic water heater failures had a small leak telegraphing them for weeks. A quarterly habit catches problems while they’re cheap to fix.

Every 2 to 3 Years

Inspect the anode rod. Unscrew it from the top of the tank. If it measures less than half an inch thick at any point, or if more than 6 inches of the original rod has corroded away, replace it. In Boerne’s hard water, anode rods get consumed faster than the national average. A $30 anode rod replacement is the single cheapest way to add years to a tank.

Set It and Forget It

Thermostat at 120°F. Hotter than that risks scalding, especially for households with young children, and accelerates tank wear. Cooler than that creates a Legionella bacteria risk in stagnant water. 120°F is the sweet spot for safety, efficiency, and tank lifespan.
Tank blanket and pipe insulation. A tank insulation blanket and pipe insulation on the first 6 feet of hot and cold supply lines reduces heat loss and energy use. Especially worth it if your water heater sits in an unconditioned garage or attic, which is common in Hill Country homes.
Keep the area clear. Don’t store flammables, cardboard, or laundry hampers within 24 inches of a gas water heater. The combustion chamber draws air from the room, so clutter is both a fire hazard and a service-access nuisance.

When to Call Us Instead of DIY

If you’re not comfortable with any of the above, especially the flush procedure or T&P valve test, call us. Pulliam Plumbing offers annual maintenance plans for Boerne and Fair Oaks Ranch homeowners that handle every item on this list on a recurring schedule, plus full system inspection. Call (210) 857-8583 or request service online.

Tankless Water Heater Maintenance

Our limestone-aquifer water destroys tankless water heaters without annual descaling. Calcium and magnesium scale accumulates inside the heat exchanger, restricts flow, drops efficiency, and eventually kills the unit. A $200 annual descale prevents a $4,500 replacement. We service tankless units across Boerne, Fair Oaks Ranch, Bulverde, and Spring Branch on annual maintenance schedules, and we will set a recurring reminder so you do not have to remember.

If your home also lacks a whole-house water softener, that is worth a conversation. Softening dramatically extends water heater life (tank or tankless) and protects every other plumbing fixture and appliance in the house.

Emergency Water Heater Service in Boerne & Fair Oaks Ranch

If your water heater is leaking, dumping water, or making sounds you cannot ignore, turn off the cold water supply to the unit and shut off the gas or electric supply. Then call us. We answer 24/7 and dispatch same-day for emergencies in Boerne, Fair Oaks Ranch, and surrounding areas. Emergency line: (210) 857-8583

Water Heater FAQ

How long does a water heater installation take?

A standard tank-for-tank water heater replacement in Boerne typically takes 2 to 4 hours. A new tankless installation or a conversion from tank to tankless takes 4 to 8 hours, depending on gas line and venting modifications.

Do I need a permit to replace my water heater in Boerne?

Yes. The City of Boerne requires a permit for water heater replacement. Pulliam Plumbing pulls the permit and coordinates inspection on every install.

What size water heater do I need?

For most Boerne homes: 40-gallon for 1 to 2 people, 50-gallon for 3 to 4 people, and 75-gallon (or tankless) for 5+ people. Peak demand patterns matter as much as occupant count, which is why Pulliam Plumbing does an in-home assessment.

How often should I flush my tank water heater?

Annually. Boerne’s hard water creates significant scale buildup, and a yearly flush takes 30 to 45 minutes and dramatically extends the unit’s life by clearing scale from the bottom of the tank.

How often should I descale my tankless water heater?

Once a year minimum. Hill Country hard water destroys tankless units without annual descaling. Skipping descaling can cut tankless lifespan from 20 years down to 8 years.

Is a tankless water heater worth it in Boerne?

For larger Boerne and Fair Oaks Ranch homes with high peak demand, yes, provided the homeowner commits to annual descaling. For a 2-person household with modest hot water needs, a quality tank unit is often the better value.

Can Pulliam Plumbing install a gas water heater if my home is currently electric?

Yes, provided gas service is available to the property. Pulliam Plumbing handles the gas line extension as part of the install.

How much does water heater replacement cost in Boerne?

Tank water heater replacement in Boerne typically runs $1,500 to $3,000 installed. Tankless installation runs $3,500 to $6,500, depending on flow rate, gas line work, and venting requirements. Pulliam Plumbing provides a written estimate before any work begins. Check current specials.

Are federal tax credits available on new water heaters?

Yes. Heat pump water heaters and certain high-efficiency gas tankless units qualify for the federal Energy Efficient Home Improvement Credit. See the IRS documentation for eligible models.

Schedule Water Heater Service in Boerne or Fair Oaks Ranch

Call (210) 857-8583 or contact us online. Licensed, locally owned, and ready to repair, replace, or maintain your water heater. Same-day on emergencies.