Water heating
Water Heater Replacement in Boerne, TX: When the Tank Has Failed and What to Ask Before Choosing a New One
Replacing a unit that is past repair, or sizing one for a household that has outgrown the old tank. Permitted work, done to the code the city has actually adopted.
Or call (833) 571-0120 and describe what you are seeing.
When replacement is the right spend
Three situations account for most replacements. The tank itself has failed, which no repair addresses. The unit is old enough that a significant fault makes further spending poor value. Or the household has simply outgrown it. For water heater replacement, Boerne homeowners should ask early whether the job needs a city permit.
That third one is more common here than people expect. Boerne went from 10,471 residents in 2010 to 17,850 at the 2020 census, and a lot of that growth is families moving into houses specified for smaller households. A tank that was adequate for two people runs out at six, and no repair fixes a capacity problem.
If what you have is a fault rather than a failure, our water heater repairs page covers the repair-or-replace decision in more detail. We would rather fit a part than sell a tank where a part will do.
Tank size and recovery rate by household size
Capacity is only half of it. Recovery rate, which is how fast the unit reheats, is what decides whether the third shower runs cold.
| Household | Typical tank | What usually drives it up |
|---|---|---|
| 1 to 2 people | 30 to 40 gallon | A large soaking tub |
| 2 to 3 people | 40 gallon | Back-to-back morning showers |
| 3 to 4 people | 40 to 50 gallon | Laundry running at the same time |
| 5 or more | 50 to 80 gallon, or rethink the approach | Simultaneous demand rather than total volume |
Where demand is high and simultaneous, a bigger tank is not always the best answer. A tankless unit removes the capacity ceiling entirely, though it brings its own requirements around gas sizing and venting. We will tell you honestly which of the two suits your property rather than defaulting to the one that is easier to fit.
Gas, electric and hybrid
Gas
Faster recovery and generally cheaper to run where a gas supply already exists. The requirements are venting and combustion air, and those are where a replacement most often turns out to need more than a swap. An old unit vented in a way that no longer meets current code does not get re-created; it gets brought up to standard.
Electric
Simpler to site because there is no flue, and the obvious choice where no gas supply runs to the property, which covers a fair number of acreage properties outside the city system. Recovery is slower, so sizing matters more.
Hybrid heat pump
A hybrid draws heat from the surrounding air and uses considerably less electricity than a conventional electric element. The trade-offs are real and worth stating: it needs a reasonable volume of air around it rather than a tight cupboard, it produces cool air and condensate that has to drain somewhere, and it is taller than the unit it replaces more often than not. In a garage or a utility room with space it is a genuinely good option here, given how warm the summers are. In a confined interior closet it usually is not.
Expansion tanks, and the code the city has adopted
This is the part that surprises people on a replacement. Water expands as it heats, and on a closed system that expansion has nowhere to go, which drives pressure up and shortens the life of the tank and the fittings. A thermal expansion tank gives it somewhere to go.
Boerne has adopted the 2021 International Plumbing Code along with the 2021 building, residential, mechanical and fuel gas codes and the 2023 National Electrical Code. Contractors must be registered with the City of Boerne to submit permit applications and work inside city limits. A replacement is permitted work, and part of what the permit exists for is confirming the expansion and relief arrangements are right rather than inherited from whatever was there before.
Where the permit office is
Permitting and Code Compliance, 447 N. Main Street, Boerne, TX 78006, on (830) 248-1529, Monday to Friday. They will confirm what any specific job needs, and we handle the application rather than leaving it with you.
What the installation involves
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Isolate and drain the old unit
Water off, power or gas off, tank drained down. On an old unit the drain valve is frequently seized, which is worth knowing is normal rather than a complication.
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Remove and assess
With the unit out, the connections, the pan, the drain and the venting are visible. This is when anything inherited and wrong gets found.
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Set the new unit
Positioned for clearance and serviceability rather than wedged into the smallest space it fits.
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Connect, vent and fit the expansion tank
New flexible connectors rather than reused ones, correct venting on a gas unit, relief discharge routed properly, expansion tank fitted and charged.
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Fill, purge and commission
Air purged through the fixtures, temperature set, every joint checked under pressure, and the relief valve verified.
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Take the old unit away
Included. It does not sit in your garage waiting for you to deal with it.
A failed tank empties onto the floor: tell us on the call
If your tank has failed, say so on the call. A failed tank empties its full capacity onto the floor and that is a same-day problem.
Call (833) 571-0120Water heating for an addition or a second dwelling
An addition, a garage conversion or a secondary dwelling is rarely served well by stretching the existing heater. A unit sized for the original household runs out sooner once more fixtures draw from it, and a long pipe run to a far room means a wait for hot water.
Before anyone quotes, ask for a sizing based on the fixtures the new space will add, a check that the gas supply or the electrical circuit can carry a second or larger appliance, and a statement of which permit applies. Whether the new space gets its own heater or shares one is a decision to make at that point, not after the walls are closed.
Installation questions from Boerne
Do I need a permit to replace a water heater in Boerne?
Replacement normally falls inside the city's permitting regime. Boerne has adopted the 2021 International Plumbing Code along with the 2021 mechanical and fuel gas codes, and contractors must be registered with the City of Boerne to submit permit applications. The Permitting and Code Compliance office at 447 N. Main Street will confirm what your particular job needs, on (830) 248-1529. We handle the application as part of the work.
What does a water heater replacement cost here?
A conventional tank replacement in this area typically runs into the low thousands, and the main variables are tank size, gas against electric venting requirements, and whether expansion tank work is needed to bring the installation up to current code. A tankless installation sits higher again because of gas sizing and venting. Our cost page gives wide ranges for both, and we quote before starting.
How long does the job take?
A straight like-for-like replacement in an accessible location is usually a half day. It extends when the venting needs correcting, when an expansion tank has to be added to a system that never had one, when access is awkward, or when the existing connections turn out to be in poor condition. We would rather tell you it is a longer job when we see it than discover it halfway through.
Is a hybrid heat pump unit worth it in this climate?
Often, in the right location. Warm summers here suit the technology, and the running cost difference against a conventional electric element is substantial. The constraints are physical: it needs air volume around it rather than a sealed closet, it drains condensate, and it is usually taller than what it replaces. In a garage or a roomy utility space it is a strong option. We will look at the location and tell you straight whether yours suits one.
How do I verify the plumber is licensed before the work starts?
Texas licenses plumbers through the Texas State Board of Plumbing Examiners, which runs a public license lookup, so you can check a license number yourself. Boerne separately requires contractors to be registered with the city to work inside city limits, which is a different check and worth asking about too. Both questions are reasonable before anyone touches a gas appliance in your house.
Replacing a water heater?
Tell us the household size and whether the existing unit is gas or electric. That is most of the sizing conversation.