Sizing to your household
We size the new tank to how many people live there and how you use hot water, not just to the label on the old one.
Water Heaters · Northern Virginia
Old tank out, new tank in — usually the same day.
Quick answer
LeMaster Plumber replaces gas and electric tank water heaters for homeowners across Northern Virginia, in most cases the same day you call. We size the new unit to your household, install it to code with the permit handled, and haul the old tank away. If a repair would honestly serve you better, we will tell you that instead. Call (703) 832-9090 for an upfront price on a new water heater.
Most people replace a water heater once or twice in the time they own a home, usually on the worst possible day. The job itself is not complicated, but the details decide whether the new one lasts: the right size, proper venting, a working relief valve, an expansion tank where the system needs one, and a pan and drain where a leak would do damage. Those are the parts we do not skip.
We size the new tank to how many people live there and how you use hot water, not just to the label on the old one.
Gas and electric tank water heaters installed with new connections, shutoffs and a fresh temperature-and-pressure relief valve.
On gas units we check the flue and draft so exhaust leaves the house. We fit expansion tanks and drain pans where the system or location calls for them.
Water heater replacement is permitted work. We pull the permit and handle the inspection so you do not have to.
We drain and remove the old tank and take it with us. You are left with a working heater and a clean space.
If you keep running out of hot water or need the floor space, we will walk through whether a tankless unit fits your home.
Being clear about the edges of a job is how you avoid a surprise halfway through it:
We check its age, the leak or failure, the fuel type, the venting and the space, and confirm replacement is the right call.
You get the unit, the scope and the price before anything starts. You approve it first.
We shut off and drain the old tank, remove it, and install the new one with new connections, valves and venting to code.
We fill and fire the new heater, check for leaks, set the temperature, and haul the old unit away.
Why LeMaster Plumber
You approve the price before we start — no surprises and no pressure. You’ll always know the cost before any work begins.
Every job is backed by proper training, the right permits, and a workmanship guarantee.
We show up on time, protect your space, and leave the job cleaner than we found it.
We quote every job upfront and you approve the price before any work begins. What we cannot do honestly is put a number on this page without seeing your situation — so here is what actually moves it:
A larger tank for a bigger household costs more than a small one.
The fuel type changes the unit and the connections. Switching from one to the other adds gas or electrical work.
An older gas vent may need updating to meet code for the new unit. Power-vent models need their own venting and an outlet.
A basement or garage is simpler than a tight closet or an attic. Getting the old tank out counts too.
An expansion tank, a drain pan or a new relief valve discharge line may be needed if the old install did not have them.
Part of every proper replacement and included in our quote.
Replacing a water heater is permitted work. In Fairfax County a permit is required for every replacement, even a like-for-like swap, and the county inspects the finished install. Our guide to water heater permits in Fairfax County explains which permit applies and what the inspector checks. Arlington, Alexandria and Loudoun County have their own building offices, and we pull the permit there when the job is in their area.
The inspection exists for good reason: venting on gas units, the relief valve and its discharge line, and correct water and gas connections are what keep a water heater from becoming a hazard. A quote that leaves the permit out is leaving out part of the job.
Ready to get it sorted? Pick your own appointment time online.
Or call (703) 832-9090 — we answer 24/7.
We cover all of Fairfax County — Fairfax, Centreville, Chantilly, Vienna, Reston, Herndon, Burke, Springfield, McLean, Annandale and every community in between — plus Ashburn, Sterling and South Riding in Loudoun, and neighboring Arlington, Alexandria, Falls Church and Manassas.
A leak from the tank itself, rusty hot water, or a unit past about 10 years old with repeated problems are the usual signs. A leak from a valve or fitting, or a failed part on a younger tank, is often worth repairing instead. We will tell you which one you have.
In most cases, yes. We can often swap a failed unit the same day you call. Unusual sizes or a change of fuel type can take longer, and we will tell you upfront.
Yes. Water heater replacement is permitted work across Northern Virginia. We pull the permit and handle the inspection as part of the job.
It depends on how many people live in the home and how you use hot water at peak times. We size it during the visit so you do not run short or pay to heat water you never use.
Yes. We drain it, remove it and haul it off as part of the replacement.
Sometimes. Tankless makes sense if you run out of hot water or need the space, but it costs more upfront and may need gas or venting upgrades. We will give you the honest comparison.
Get In Touch
Pick your own appointment time online in about a minute — or call for emergencies, or send a few details with the form and we'll get right back to you.