Water Heater Installation in Eau Claire, WI
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What a new water heater in Eau Claire County has to stand up to
Homes here need heat nine months of the year, September through May, and winter nights average 9°F from December through February. Cold like that is part of why the federal government sets a minimum efficiency for storage water heaters. That minimum is not one number. It is a formula based on the tank's rated volume, applied separately to four different draw patterns, so a smaller tank and a larger one of the same type answer to different minimums.
Power is worth planning around too. Wisconsin saw 18% of households go at least 24 hours without power in 2024, and this county has logged 27 winter storms and 35 damaging wind events over the past ten years. A gas water heater with a standing pilot keeps making hot water through an outage. One with electronic ignition, or an electric tank, will not light or heat until the power is back.
- 9°F
- the average winter night, and colder incoming water means longer heating
- 9 months
- September through May, the months homes here need heat
- 18%
- of Wisconsin 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 $330 a year to run in Wisconsin compared with an electric water heater.
Estimates for a typical Wisconsin home, from EIA household energy data and Wisconsin fuel prices. Your home will differ.
- How do I know it's time to replace my water heater?
- The clearest sign is water that comes out rusty or a tank that's leaking from the bottom. If the water heater is making rumbling or popping noises, that's sediment building up on the bottom of the tank, and it means the tank is working harder than it should. A water heater that can't keep up anymore, running out of hot water faster than it used to, is also telling you it's near the end. Any sign of water pooling around the base needs attention right away, since a tank that fails fully can flood the area around it. A contractor can check the age and condition of the tank and tell you whether repair still makes sense or replacement is the better move.
- Should I switch to a tankless water heater?
- It depends on what you want from your hot water and what your home can support. A tankless unit heats water on demand instead of storing it, so you don't run out partway through a shower the way you might with a tank. Switching usually means changes to the gas line, venting, or electrical setup, since tankless units have different requirements than a storage tank. Winters here get cold, with nights averaging 9°F from December through February, and incoming water temperature affects how hard a tankless unit has to work to reach the temperature you want. A contractor can look at your home's gas, venting, and water setup and tell you whether tankless is a good fit before you decide.
- What changes when you install a tankless water heater?
- The biggest change is that hot water gets heated as you use it instead of sitting ready in a tank. This usually means the gas line needs to be sized for the unit's higher demand, and the venting is different from what a tank uses. Tankless units mount on a wall, so the space where your water heater sits will look different once a tank is no longer there. Electrical work is sometimes needed too, since tankless units use controls and ignition that a standing pilot tank does not. A contractor can walk through what your specific home needs before the switch.