When it’s the middle of winter in Billerica, Massachusetts, it’s cold. Really cold. Such cold weather puts a strain on your water heater trying to warm up the frigid water coming from the street. Older water heaters may not be able to keep up, and that’s exactly why this customer called MillTown Plumbing. As a family, they relied on having hot water regularly, but also efficiently. The solution for that was a water heater replacement in their Billerica, MA home. 

Water Heater Inspection

As mentioned above, this family’s water heater wasn’t necessarily broken. However, it wasn’t working as efficiently as they needed it to. Older water heaters have a more difficult time producing hot water as efficiently and effectively for modern standards. So, this Billerica family decided it was time to replace.

Symptoms of a Failing Water Heater

Water heaters typically last for 10 years or longer. If your water heater is on its way out, you may experience any of the following symptoms:

• Water leaks
• Not enough hot water
• Discolored water
• Strange sounds
• Low water pressure

Benefits of a Water Heater Replacement

After installing a replacement water heater, here are some of the benefits you can expect to enjoy!

• Reliable hot water for the foreseeable future
• More hot water
• Quieter operation
• Lower energy consumption

Water Heater Replacement Process in Billerica, MA

After arriving in Billerica with the proper equipment, MillTown’s qualified plumbers were ready to start the replacement process. 

Old Water Heater Removal

Before removing anything, MillTown’s licensed plumbers turned off the water to the home. They followed this up by draining the water from the water heater tank and connecting plumbing. 

The cold water supply pipe was shut off via a valve above the hot water heater. The old water was drained into the yard from the drain valve at the bottom of the water heater. 

Electricity had to be shut off as well, and this water heater’s power supply was turned off via the home’s electrical panel. To disconnect the wiring to the furnace, the wiring had to be cut. Prior to doing so, a test light voltage detector was used to ensure there was no more current running through the wiring.

Preparing the Space for the Replacement Water Heater

The old valve controlling the cold water supply was not operating exactly as MillTown’s plumbers would have liked. This valve was updated and replaced with a new valve for better future operation.

To make service easier in the future, MillTown’s licensed electrician installed a switch to power the water heater on and off.

New Water Heater Installation

Once the replacement water heater was put into place, the plumbers were ready to start connecting the existing plumbing. Teflon tape and thread sealing paste was used on the threads that connected the home’s plumbing to the water heater.

To connect the old plumbing, new copper piping was cut to length. Ninety-degree brass fittings allowed the offset joints to be connected. 

Once the plumbing and electrical wiring had been connected, a pipe for the pressure relief valve was routed. It was run towards the floor, no higher than 12” off the ground per code. 

After the pressure relief valve was plumbed, the water to the house was turned back on. The cold water supply valve was slowly opened and the pressure relief valve was left open. Once water began coming out of the pressure relief valve, the water heater tank was full.

Final Steps

After the tank had been filled, the faucets were purged of any air that may have gotten trapped inside the plumbing during the replacement process.

To make sure that the water heater was receiving power, the heating units on the side of the tank were checked for power. This was done using the same test light to check for live wires after turning off the water heater in the beginning. 

Billerica Water Heater Replacement Contractor

Here at MillTown, we provide cost-effective, permanent solutions to keep your home in tip-top shape. We commit to your satisfaction and offer high-quality, same-day service. Our technicians are clean, courteous, and respectful of your home. It is why Massachusetts and New Hampshire homeowners have trusted us for over 35 years. Contact us today if you are a local Billerica homeowner interested in water heater replacement, repair, or maintenance!

Water Heater Replacement Reviews

Milltown Plumbing, Heating, Air Conditioning, Drain Cleaning & Electrical

4.6

Based on 729 reviews

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Timothy M. Coy

14:57 20 Sep 22

My review is more for Pedro my tech, than Milltown. Pedro was amazing! He took the time to walk me through not only my issue, but also just general utility care I should know as a homeowner. He was personable, and really took the time. And it was greatly appreciated! I’d have him back for all my plumbing needs! I think nearly $600 was a little steep to replace a hose spigot… But I was willing to pay it because of the service Pedro provided.

Jan Young

19:23 09 Aug 22

Less than eight hours after I first called Milltown with a dead water heater and no hot water, I now have a brand new unit working perfectly. The technician, Jonathan, and the supervisor with him were wonderful. I am so grateful that I didn’t have to wait several days, and that these folks were so nice to work with. And the dispatcher, Ralph, was very helpful as well. I am very happy right now!

Lisa Silva

11:43 25 Jun 22

Our shower started leaking the week before I was having surgery. Milltown sent Darrin out to assess our situation . Darrin recommended we completely replace our shower unit . We agreed. He was able to get things expedited and was in our home working on it two days after my surgery. He was kind, knowledgeable, worked cleanly, and efficiently. His partner James was also very good. Thank you Milltown for sending such a good crew.

J S Doane

14:18 24 Mar 22

I was already a Milltown customer for both plumbing and water heater services, so I didn’t hesitate to contact them for some needed electrical work at my 100+ year old house. Based on my experience with this company, I expected good service. The service I received from the Electrical Team was OUTSTANDING!. Matthew H was so helpful during the estimating process, and in his recommendations, and patiently answered all of my questions. On the scheduled work days, Matthew and his team always arrived on time, and were as professional and courteous as they could possibly be. This is a two-family home, and the amount of work that they have completed on time, as promised, has been amazing. So organized, and informative every step of the way, and I’m thrilled with the results. The peace-of-mind I now have in knowing that the work was done correctly by licensed professionals like Matthew and his team is so important, especially for electrical services. I highly recommend Matthew H and the whole Milltown electrical crew!March 23rd: For the last package of work, Matt and Dan came back to install all of the new ceiling light fixtures, all NINE of them. Each new fixture was replacing a really old one that was not LED compatible. The installation was fast, and perfect, and they even cleaned up each area as they went!. Service doesn’t get any better than this. Milltown is the best!!

Nicole Fox

22:25 17 Mar 22

Customer service was good. They set up an appointment for the day after my call, even though it was not an emergency request. Technicians Pedro and James were friendly, knowledgeable, and very helpful in explaining the repair and costs. I decided not to wait on getting another quote, since the price was within the range I expected. They had their tools right there. After struggling to fix the clog myself for months, the drain finally flows again! I definitely recommend this company for their professional team and quick response.

By Milltown Plumbing