Standard Water Heating Systems.

Replace if: the unit is 10+ years old, water is pooling underneath from the tank itself (not a fitting), you're getting rust-colored water at hot taps, or the repair quote is more than half the cost of a new unit. Repair if: the unit is under 8 years old, the issue is isolated to a specific component, and there's no tank-body corrosion. We'll tell you honestly which one applies after a quick inspection.

Gas in most cases. Southern California gas rates make gas heating substantially cheaper per gallon than electric resistance, gas units recover faster after heavy use, and most South Bay homes are already piped for gas. Electric makes sense in specific cases: homes without gas service, installations where gas venting is difficult, or tight spaces where the smaller electric form factor helps. We'll match the recommendation to your actual situation rather than pushing one over the other.

Rough rule: one bathroom = 40 gallons, two bathrooms = 50 gallons, three bathrooms = 75 gallons, four+ bathrooms = 80+ gallons or parallel installation. That's a starting point; actual sizing depends on household size, simultaneous demand patterns, and whether you have high-flow fixtures (rain shower heads, soaking tubs). We run a quick demand calculation before we quote so you don't end up under- or over-sized.

Usually a repair — the thermocouple has failed or the pilot tube is clogged, both of which are quick fixes. On units over 12 years old, pilot failures can also be a symptom of the gas control valve aging out, which is a more expensive repair and worth factoring into a replace-vs-repair decision. We diagnose on-site before quoting, so you know whether it's a $200 fix or a conversation about replacement.