--- title: "Water Heaters in Middle TN | Free Diagnostic Visit | Root House" url: https://roothousemechanicals.com/plumbing/water-heaters updated: 2026-09-29 business: "Root House Mechanicals" phone: "(615) 426-9344" text: "(615) 426-9344" email: info@roothousemechanicals.com hours: "Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m." --- # Water Heater Repair and Replacement in Middle Tennessee > Root House Mechanicals repairs and replaces tank and tankless water heaters, gas and electric, for homes across Middle Tennessee. The diagnostic visit is free, and you'll get a firm price before any work starts. Call or text (615) 426-9344, Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. - Call (615) 426-9344 (Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.) - Text (615) 426-9344 - Email: info@roothousemechanicals.com Lukewarm showers, a rumble from the tank, or a puddle underneath? Those point to different problems, and not all of them mean a new water heater. We'll look at yours, tell you whether it's a repair or a replacement, and explain why before any work starts. If it is time for a new one, we install both tank and tankless models, and we'll walk you through which one fits the way your household uses hot water. ## Signs you need water heaters help - Water runs warm, then cold, or never gets hot at all - The hot water runs out much sooner than it used to - Rumbling, popping or knocking from the tank while it heats - Rusty or cloudy hot water, or a metallic smell - Water pooling around the base of the tank - The pilot light keeps going out on a gas unit - A tankless unit shows an error code or shuts off mid-shower - The tank is past the age its label or manual gives for its expected life ## What we do - **Diagnosis and repair.** Heating elements, thermostats, gas valves, thermocouples and igniters, dip tubes, and temperature and pressure relief valves. We find the part that failed before we replace anything. - **Tank water heater replacement.** Gas and electric tanks, sized to your household. We haul the old tank away, set the new one level, and connect water, venting and power or gas to code. - **Tankless water heaters.** New tankless installs and conversions from a tank, including the gas line, venting and electrical changes a tankless unit can need. We also clean and service existing tankless units. - **Flushing and maintenance.** Draining sediment from tanks, checking the anode rod and the relief valve, and descaling tankless heat exchangers so the unit heats the way it should. - **New construction and renovations.** Water heater rough-in and trim-out for new homes, additions and remodels, coordinated with the rest of the plumbing, HVAC and electrical work. ## Repair or replace? A lot of water heater problems are one part: an element, a thermostat, a thermocouple or a valve. Those are usually worth fixing, and we'll tell you so. Replacement makes more sense when the tank itself is leaking (a tank that leaks from its body can't be patched), when the tank is near the end of its expected life and a costly part has failed, or when the heater no longer keeps up with your household. We'll show you what we found and give you the price of each option before you decide. ## What it costs, and how we price it What drives the price: - Repair or replacement, and which part failed - Tank or tankless, gas or electric, and the size you need - Whether venting, the gas line or the electrical circuit needs changes, which is common when switching to tankless - Where the heater sits: a garage is simpler than a tight closet, attic or crawl space - Permits and inspections the local jurisdiction requires - The diagnostic visit: free. - Firm price given before any work starts. - Priced per job. Each job is priced on its own. - Why prices stay down: low overhead, and the work done right the first time with current methods, equipment and quality materials, so customers are not paying for callbacks. ## How a visit works 1. **Call or text.** Call or text (615) 426-9344 and tell us what's going on. A photo helps. We work Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. 2. **A free diagnostic visit.** We come look, find the cause and explain it in plain words. The visit is free. 3. **A firm price before any work starts.** You get the price for the job before we begin, so you can decide with real numbers. 4. **The work, done right the first time.** Current methods, good equipment and quality materials. We keep overhead low and skip the callbacks, which keeps prices down. 5. **Follow-up.** If anything we worked on gives you trouble, call or text the same number. ## Urgent: Water heater leaking? 1. If you smell gas, leave the house now and call the gas company or 911 from outside. 2. Turn off the power at the breaker for an electric heater, or turn the gas control to off for a gas heater. If reaching it means standing in water, stay out and call. 3. Then close the cold water valve on the pipe going into the top of the tank. 4. Then call us at (615) 426-9344. We work Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.. Call (615) 426-9344. ## Tank or tankless: which is right for your home? It depends on how your household uses hot water. A tank heater stores a set amount and reheats it. It costs less up front and is simple to replace. A tankless unit heats water as it flows, so it doesn't run out during back-to-back showers, and it takes up far less space. Tankless units cost more to install, especially when a home needs a larger gas line, new venting or a new electrical circuit. We'll look at what your home already has and give you a firm price for each option, so you can compare them on real numbers. ## How long does a water heater last? Tank water heaters commonly last around 8 to 12 years, and tankless units often last longer with regular descaling. Water quality, how hard the unit works and whether it has been flushed all make a difference. The label on your tank shows its manufacture date, and we can help you read it. ## Why does a water heater make popping or rumbling sounds? Usually it's sediment. Minerals settle at the bottom of the tank, and water trapped under that layer boils and pops as the burner or element heats it. Flushing the tank often quiets it down. If the sediment has been there a long time, it can shorten the life of the tank, and we'll tell you honestly if flushing is still worth it. ## Where we offer water heaters - [Water Heaters in Columbia, TN](https://roothousemechanicals.com/service-areas/columbia-tn/water-heaters) - [Water Heaters in Spring Hill, TN](https://roothousemechanicals.com/service-areas/spring-hill-tn/water-heaters) - [Water Heaters in Franklin, TN](https://roothousemechanicals.com/service-areas/franklin-tn/water-heaters) - [Thompson's Station, TN](https://roothousemechanicals.com/service-areas/thompsons-station-tn) - [Brentwood, TN](https://roothousemechanicals.com/service-areas/brentwood-tn) - [Nolensville, TN](https://roothousemechanicals.com/service-areas/nolensville-tn) - [Nashville, TN](https://roothousemechanicals.com/service-areas/nashville-tn) - [Murfreesboro, TN](https://roothousemechanicals.com/service-areas/murfreesboro-tn) - [Smyrna, TN](https://roothousemechanicals.com/service-areas/smyrna-tn) - [Mount Pleasant, TN](https://roothousemechanicals.com/service-areas/mount-pleasant-tn) ## Common questions ### Is the diagnostic visit really free? Yes. We'll come look at your water heater for free, tell you what's wrong and give you a firm price before any work starts. You decide from there. ### Do you install tankless water heaters? Yes. We install new tankless units and convert homes from a tank to tankless, including the gas, venting and electrical changes that can come with it. ### Do you work on both gas and electric water heaters? Yes. We repair and replace gas and electric tank heaters, and gas and electric tankless units. ### My water heater is leaking. What should I do first? If you smell gas, leave the house and call the gas company or 911 from outside. Otherwise, turn off the heat first: the breaker for an electric heater, or the gas control for a gas heater. Then close the cold water valve going into the tank. If reaching it means standing in water, stay out. Then call us at (615) 426-9344. We work Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. ### How long does a water heater replacement take? A straight swap of a tank heater is usually done within a day. Switching to tankless, or moving the heater, can take longer. We'll tell you what to expect when we give you the price. ### Will I need a permit? Water heater replacements often need a permit and inspection, depending on the city or county. We'll tell you what your job needs when we give you the price. ### Should I flush my water heater? Flushing a tank heater removes sediment, and descaling a tankless unit clears mineral buildup. How often depends on your water and the unit. Ask us when we are out, and we will tell you what makes sense for yours. ## Related - [Plumbing Repair](https://roothousemechanicals.com/plumbing/plumbing-repair) - [Leak Detection and Repair](https://roothousemechanicals.com/plumbing/leak-detection) - [Gas Line Installation and Repair](https://roothousemechanicals.com/plumbing/gas-lines) - [Whole-Home Water Filtration](https://roothousemechanicals.com/plumbing/water-treatment) - [Whole-Home Repiping](https://roothousemechanicals.com/plumbing/repiping) - [Toilets, Faucets, Sinks and Disposals](https://roothousemechanicals.com/plumbing/fixtures)