Colorado hard water is rough on tanks. A heater that “should” last twelve years on a national spec often starts leaking at eight along the Front Range. We repair when it’s honest, replace when it’s cheaper than another service call, and we say which is which.
Repair vs. replace
A thermocouple, igniter, or T&P valve is a repair. A tank leaking at the seams, heavy sediment that keeps tripping the burner, or a 10-year-old unit in a finished basement is a replacement conversation. We pull the anode story, check the pan and drain, and look at venting and gas size before quoting a box swap.
What a correct Denver install includes
- Proper seismic strapping and drip pan with a real drain path
- Expansion tank when the house sits on a closed municipal system
- Combustion air and venting that match the unit, not the old hole in the wall
- Gas line sized for the BTU load, especially when you move to tankless
- Permit and inspection where the city requires it
Brands we like in this climate
For tanks, we spec units that take a real anode and don’t fight hard water. For tankless, Navien and similar condensing units do well here if they’re maintained — isolation valves, flush ports, and a scale plan, not a ‘set it and forget it’ sticker. If you already have a Bradford White, Navien, or similar, we’ll service it before we talk you into a change.
- Tank and tankless
- Expansion tanks and pan drains done right
- Hard-water reality, not brochure life