Water Heater Replacement in Apex, NC

Apex specifics

Apex is one of the newest housing markets around Raleigh. Census survey data puts the median home at 2008, with under 4% built before 1980. Many water heaters installed when these houses went up are now reaching the age when tanks give out, and a lot of them sit in garages or attics.

The Town of Apex Building Inspections & Permitting office says a permit is needed for a water heater replacement, including like-for-like, and that it must be installed by a contractor holding the proper state license, not the homeowner. That's different from towns that exempt a matching swap, so make sure whoever does the job pulls the permit.

Apex water comes from Jordan Lake through the Cary/Apex treatment plant. The Town describes it as moderately soft, about 1.9 grains per gallon, and it's chloraminated, with a spring switch to chlorine. Soft water is easy on tanks; the anode rod still wears and is worth checking.

Gas service comes from Enbridge Gas North Carolina, formerly PSNC. If you smell gas, leave the house and call 911 or Enbridge at 1-877-776-2427 from outside.

Comparing replacement choices

Since every option needs a permit, the choice comes down to space, budget and how much hot water you use.

Signs it's time

• A leak from the tank body
• Discolored hot water or a sulfur smell
• Rumbling and less hot water than before
• Attic heaters with a rusty pan or drip stains on the ceiling below
• A relief valve that drips or has discharged

Timing

An attic heater that leaks can damage ceilings fast, so don't wait on one showing rust. If your heater is original to a mid-2000s house, it's reasonable to plan the swap rather than wait for a failure on a winter morning. The Town lists its spring chlorine period as running from late February into early April. That doesn't call for any change to the heater, though some people notice a stronger smell at the tap for those weeks.