After a Seattle-area homeowner was quoted $2,500 each to replace two 15-year-old water heaters, it sparked a lengthy discussion on Reddit's r/AskAPlumber forum.
Here's what to know
According to the homeowner's Reddit post, the plumber's proposal covered several issues at once, including repiping older CPVC in the mechanical room, fixing a stuck backflow, replacing a failed expansion tank, and addressing corroded copper supply lines.
The two water heaters alone cost $5,000.
The original poster also shared a photo of the estimate and described "Some age/heat related damage to one of the tanks. [The] other is fine." OP then added, "That heat damage is the only real sign of problems. No signs of leaks anywhere."
Reaction to the pricing was mixed. One commenter called it "about normal for our neck of the woods," while another plumber said, "I'd charge considerably more…"
The most actionable advice focused on shopping around, with one user suggesting, "Get 2 more quotes. It's a big job. Not an emergency. Getting 3 quotes lets you compare pricing and get a feel for each company over there."
A separate thread focused on the home's setup. The house has two 50-gallon water heaters connected in parallel, and the homeowner said the plumber told them that arrangement "usually means one runs preferentially over the other."
Another commenter challenged that explanation, writing, "That damage is not related to which runs more but rather how they're vented/when it begins drafting." That same commenter also said parallel heaters "pull from each equally," which points more to a venting issue than uneven usage as the cause of the visible damage.
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One person said the estimate seemed easier to understand after realizing it covered two units but still questioned "why you would put in two 50gal gas heaters" at all. Rather than replacing the system as-is, that commenter suggested BW Aerotherm heat pump water heaters, saying they have "more capacity and cost less to operate."
And sticking with a duplicated setup simply because it is already in place can add thousands of dollars to a replacement project.
For homeowners comparing options, Cala offers another path besides swapping old gas tanks one-for-one. Cala's customizable smart heat pump water heaters can help homeowners lower energy bills by heating water only when needed. For a home already staring at $2,500 per tank, that precision could matter as much as the plumbing labor itself.
Before agreeing to a like-for-like replacement, a homeowner may want to ask whether the house still needs two tanks and whether gas still makes sense. For homeowners already rethinking an aging system, Cala is one example of a replacement designed around actual hot-water demand.
Where can I learn more?
Here's a look at a few homeowners dealing with the same questions about two-tank systems, replacement quotes, and whether sticking with gas still makes sense.
• A homeowner with two 50-gallon water heaters wondered if shutting one down cut standby losses.
• A homeowner asking if two water heaters are plumbed correctly learned replacement could mean opening walls.
• Adding a second water heater left one homeowner with 80 gallons of lukewarm water.
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