Water heater replacement and installation in Greenville and the Upstate
Water heater replacement sized to your household, installed to code and tested before we leave. Tank or tankless, gas or electric.
How much does it cost to replace a water heater in Greenville?
It depends on the size, fuel type and any venting or code updates your home needs. Ethical Plumbing gives you a written price for each option before work starts, and most tank replacements are finished in a few hours. Call 864-438-0525 or book online.
- Tank and tankless
- Gas, electric and heat pump
- Sized to your household
- Installed to current code
The right heater, installed the right way
Replacing a water heater is not just swapping one tank for another. The new unit has to match how your household uses hot water, fit the space, and meet the code that has changed since your old heater went in.
We start by asking how many people live in the home, how many bathrooms you have and whether you run out of hot water today. From there we recommend a size and type, and explain the trade-offs. If tankless makes sense for your home, we show you that option and its price next to a tank.
On install day we protect the floors, remove the old heater, set the new one, and connect water, gas or power and venting. Then we fill it, test the relief valve, check for leaks and walk you through the controls before we leave.
Signs it is time for a new water heater
A few of these on a heater over about 10 years old usually means replacement will cost less than repeated repairs.
- Water leaking from the tank itself
- Rusty hot water from every faucet
- Rumbling that flushing no longer fixes
- Running out of hot water more often
- Repairs every year or two
- The heater is past 10 to 12 years old
Your options
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Photo: Gas tank
Gas tank
Fast recovery and lower running cost where natural gas is available. A straight swap is usually the quickest install.
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Photo: Electric tank
Electric tank
Simple to install where there is no gas line. A good fit for smaller households.
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Photo: Tankless
Tankless
Endless hot water, a smaller footprint and a longer life, with a higher up-front cost.
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Photo: Heat pump electric
Heat pump electric
Uses far less electricity than a standard electric tank. Needs space and airflow around it.
Installed to code
Codes change, and an older heater was often installed under rules that no longer apply. A proper replacement brings the installation up to date:
- Expansion tank, where your system needs one
- Relief valve piped to a safe discharge point
- Drain pan under attic and upstairs heaters
- Correct gas venting and combustion air
- Earthquake-style strapping is not required here, but secure mounting is
- Shutoff valves on the water lines
What affects the price of a new water heater
You get a written price for each option before work starts. The main factors are:
- Tank size or tankless flow rate
- Gas, electric or heat pump
- Venting and gas line changes
- Moving the heater to a new spot
- Code updates the old installation is missing
- Attic, crawl space or tight closet access
How a visit works
You book a time
Online or by phone. We confirm your arrival window and text when the plumber is on the way.
We find the cause
A licensed plumber diagnoses the problem and explains it in plain terms.
You choose, in writing
You get your options side by side with written prices. Nothing starts until you approve.
We fix it and walk you through it
Clean work area, tested result, and a walkthrough before we leave.
Recent water heater replacement jobs
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Job photo
Caption: what we did, and the town
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Job photo
Caption: what we did, and the town
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Job photo
Caption: what we did, and the town
Why homeowners call Ethical Plumbing for water heater installation
Every job starts with a diagnosis from a licensed plumber, not a sales pitch. We explain what we found in plain terms, show you the options side by side, and put the prices in writing before anything starts. If a repair makes more sense than a replacement, we say so.
We treat your home like a job site that people live in: shoe covers on, work area protected, cleaned up before we leave, and a walkthrough of what we did. Ethical Plumbing has served the Upstate since 2010, and our team brings 100+ years of combined plumbing experience. You can meet our plumbers or read what customers say.
What customers say
Every review here is from a real customer. Names are shortened for privacy.
Tristan was very knowledgeable and professional from our initial conversation to the follow up when the work was complete.
Water heater replacement across the Upstate
We install water heaters for homes and businesses in 7 counties across the Upstate and western North Carolina. Towns with a local page are linked.
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Greenville County, SC
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Spartanburg County, SC
- Spartanburg
- Boiling Springs
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Pickens County, SC
- Easley
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Anderson County, SC
- Anderson
- Powdersville
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Henderson County, NC
- Hendersonville
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Polk County, NC
- Tryon
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Transylvania County, NC
- Brevard
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Also serving
- Seneca, SC
- Gray Court, SC
Water heater replacement FAQs
How long does it take to install a water heater?
A straight replacement of a tank heater usually takes a few hours. Moving the heater, changing fuel type or switching to tankless can take most of a day.
What size water heater do I need?
Two or three people usually do well with 40 to 50 gallons. Larger households often need 50 to 75 gallons or a tankless unit. We size it to your household and the fixtures you use at the same time.
Should I switch to tankless?
Tankless makes sense if you run out of hot water, want to free up space, or plan to stay in the home for years. It costs more up front and may need gas line or venting changes. We price both so you can compare.
Do I need an expansion tank?
If your home has a pressure reducing valve or a backflow device on the main line, the water system is closed and an expansion tank is usually required. We check this on every install.
What happens to my old water heater?
We disconnect and remove it as part of the replacement, so you are not left with a tank in the garage.
Can you install a water heater in the attic?
Yes. Attic and upstairs heaters need a drain pan piped to a safe spot, and we recommend a leak sensor so a slow leak does not come through the ceiling.
Is financing available?
Yes. Financing is available through GoodLeap on water heater replacement, and VIP Prevention Plan members get 0% financing options.
Do you install heat pump water heaters?
Yes. They need more space and airflow than a standard tank, so we check the location first and tell you if it is a good fit.
Ready when you are
Tell us what's going on.
A Master Plumber will find the cause, explain it in plain terms, and put your options in writing before any work starts.
- Serving the Upstate since 2010
- Licensed Master Plumbers
- Written prices, every job