If you are looking at updating your hot water system, or are simply sick of always running out of hot water half way through a shower, then a tank-less water heater could be just what you need. By only heating up water when you need it, you will have hot water on tap at all times, and you will save money too.
Getting rid of your old water tank and installing a new one is however a large job, and one that should be left for the professionals; otherwise if you are not careful you could end up with a flood, or worse still damage to your home or yourself. Only the best Denver plumber should tackle the job at hand, and below are some steps that you can take in selecting the man for the job.
Insurance
A plumber should be fully licensed and qualified to carry out the work as well as having his own personal liability insurance. The liability insurance is incase anything happens while they are installing the water heater in your home. Also, insurance covers both persons and property. Don’t just take their word, ask for proof of insurance. One final note, don’t let anyone work on your house, regardless of the service unless they have proof of liability insurance.
Licensing
Plumbers are licensed by the state of Colorado. The Division of Professions and Occupations is responsible for licensing individuals and companies. A master plumber has a minimum of 5 years of documented work experience and has passed a written exam. You can check an see if plumber is licensed for the city of Denver here.
Manufacture Certified Installer
Also, you will want to know if the manufacture of the tankless water heater requires a certified plumber to install the unit. In some cases if you use a non certified plumber to install the unit you can void the manufacture’s warranty. A manufacture certified plumber will most likely done some sort of formal training with the manufacture. Always ask if they have been certified by the manufacture to install the proposed model.
Building permits
Most cities in the Denver metro area require a building permit to be pulled when installing a water heater. The building permit is a protection for you and the plumber. The city inspector will come out to inspect that the water heater has been installed to the current minimum build codes. This protects you, your family and property from having a job poorly done. The building codes are designed for occupancy and building safety. When talking to a plumber ask if he or she will be pulling a permit for the install. If they say “NO” then you might want to pass this plumber by. Also, you will want to know if the cost of the permit is included in the estimate.
Reputation
You will also want to do some online searches to see if the plumbing company looks to be reputable. How long have they been in business? You want a plumber that has been around for a while, because you will need service on the unit. Do they have a website? Are there any yelp reviews? Are they a member of the local Denver BBB?
One thing I want to say about reviews. If they have a lot of reviews, drop the bottom review and the top review. I have found you can’t make everyone happy regardless how hard you try. Also, drop the top review; this just might be the company doing their own review.
Cost
We don’t a give a lot of thought to our water heaters until they are not working. Taking a cold shower on a Monday morning is not a good way to start the week. Yes, you can locate someone on craigslist to install your new water heater, but do you really want to go with the cheapest price? Licensing, building permits, insurance and bonding all cost money. Think about it, do you want to higher the cheapest dentist, nope. So don’t higher the cheapest plumber.
Selecting a Denver plumber might not be the easiest thing to do, but take the time to do your due diligence. . If you do, in the long run you will be happy and so will your family.