Hot water tank leaking from the bottom
The three things to do right away, then how to tell whether the water comes from the relief valve, the drain valve, a fitting or the tank.
Read the articleThe hot water tank guide
The questions people type into Google when the hot water tank acts up, with answers you can check. Each article answers one question, names its sources and tells you when to call.
Read first. Call after.
Emergencies and breakdowns
It is leaking, or the water is cold. Start here.
No hot water
Breaker, red reset button, power outage, lower element: five checks, in order, before you call.
Read the article24/7 emergency service
Leaking right now? The emergency service, day and night, weekends too.
See the serviceHot water tank repair
When the tank itself is still sound, an electric hot water tank can be repaired.
See the serviceRusty water, smells, temperature
When the hot water comes, but not the way it usually does.
Lukewarm water, showers that end cold
When an element is to blame, it is the lower one nine times out of ten, according to Giant. The explanation is in the no hot water article.
Read the articleWater too hot, red button tripping
The high-limit switch cuts the element when the water gets too hot. What it is trying to tell you is explained in the same place.
Read the articleRusty water on the hot side
Rust in the hot water can come from a spent anode rod or a tank that is rusting. The end-of-life signs are in the lifespan article.
Read the articleA rotten-egg smell
According to Giant, it is a reaction between the magnesium anode and hydrogen sulphide dissolved in the water, common with well water. It can often be fixed without a new tank, and the lifespan article explains how.
Read the articleChoosing, replacing, paying
Before you sign anything.
Renting vs buying a hot water tank
What a rental costs, what an installed purchase costs, and the ten-year math, with every assumption written down.
Read the articleHow long does a replacement take?
Installation day, what can stretch the job, and how long before you have hot water.
Read the articleHot water tank replacement
Giant electric hot water tanks, 40 and 60 gallon, sold and installed.
See the serviceCommercial and multi-unit
Hot water tanks to replace in a business or a building.
See the serviceAge, insurance and Quebec rules
What your insurer looks at, and why.
Hot water tank age and home insurance
Why several insurers ask for a replacement after 10 or 12 years, and how to find the age on the rating plate.
Read the articleHow long does an electric hot water tank last?
How many years in practice, what wears it out, and the signs it is near the end.
Read the article
The articles are written by Giovanni Del Santo. The articles rely on manufacturers' manuals, Hydro-Québec's pages and insurers' pages. Every source is named, with the date we checked it, at the bottom of the article.
A question the guide doesn't answer?
Call M. Chauffe-Eau GL, open 24/7 in Montreal, Laval, the North Shore and the South Shore. Or send a photo of the rating plate, and we'll get back to you with a price in under an hour.