40 gallon hot water tank
The compact size: its spec sheet and the space it needs.
The 40 gallonElectric hot water tank replacement and installation
We replace your old electric hot water tank with a Giant 40 or 60 gallon, in Montreal, in Laval, on the North Shore and on the South Shore. Call today, and the hot water is back today. On site in about 4 hours.
- Arrival
- On site in about 4 hours
- Service
- Open 24/7
- Price
- From a photo, in under an hour
Tank on its last legs? Show me the plate.
Quick quote
A replacement, in five questions
The size, the age and your area, and we get back to you with a price within the hour.
- The size and the age are on the rating plate.
- A photo replaces the visit.
- You get the price before we travel.
What a replacement includes
From the breaker we switch off to the first hot shower: the steps of a typical replacement, in order.
Work order
No.
We switch off the power at the panel and close the cold water
We drain the old tank and disconnect it
We carry the old tank out of the room
We set the new Giant tank in place, level
We connect the cold and hot water lines
We connect the tank to its electrical circuit
We fit the relief valve discharge pipe
We fill the tank and purge the air from the lines
We turn the power back on, then check the temperature and every fitting
We take the old tank away and dispose of it, for an extra fee
Drain pan and expansion tank: when do you need them?
Two add-ons often come up with a new hot water tank: the drain pan and the expansion tank. The rules are written down. Here they are in plain language.
The relief valve discharge pipe
According to fiche PL-18 from the CMMTQ and the Régie du bâtiment du Québec, this pipe must slope downward and end, without a direct connection, above a floor drain, a sump, the extension of a fixture outlet, or a pan that is itself indirectly connected to the drain.
The pan under the tank
In an existing building where none of that is possible, the Régie accepts a pan as an equivalent. With no floor drain, its opening is plugged, so it holds back part of the water if the tank ruptures or the relief valve opens. And a hot water tank in a ceiling void or on a finished wood floor must sit in a pan. No debate on that one.
The expansion tank
Water expands as it heats. According to the CMMTQ's fiche CH-3, once a check valve, a backflow preventer or a pressure reducer is installed on the water supply, the system becomes a closed circuit, and the Quebec Construction Code requires protection against thermal expansion. The recommended way: a membrane expansion tank made for drinking water, installed near the tank's cold water inlet.
The manufacturer's instructions
A manufacturer can ask for more than the code, such as a pan connected to the drain. Fiche PL-18 settles it: when the two differ, the stricter rule applies.
Your price in under an hour, from a photo
Three photos from your phone are enough: the rating plate up close, the whole tank, and the space around it, floor included. Add the house's water inlet if you can: the floor settles the pan question, the inlet settles the expansion tank.
The price depends on the size, 40 or 60 gallon, and on what your installation needs. We get back to you in under an hour, day or night, from the quote page or over the phone. The drain pan and the expansion tank are supplied when the installation needs them.
How long does the installation take?
Plan on about an hour and a half on site to replace the tank.
Once it's running, the new tank still needs a while to heat all its water, depending on the element wattage and on how cold the incoming water is. In February the city water comes in colder than in August, and you'll notice. More in the guide: how long a replacement takes.
Our tanks: Giant 40 and 60 gallon
Giant electric hot water tanks, from a manufacturer based in Montréal-Est. Every Giant electric line, in 40 gallon (152 size) and 60 gallon (172 size), and in 80 or 100 gallon on request.
60 gallon hot water tank
More in reserve, for mornings when the showers run back to back.
The 60 gallon40 or 60 gallon?
The comparison helps you pick the right size.
Compare the sizesGetting ready for the technician
Five minutes of prep, and the technician spends the visit on your tank instead of your Christmas boxes.
- Clear the way from the door to the tank, stairs included.
- Keep the electrical panel clear and find the main water shut-off.
- Keep pets in another room.
- Preferably, someone stays home during the installation.
Same-day replacement, 24/7
A tank that leaks on a Sunday night won't wait for Monday. We pick up 24/7, weekends and holidays included. If the water is already on the floor, start with the three steps on the emergency page.
Hot water tank replacement: questions
How much does it cost to replace an electric hot water tank?
It depends on the size, 40 or 60 gallon, and on the installation at your place. Send a photo of the rating plate, the tank and the space around it: M. Chauffe-Eau GL gets back to you with a price in under an hour, 24/7.
My tank is in a closet or under the stairs. Can you replace it?
Send a photo of the space and of the way to the tank, so the access gets judged before anyone drives over. Tight access may add a charge, and we tell you ahead of time. Your price comes back in under an hour.
Do you take the old tank away?
Yes, for an extra fee: we take the old tank away and dispose of it. If it's a rental, it belongs to the rental company, and we don't handle the return: call them to have it picked up.
Does my hot water tank need a drain pan?
Yes if it sits in a ceiling void or on a finished wood floor: fiche PL-18 from the CMMTQ and the Régie du bâtiment du Québec makes it mandatory. In an existing building with no floor drain, a pan is also accepted to receive the relief valve discharge.
Do you install gas or tankless water heaters?
No. M. Chauffe-Eau GL installs and repairs Giant electric hot water tanks, 40 and 60 gallon.
Sources
- Fiche PL-18, Replacing a hot water tank in an existing building (February 2019, in French), CMMTQ, with the Régie du bâtiment du Québec, consulted September 27, 2026
- Replacing a hot water tank in an existing building (in French), Régie du bâtiment du Québec, consulted September 27, 2026
- Fiche CH-3, Expansion tank location (August 2020, in French), Corporation des maîtres mécaniciens en tuyauterie du Québec (CMMTQ), consulted September 27, 2026
Tank to replace? Call M. Chauffe-Eau GL
Open 24/7. Same-day replacement in Montreal, in Laval, on the North Shore and on the South Shore.