Water Heater Replacement in Glendale, AZ

Does Glendale require a permit to replace my water heater?

For the heater itself, usually not. The city's building permit Q&A says a residential water heater replacement does not need a permit when a contractor installs it. The picture changes when the job touches other systems: replacing drain or waste piping needs a permit, and so does installing, replacing or extending gas piping, with pipe sizing checked at application. A move to a tankless gas unit often needs a larger gas line, so that kind of upgrade can bring a permit into play.

Who supplies gas and water at my Glendale address?

The city does not run a gas utility. It notes that some Glendale properties receive natural gas from Southwest Gas and that not every property has gas service, so some homes run electric heaters by necessity. If you have gas and ever smell it near the heater, leave the house, then call 911 and Southwest Gas at 877-860-6020 from outside.

Water and sewer come from Glendale Water Services, which treats a mix of Salt River Project and Central Arizona Project surface water plus groundwater. One exception: in the Hedgepeth Hills area, between the Loop 101 and Mohawk Drive and 47th to 51st Avenues, customers are billed by the City of Phoenix. For water questions, Glendale Water Services is at 623-930-4100.

What should I expect from an older Glendale home?

Glendale's median home dates to about 1985, so many houses have been through two or three water heaters already. Older installs can turn up a corroded shutoff valve, a flexible connector that has aged, an undersized vent or a relief line that ends in the wrong place. None of these is unusual, but each adds time. A plumber should spot them during the first look and include them in the quote rather than adding them later.

Tank size is worth a second thought too. If the family has changed since the last heater went in, a larger tank or a tankless unit may suit better than a straight match.

One local note

Some downtown Glendale lots still get non-potable Salt River Project irrigation water through urban irrigation. That water should never be tied to household plumbing, and a careful installer will keep the new heater on the drinking water side only.