A leaking 14-year-old water heater, a family of five, and zero hot water on a Tuesday morning. Here's how we had them back to hot showers by dinner — with a safer, more efficient system to code.
The call came in just after 8 AM: a homeowner in Lakeville woke up to cold water and a growing puddle around the water heater in the utility room. The unit was 14 years old — well past the typical 10–12 year lifespan — and the leak was coming from the bottom of the tank itself. That's the one problem no repair can fix: once the tank corrodes through from the inside, replacement is the only safe option.
We talked the homeowner through the immediate steps right on the phone — shutting off the cold water supply to the unit and turning the gas valve to "off" — which stopped the leak from spreading before we even arrived. By 10 AM our technician was on site in Lakeville with a replacement option already loaded on the truck.
After confirming the diagnosis, we gave the family a clear upfront price for the full job: new unit, installation to code, haul-away of the old tank — one number, no surprises. They gave us the go-ahead on the spot.
Removed and hauled away the failed 14-year-old unit, including safe draining and disposal
Installed a new Rheem 50-gallon gas water heater — sized for a family of five, so no more "last shower gets cold" mornings
Brought the installation up to current Minnesota code: new shut-off valve, thermal expansion tank, and a proper discharge line for the T&P relief valve
Pressure-tested every connection and leak-checked the gas line before first firing
Set the temperature and walked the homeowners through simple maintenance — including the annual flush that helps a tank last years longer
"I called at 8 in the morning expecting to wait days without hot water. By that evening the kids were taking hot baths like nothing happened. They told me the price before starting and that's exactly what I paid. Couldn't ask for more." — Homeowner, Lakeville, MN
The family went from a flooding utility room to a fully functioning, code-compliant hot water system in a single day. The new unit is properly sized, more efficient than the 2012-era tank it replaced, and protected by upgrades the old installation never had. Total water damage: one wet towel. That's what calling early — and shutting off the valve fast — saves you.
Have a Similar Problem in Lakeville or Nearby?Water heaters rarely fail at a convenient time — but they almost always give a warning first: rusty water, rumbling sounds, moisture around the base. Whether you're in Lakeville, Prior Lake, Burnsville, or anywhere in the Twin Cities metro, we're one call away. Same-day water heater replacement is available during business hours.
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