Water Heater Replacement in Rancho Santa Fe, CA

Rancho Santa Fe in brief

Rancho Santa Fe is a historic planned community of low-density country estates, and many homes here have more than one water heater, long hot water runs and heavy peak demand. Water service depends on the address: Santa Fe Irrigation District serves most of the area, drawing on Lake Hodges as well as imported water, while Olivenhain Municipal Water District serves parts such as Santa Fe Valley.

What to do now

1. Stop the water. Close the cold valve feeding the heater. SFID says it is responsible for the valve on the street side of the meter and that customers should have their own shutoff on the customer side, so that is your next stop if the heater valve won't close.
2. Turn the heater off at the gas control or the breaker.
3. If you smell gas, leave the house right away, and from outside call 911 and SDG&E at 1-800-611-7343.
4. Protect finished floors and cabinetry near the heater from spreading water.
5. Note every heater's size, fuel and age if the house has more than one.
6. Check which water district bills you: SFID's after-hours line is 858-756-2854.

Symptoms and likely causes

What affects the cost

• The number of heaters and whether they're replaced together
• Capacity and type: large tanks, multiple tankless units or a combination
• Recirculation pumps, mixing valves and controls
• Venting and gas line sizing for higher-output equipment
• County permit handling, access and disposal

The median home here was built around 1986, so many estates are on their second or third set of heaters. A plumber can look at the whole hot water system, not just the failed tank, and suggest whether a different setup would serve the house better.