Water Heater Installation & Repair in Mei Foo

Storage tanks: 8-12 years (longer with soft water and anode-rod changes). Tankless/instantaneous units: 15-20 years with descaling. Heat pump water heaters: 10-15 years. A tank leaking from the shell itself is end-of-life — replace, don't repair.

Usually sediment buildup eating tank capacity, a failed lower heating element, or a broken dip tube mixing cold into the draw. All are diagnosable in one visit; sediment flushing and element swaps are routine repairs on a healthy tank.

A leaking tank can fail suddenly and flood, and any leak near electrics is hazardous. Shut off the unit's power (or gas) and its cold-water feed valve, then call a professional. A dripping pressure-relief valve specifically signals over-pressure or over-temperature — don't cap it.

Like-for-like tank swaps take 2-4 hours. Fuel-type changes, relocations, tankless conversions, or units needing new circuits/venting run half a day to a full day plus possible permit inspections.

Yes: annual or biennial sediment flush, anode rod check every 2-3 years in hard-water areas, and TPR (pressure relief) valve testing. Tankless units need periodic descaling. Maintenance is the difference between an 8-year and a 15-year unit.

Unflued or badly flued gas heaters in small bathrooms have caused fatal CO poisonings in HK, which is why the Gas Safety Ordinance mandates registered installers and proper flueing. Never accept an installer who proposes venting into the bathroom or lightwell.