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When your water heater starts acting up, you don’t need a sales pitch. You need someone who can diagnose the problem, explain what’s happening, and fix it right.
Florida’s hard water is brutal on water heaters. Mineral buildup creates a barrier between the heating element and the water, forcing your system to work harder and costing you more every month. Add in the salt air and year-round use, and you’ve got a recipe for premature failure.
We’ve seen it all in Georgiana—from minor leaks that turn into major water damage to complete system failures in the middle of winter when your heater is already working overtime. The key is catching problems early. Strange noises, inconsistent temperatures, discolored water, or puddles around the base all mean something’s wrong. Ignoring them doesn’t make them go away. It just makes the repair more expensive.
Drain Wizard is a family-owned plumbing company based in Cocoa, serving Georgiana and the surrounding Brevard County communities. We’ve been doing this since 2007, and our team brings over 40 years of combined plumbing experience to every job.
Our approach comes from 20 years of military service—show up on time, do the job right, and stand behind your work. We’re not the cheapest option in town, and we won’t pretend to be. But we will give you an honest assessment, fair pricing, and work that actually lasts.
Georgiana homeowners deal with the same challenges as the rest of Brevard County—aging water heaters, hard water damage, and the constant wear that comes with Florida’s climate. We’ve been handling these issues for years, and we know what works and what doesn’t.
First, we come out and look at what’s going on. Not every water heater problem means you need a full replacement. Sometimes it’s a faulty thermostat, a worn heating element, or sediment buildup that can be flushed. We’ll tell you what we find and what your options are.
If you do need a replacement, we walk you through what makes sense for your home. Tank size matters—too small and you’ll run out of hot water constantly, too large and you’re heating water you don’t need. We also talk through tankless options if that fits your situation better. Tankless heaters cost more upfront but can save money long-term if you’re staying in the house.
Once you approve the estimate, we usually get the work done the next day. We handle everything from shutting off the old unit to installing the new one and making sure it’s up to code. That includes proper venting, pressure relief valves, and all the connections from your home to the street. When we’re done, you’ve got hot water that works reliably.
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Water heater work isn’t just swapping out a tank. There’s inspection, removal of the old unit, installation of the new system, and making sure everything meets current Florida building codes. We also check your water pressure, test the temperature and pressure relief valve, and verify that all connections are secure.
In Georgiana and throughout Brevard County, we see a lot of water heaters that were installed incorrectly the first time. Improper venting is a big one—it’s a safety issue that can lead to carbon monoxide problems. We also see undersized units that can’t keep up with household demand and expansion tanks that were never installed when they should have been.
If you’re dealing with an emergency—like a major leak or complete failure—we prioritize getting someone out fast. Water damage adds up quickly in Florida. Even a small leak can create mold conditions within 24 to 48 hours because of the humidity. The faster we stop the leak and get your system working, the less damage you’re dealing with overall.
We install quality brands like Bradford White because they hold up better in Florida’s conditions. We also offer a 5% senior discount because we know a lot of folks in Georgiana are on fixed incomes and still deserve reliable hot water.
Most tank water heaters last 8 to 12 years under normal conditions. In Florida, you’re looking at the lower end of that range—sometimes even less.
The hard water here is the main culprit. Minerals settle at the bottom of the tank and create a layer of sediment that makes your heater work harder. Over time, that sediment causes the tank to corrode from the inside out. Add in the salt air if you’re near the coast, and the exterior components corrode faster too.
If your water heater is over 10 years old and starting to show signs of trouble, replacement usually makes more sense than repair. You’re just buying time at that point, and the next failure could be a full tank rupture that floods your home.
It depends on what’s wrong and how old the unit is. If your water heater is less than 6 years old and the problem is something like a faulty thermostat or heating element, repair makes sense. Those are relatively inexpensive fixes.
If your unit is over 8 years old and you’re looking at a major repair—like a leaking tank or a failed heat exchanger—replacement is usually the smarter move. You’ll spend money on the repair, and then likely face another failure within a year or two anyway.
Leaking tanks can’t be repaired. Once the tank itself starts leaking, the unit is done. That’s not a part you can replace—it’s the whole system. We’ll always give you an honest assessment of whether repair or replacement makes more financial sense for your situation.
The most obvious sign is no hot water, but there are usually warnings before it gets to that point. Inconsistent water temperature is a big one—if your shower goes from hot to cold without anyone else using water, something’s wrong.
Strange noises like popping, banging, or rumbling usually mean sediment buildup. As the water heats, it has to force its way through the sediment layer, which creates those sounds. Discolored or rusty water coming from your hot taps means corrosion inside the tank.
Puddles or moisture around the base of the water heater are never normal. Even small leaks can indicate the tank is corroding through. Don’t ignore it—small leaks become big leaks fast, and a ruptured tank can dump 40 to 50 gallons of water into your home in minutes.
A standard tank water heater replacement typically runs between $1,200 and $2,500 depending on the size and type of unit. That includes removal of the old heater, installation of the new one, and bringing everything up to current code.
Tankless water heaters cost more upfront—usually $3,000 to $5,000 installed—but they last longer and can reduce your energy bills since they only heat water when you need it. Whether that makes sense depends on how long you plan to stay in your home and how much hot water you use.
The price also depends on whether any additional work is needed. If your current setup isn’t up to code—wrong venting, no expansion tank, outdated connections—those things need to be fixed as part of the installation. We give you a clear estimate upfront so there are no surprises.
Legally, no. Florida requires licensed plumbers to install water heaters. There are good reasons for that—improper installation can lead to gas leaks, carbon monoxide poisoning, electrical hazards, flooding, and code violations that cause problems when you try to sell your home.
Water heaters involve gas lines or electrical connections, water supply lines, pressure relief valves, and proper venting. Get any of those wrong and you’re looking at serious safety issues or expensive damage. Insurance companies can also deny claims if they find out unlicensed work caused the problem.
We’ve been called out to fix a lot of DIY water heater installations over the years. By the time we’re done correcting the mistakes and bringing everything up to code, the homeowner has spent more than they would have if they’d hired a professional from the start.
Tank water heaters store 40 to 80 gallons of hot water and keep it heated all the time. When you turn on a hot water tap, you’re drawing from that stored supply. They’re less expensive upfront and easier to install, but they can run out of hot water if you use more than the tank holds.
Tankless water heaters heat water on demand as it flows through the unit. You never run out of hot water, and you’re not paying to keep a tank hot 24/7. They last longer too—usually 15 to 20 years compared to 8 to 12 for tank models.
The tradeoff is cost and flow rate. Tankless units are more expensive to buy and install, and they have a maximum flow rate. If you’re running multiple showers, the dishwasher, and the washing machine all at once, a single tankless unit might struggle to keep up. For most Georgiana homes, a quality tank water heater still makes the most sense unless you have specific needs that justify the extra investment in tankless.
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