Four ways to heat water at home
Most households choose among four setups. Each makes sense in some homes and causes headaches in others, so the table lays out the honest trade-offs.
| Type | Best fit | Trade-off |
|---|---|---|
| Gas tank | Homes with a gas line and a working flue | Needs venting and combustion air, and the tank can run out in a long shower |
| Electric tank | Homes without gas, or closets with no way to vent | Slower recovery than gas, with higher running cost in many homes |
| Heat pump (hybrid) tank | Homes with a roomy space and air to draw from | Needs clearance, a condensate drain and a suitable circuit. It also runs louder than a plain tank |
| Tankless, gas or electric | Households that want endless hot water and wall space back | Needs a large gas line or a big circuit, and yearly flushing |
Tankless units get their own treatment on the tankless page. If you are replacing a failed tank with the same type, the replacement page is the better starting point.
Heat pump water heaters: space, airflow and incentives
A heat pump unit pulls heat from the air around it and moves it into the tank. That means it needs open air, roughly the volume of a small utility room, and it makes a fan sound. It also cools the room it sits in. Tell us where you plan to put it and we will say honestly if the space works.
The federal 25C credit covered heat pump water heater installs through December 31, 2025, and the IRS says it is not available for 2026 installs. Duke Energy publishes a heat pump water heater rebate page, but we could not confirm that it applies in North Carolina or that it is open now. Ask Duke Energy before you plan around it. We do not quote rebate amounts.
The expansion tank, in plain words
Water expands when it heats. If a check valve or pressure regulator makes your plumbing a closed system, that extra volume has nowhere to go and pressure spikes each time the heater fires. A small thermal expansion tank on the cold line soaks up the swing.
We check pressure with a gauge at a hose bib and look for the valve that closes the system. If the pressure climbs, the expansion tank goes in with the heater.
Venting, combustion air and the gas connection
A gas heater is only as safe as its flue. The vent has to rise with a steady pitch, connect tight and end where exhaust can leave the house. A closet needs a way to draw combustion air. We also add a sediment trap and a shutoff on the gas line near the unit, and use a listed flex connector.
Electric and heat pump units skip the flue but need a circuit sized to the nameplate. When the panel is full or old, an electrician may need to be involved, and we tell you before the day of the install.
Code and permits for Morrisville installs
North Carolina's 2024 Plumbing Code became mandatory on July 1, 2025. It is built on the 2021 International Plumbing Code with North Carolina amendments, and licensed plumbers install to it.
The Town of Morrisville Inspections Department says a plumbing permit is required for installing a plumbing system. A like-for-like water heater swap in a one or two family home is generally exempt, provided the fuel, location and routing of venting and piping stay the same. A new install, a fuel change or a relocation usually falls outside that. Confirm with the Inspections Department at 919-463-6190 before work starts.
Source: Town of Morrisville Residential Inspections page and ICC code update
Relocating a water heater
Moving a heater from a closet to a garage, or from an attic to a ground-floor space, frees room and reduces damage risk. It also changes piping, venting and electrical work, which is why it sits on the permit side of the question and not the simple swap side.
Before you move a tank
- Pick a spot where a leak will find a drain, not finished flooring
- Check that a gas flue can reach the roof or wall with proper pitch
- Confirm the new location has combustion air and clearances
- Ask the Inspections Department whether the move needs a permit
- Plan a pan with a drain line to a visible spot
What an installation day looks like
A standard tank installation takes most of a working day when nothing surprising turns up.
- 01
Walk the space
We check clearance, venting, gas or electric supply and the route for the discharge pipe.
- 02
Rough in
New supply lines, shutoff valves, gas and electric connections, and the pan and expansion tank where needed.
- 03
Set and connect
The unit is set, level, strapped where required and connected with flex connectors.
- 04
Fill, fire and test
Air is purged, joints are checked, the flue is tested for draft and the temperature is set.
What changes the price of a water heater installation
Installations vary more than swaps because more can change. A clear price before work starts covers the full scope.
Type of heater
Tank, heat pump and tankless units differ widely in equipment and labor.
New runs
Gas pipe, vent runs, electric circuits or a condensate drain add materials and time.
Location
A new spot may need new piping, a platform or a pan with a drain line.
Permits and inspections
If the town requires a permit, the application and inspection time belong to the job.
Add-ons
Expansion tanks, mixing valves and recirculation lines each add parts and labor.
Insurance does not usually cover a planned upgrade. It may help if a covered event, such as sudden water damage, forced the replacement, so keep your photos and invoices.
Call and describe the space. We will say what the job involves before work starts.
Choosing a licensed installer
North Carolina licenses plumbing contractors through the State Board of Examiners of Plumbing, Heating and Fire Sprinkler Contractors. The board's website has a public license search, and checking it takes two minutes. Our plumbers are licensed and insured.
A water heater touches gas, electricity, water and venting at once. Related work such as new fixtures or branch piping falls under plumbing installation, and a gas run is handled as gas line work.
Questions we hear
A replacement swaps one unit for the same fuel type in the same place. An installation includes a new location, a new fuel, a new type of heater or a new vent route, and it often needs more parts and a permit conversation.
If your plumbing is a closed system, yes. We measure water pressure and look for the valve that closes the system. The reading decides.
Usually not. It needs air to draw from and clearance around it. We assess the space and tell you plainly.
The federal credit has ended for 2026 installs, per the IRS. Duke Energy has a published rebate page, but we could not confirm North Carolina eligibility, so ask Duke Energy.
A like-for-like swap is generally exempt in a one or two family home, but a new location or a fuel change usually is not. Confirm with the Inspections Department at 919-463-6190.
A standard tank usually takes most of a working day. Relocations, new gas runs and electrical work add time, and we tell you before we start.