Heater leaking or relief valve spraying?
Close the cold-water valve above the water heater. Set a gas heater’s control to OFF or turn off an electric heater’s breaker, and keep away from hot water. If you smell gas, leave first, then call 911 and Atmos Energy at 866-322-8667. Our Fort Worth gas leak page explains what happens next. Then call us at (682) 284-0966.
Fort Worth Water buys raw water from the Tarrant Regional Water District and treats it at its own plants. Its sources are Lake Worth, Eagle Mountain, Lake Bridgeport, Benbrook, Richland-Chambers and Cedar Creek reservoirs and the Clear Fork of the Trinity River, and the water is disinfected with chloramines. The city’s water report is direct about what’s in it: the water is usually hard enough to coat the inside of metal pipes and fixtures. Inside a water heater, those minerals collect as sediment and scale.
Ready for a new heater? See water heater replacement and tankless installation, or all our Fort Worth plumbing services.
Fort Worth’s homes are newer than you might think
The Census (ACS 2020–2024) counts about 374,000 homes in Fort Worth, with a median build year of 1994, newer than Dallas or most older suburbs. About 44% were built in 2000 or later, mostly on the far north and southwest sides, while about a third predate 1980. About 65% are single-family detached houses. That means a lot of water heaters that are original to the house and reaching the end of their service life, alongside historic homes on their third or fourth heater.
What we see by era
Historic districts
About 10% of homes, in areas like Fairmount, Mistletoe Heights and Arlington Heights. Heaters often sit in added closets or attics, so we check the venting and gas connection on every call.
Postwar south and east
About 24% of homes. Old shutoff valves and connectors near the heater are often worth replacing along with the heater.
Steady growth
About 23% of homes. Garage and attic tanks are common; we check pans, drain lines and relief valve discharge.
Far north and southwest
About 44% of homes. Many still have their original builder-installed heater, and many of the newest have tankless units that need descaling in Fort Worth water.
Fort Worth water and what it does to a water heater
Fort Worth water at a glance
- Supplier: Fort Worth Water, the city’s water utility, using raw water from the Tarrant Regional Water District.
- Sources: Lake Worth, Eagle Mountain, Lake Bridgeport, Benbrook, Richland-Chambers and Cedar Creek reservoirs, and the Clear Fork of the Trinity River.
- Hardness: 108 to 150 ppm total hardness (6 to 9 grains per gallon) in the 2025 water quality report, with calcium of 37.6 to 48.1 ppm. On the USGS scale that spans moderately hard to hard.
- Disinfection: chloramines.
- Questions about your water: Fort Worth Water customer service, 817-392-4477.
Heat speeds that up. In a water heater, hard water leaves sediment on the tank bottom, scale on electric elements and buildup in tankless heat exchangers.
Fort Worth water heater repairs
| Problem | Common cause | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Popping, rumbling or slow recovery | Sediment on the tank bottom | Flush the tank, or replace it if it’s damaged |
| Not enough hot water (electric) | Scaled or failed element, or a failed thermostat | Test and replace the failed part |
| Gas heater won’t light | Thermocouple, igniter, flame sensor or gas valve | Diagnose and replace the part |
| Tankless error codes | Scale in the heat exchanger or a clogged inlet screen | Descale and clean |
| Relief valve discharging | High temperature or pressure, or a worn valve | Find the cause; replace the T&P valve if needed |
| Puddle under the heater | Leaking fitting or drain valve, or a failed tank | Repair the fitting; replace a leaking tank |
Fort Worth permits and inspections for water heaters
What the City of Fort Worth requires
- Permit: per the city, “changing, installing, moving or repairing plumbing, including water heaters and shower pans requires a plumbing permit.” Applications can be made online.
- Who can pull it: the applicant must be a registered contractor or meet the city’s homestead permit requirements.
- Gas inspection: on a gas heater, the city’s gas inspection looks for a sediment trap after the shutoff, approved flexible connectors and a separate shutoff for each appliance; in attics, valves must be rated above 145°F.
- Final inspection: the plumbing final checks that water heaters are installed and working, gas appliances are connected and tested, and venting, energy requirements and shutoff valves are in place.
- Contact: Development Services, 817-392-2222.
Staggs Plumbing is registered with the City of Fort Worth and pulls the water heater permit itself. We install to those inspection checklists so the replacement passes the first time.
From call to hot water
Inspect
We check the tank, venting, gas or electric supply, relief valve and drain pan, and read the data plate for age and capacity.
Quote
You get a written flat-rate price for repair, or replacement if the tank is done.
Repair
Most repairs are one part or one visit. A leaking tank gets replaced.
Permit and inspect
For a replacement, we pull the Fort Worth permit and meet the gas and final inspections.
Keep it, replace it, or go tankless?
- Keep it when the tank is sound and a part has failed: element, thermostat, thermocouple, igniter, gas valve or drain valve.
- Replace it when the tank leaks or is rusted through. A builder-original heater in a 2000s house is a common candidate.
- Go tankless for endless hot water or to free up space. Fort Worth’s 6–9 grain water means a tankless unit should be descaled periodically.
Water heater problem in Fort Worth? Start here.
Take these steps:
- Leaking: close the cold-water valve above the heater.
- Shut off energy: gas control to OFF, or turn off the electric breaker.
- Smell gas: leave, then call 911 and Atmos at 866-322-8667.
- Protect the area: move belongings out of the water’s path; in an attic install, check the ceiling below.
- Call (682) 284-0966 for a diagnosis and written price.
Fort Worth neighborhoods we serve
We serve Fort Worth ZIP codes from 76102 downtown to 76137 and 76140: Fairmount, Mistletoe Heights, Arlington Heights, Riverside and the North Side, the south and east sides, and the newer far north and southwest neighborhoods.
Many of those far north and southwest homes went up after 2000, which is why we see a lot of original water heaters there.
Fort Worth water heater FAQ
How hard is Fort Worth water?
Fort Worth Water’s 2025 report lists total hardness of 108 to 150 ppm, or 6 to 9 grains per gallon. The city says that’s usually hard enough to coat the inside of metal pipes and fixtures.
Where does Fort Worth get its water?
From Lake Worth, Eagle Mountain, Lake Bridgeport, Benbrook, Richland-Chambers and Cedar Creek reservoirs and the Clear Fork of the Trinity River. The raw water comes through the Tarrant Regional Water District, and the city treats it and disinfects it with chloramines.
Do I need a permit to replace a water heater in Fort Worth?
Yes. The city requires a plumbing permit to change, install, move or repair a water heater. It must be pulled by a registered contractor or by a homeowner who meets the homestead permit requirements.
What does the city inspect on a gas water heater?
The gas inspection checks for a sediment trap after the shutoff, approved flex connectors and a separate shutoff for each appliance, plus heat-rated valves in attics. The final inspection confirms the heater is installed, working, vented and connected correctly.
My house was built in the 2000s. Is my water heater due?
If it’s the original heater, check the date code on the data plate. An original tank in a 2000s or early 2010s home is getting old. Signs it’s failing include rust-colored water, rumbling and moisture at the base.
Is tankless a good fit for Fort Worth?
It can be. With 6 to 9 grains of hardness, tankless units build scale in the heat exchanger, so plan on periodic descaling.
