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If you’re having problems with your hot water heater and it’s 10 to 15 years old—the typical life span of a gas hot water heater—you may want to consider replacing it rather than repairing it. Water heater replacement costs about $1,300 on average. If your water heater is younger than nine or 10 years, paying for repairs is most likely worth it. You can always have a plumber assess your fixture to see what it would cost to fix it and then decide if it’s more cost-effective in the long run to replace it.

If you're replacing a broken water heater, now is a great time to make sure you're selecting a unit that has the right capacity for your household. According to the U.S. Department of Energy, a small 50-gallon to 60-gallon tank is sufficient for households with one to three people. A medium-sized 80-gallon tank is considered ideal for three to four people. A larger tank may be needed if your household has four to six people.

No. Expansion tanks must be installed on the supply side (where heated water flows out) of the boiler. There’s also a list of other requirements for most boilers, including being above the pressure relief valves, being on the inner side of any circulator, and more. Your installation manual should have more information on expansion tank installation requirements and what sort of tank the system is made for.

A larger heater requires a larger breaker—unless there’s one already installed. The longer answer to this question is more nuanced. Do you place demands on the heater at the same time as running other heavy-duty appliances like ovens and washing machines? Do you live in an older home that may not have considered the higher electrical demands we have now? Breakers need to be sized at 125% of the load. To find that load, you should call a local electrical pro.