Water Heater Rental vs. Buyout: Which Option is Best?

If your water heater is eight years old or more, you might wonder if you should just buy it out. But continuing your rental agreement for an older water heater gives you ongoing coverage for maintenance and repairs* — even after the manufacturer’s warranty is done.*

Since older water heaters, like all equipment, may be prone to more breakdowns near the end of their lifetime after the manufacturer’s warranty has expired and a single repair (e.g. ventor assembly repair+) could cost more than what’s left on your rental agreement, buying out could actually end up costing you more.

Ongoing Protection, Low Monthly Payments

Here are some facts to help you decide whether you should continue to rent or buy out your water heater:

RentalBuyout
ProtectionYour Enercare AdvantageTM rental gives you peace of mind with free maintenance and repairs for the life of your unit.** Our trained technicians carry out all their work to the highest standards of quality and timeliness.When you buy your unit, you take on the responsibility of paying for all repairs, parts and labour. 
CostYou pay one predictable, competitive monthly fee for your Enercare AdvantageTM rental.You pay a single lump sum buyout fee and assume ongoing costs of maintenance and repair.
SupportEnercare AdvantageTM  gives you unlimited service calls* and 24/7 access to 700+ certified technicians, with same-day service if you call before 5 p.m.** and disposal of any tank that’s no longer up to code.***You may have some coverage under the manufacturer’s warranty, but that will expire at some point with an older unit. Even if a warranty is available, you will still need to find a third-party contractor to carry out servicing and repairs. 

What Could Maintenance and Repairs Cost?

When you buy your water heater outright, a single service call could cost several hundred dollars

Typical Water Heater Repairs +  

PartsParts and Labour Costs (Customer-Owned Tank)
Venter Assembly$827.00 + Tax
Gas Valve$526.00 + Tax
Flame Sensor$342.00 + Tax
Thermocouple$183.00 + Tax

What Our Customers Think About Us

4.8
Average Based on 105000+ Google Reviews

Akbar fixed our leaky water heater and provided suggestions on how to protect the immediate surroundings in the worst case scenarios. Very friendly with great attitude….

Brian IpIn the last week

Syed visited our home to diagnose/troubleshoot our water heater. He was extremely knowledgeable and professional and took the time to explain exactly what was wrong and how to prevent it in the future. His pleasant personality and sense of humor added to the positive experience….

Nikhil NadarajahIn the last week

Sean Kim was excellent—effective, efficient, and very polite…

austin ledrewIn the last week

Steve was on time for the furnace appointment, efficient with his time, yet he communicated well about his findings, so there were no surprises! Very friendly, positive and pleasant!…

Adriana GrandeIn the last week

After our very old furnace broke down we had Enercare come install a heat pump the very next day…on a Saturday! Andrew and Chris did an amazing job with the install. They put mats down so our floors would not get dirty. They were polite and respectful. They explained everything they were doing so …

Tanya MacLeodIn the last week

Jesse handy was very efficient and informative helping solve the issues with our heat pump. He was thorough in his explanations and asked if we had any questions. Had suggestions as to how it would be more economical to run the system. Said he will follow up when he gets info from the supplier if…

keithpicardIn the last week

Great experience with the Enercare contractor Kasra who installed my furnace. He was professional, efficient, and very informative, taking the time to explain everything clearly. Excellent work—I would definitely recommend him….

Karl CheongIn the last week

Thank you, Bernard Buzindovyi for thoroughly performed service, on time, left us very satisfying all the explanations and answered all our questions!!! 5 stars!…

ValvikIn the last week

Shawn is a champ…

Joel CarriereIn the last week

We have had enercare in for various plumbing issues over the last year and the quality is always top-notch. Most recently appreciative of Taylor’s and Brandy’s work. We also appreciate the lack of pressure to upsell!…

Catherine M.In the last week

Efficient Clean No headache…

Anthony PinheiroIn the last week

Service outstanding,technician very prompt, pleasant and and fast completing his work on my furnace….

Kerri McallareyIn the last week

Why Choose Enercare to Protect Your Water Heater?

When you stick with Enercare AdvantageTM, you continue to enjoy: 

Unlimited service calls* 

24/7 access to 700+ licensed technicians 

Free repairs and maintenance for the life of your water heater**

Water Heater Terms and Conditions and Buyout Schedule