In Advance, replace the water heater when the tank starts leaking, the hot water turns discolored, or repairs keep stacking up on an aging unit. Because Advance is unincorporated, the permit runs through Davie County's Inspections Division. Call the number on this page to be connected with a local plumber in Advance.
Clues that it's replacement time
- Moisture or a slow drip from the bottom seam of the tank
- Cloudy, gritty or rust-tinted hot water
- Pilot outages or tripped elements happening more than once a season
- Noisy heating cycles caused by sediment that flushing no longer clears
- A heater installed with the house twenty or more years ago
An actual leak from the tank body settles the question. For the rest, a plumber can compare the cost of a part against the remaining life of the heater.
The Advance picture
Advance covers a spread of crossroads communities along the Yadkin River in eastern Davie County, roughly 13 miles from Winston-Salem. Homes here are newer than in most Triad towns: survey data puts the median year built at 2001, with under a third of homes from before 1980. That means plenty of original heaters from the late 1990s and early 2000s are now well past a typical service life and failing on their own schedule.
Water comes from Davie County Public Utilities where its lines reach, and the county system is chlorinated surface water from the Yadkin and South Yadkin rivers. Other homes in the area may be on private wells, which no source has counted, so tell the plumber which you have.
Since Advance has no town government, building permits go through Davie County Planning and Development Services, Inspections Division, in Mocksville, which uses an online permit portal. Piedmont Natural Gas serves Davie County, though mains don't reach every road. If you smell gas, leave the house and call 911 or Piedmont at 800-752-7504 once you're outside.
Price drivers
- Gas versus electric, and the gallons you need
- Standard, high-efficiency, tankless or heat pump equipment
- Where the heater sits, such as a garage, closet or crawl space
- Code updates to the relief line, pan, venting or shutoffs
- Permit handling and disposal of the old unit
Making the call
You'll be put through to an independent plumber who covers Advance and the rest of eastern Davie County. Share the heater's age and fuel, whether you're on county water or a well, and the community you live in so the plumber knows the drive. If the old tank is actively leaking, close its cold supply valve and switch off the power or gas before you dial.
Water Heater Replacement questions in Advance
Who issues the permit for a replacement water heater in this area?
Does being on a private well change how the heater should be replaced?
Who supplies natural gas here, and what should I do if I smell gas?
Is a tankless unit worth it when the old tank is coming out anyway?
More plumbing services in Advance
Water Heater Replacement nearby
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