No hot water? Leaking tank? Big Mike’s repairs tank, tankless, gas, and electric water heaters across Wayne, Macomb & Oakland County — same-day during business hours. We service every major brand including Rheem, Bradford White, A.O. Smith, Navien, and Rinnai. Licensed for gas water heater work, registered for CO testing.
No hot water right now?
(313) 398-0504
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Gas water heater work requires licensed technicians — handymen aren’t legally allowed to touch gas appliances in Michigan. Big Mike’s is BBB Accredited with verified credentials. View our profile before letting anyone work on your water heater.
View Our BBB Profile →Water heaters fail in predictable ways, and Detroit’s hard water makes some problems more common than others. Here’s what we diagnose most often — call (313) 398-0504 if your unit is doing one of these.
If your water heater is at end of life, you’ve got a real decision to make. Detroit’s hard water makes both choices viable, but they fit different homes. Here’s the straight comparison without sales pressure.
Best fit for tankless: Large families, basement utilities with good venting access, homeowners staying 8+ years.
Best fit for tank: Tight budgets, simple no-fuss replacements, homes with limited venting options.
Tank or tankless, gas or electric, residential or commercial — Big Mike’s repairs and installs water heaters for every Detroit Metro setup. Licensed for gas appliance work, registered for CO testing.
Heating element, thermostat, gas valve, thermocouple, pilot assembly. Same-day diagnosis.
Pressure relief valve, supply line, drain valve, T&P valve. Tank leaks = replacement quote.
Annual flush for Detroit hard water. Restores capacity, efficiency, and adds 3-5 years of life.
Detroit hard water clogs tankless systems. Annual descaling keeps Navien/Rinnai/Noritz running.
Sacrificial anode rod protects tank from corrosion. Replace every 5-7 years for max tank life.
Licensed gas appliance work — pilot ignition, thermocouple, gas valve diagnosis and replacement.
Tank replacement or tankless conversion. Permits, venting, gas line work, recirculation pumps.
Restaurants, multi-unit properties, retail. Service and replacement on commercial systems.
The $79 service call gets a licensed tech to your door with a full diagnosis. Approve the repair same visit and the $79 is credited to your repair total. No surprise fees, no “while I’m here” upsells, no emergency surcharges.
Real reviews from Detroit Metro customers — across furnace, AC, water heater, and emergency calls.
Fast, reliable, and affordable! Arrived in under an hour, diagnosed the problem on the spot, sourced the parts themselves, and had me running again quickly.
Communication was excellent throughout. Pricing was very fair compared to other quotes I received. Quality of work was top notch.
Pricing is the best out of all of them. Communication was great. Will recommend to friends and family.
Cheaper than the rest and they did a great job. Would definitely use them again.
Real answers from 20+ years of Detroit Metro water heater experience. Don’t see your question? Call (313) 398-0504 — talking is free.
Big Mike’s offers same-day water heater repair across Detroit Metro Monday through Saturday, 9 AM to 5 PM ET. No-hot-water and leaking-tank calls get priority — most Wayne County calls are on-site within 2-4 hours.
Call (313) 398-0504 and we’ll dispatch immediately if available. Calling at 4:50 PM with a leak that’s spreading? We’ll still pick up.
Pricing depends on the problem and water heater type. Typical Detroit pricing:
• Service call/diagnostic: $79 (credited toward repair)
• Heating element: $150-$350
• Thermostat: $150-$300
• Thermocouple: $150-$300
• Pilot assembly: $200-$400
• Anode rod: $200-$400
• Gas valve: $350-$650
• Pressure relief valve: $150-$250
• Sediment flush: $150-$250
• Tankless descaling: $200-$400
• Tankless flow sensor: $300-$500
• Full tank replacement: $1,500-$2,800 installed
Written estimates before any work.
Yes — leaking water heaters need immediate attention to prevent water damage.
First steps:
1. Turn off the cold water supply valve at the top of the tank.
2. Turn off the gas (rotate valve to OFF) or flip the electric breaker.
3. If the leak is significant, shut off your main water supply to the house.
4. Move valuables and electronics away from the area.
5. Call us at (313) 398-0504.
Where the leak is coming from determines repair vs replacement:
• Pressure relief valve leak: $150-$250 repair
• Drain valve leak: Often replaceable
• Supply line leak: Plumbing fix
• Tank leak: Replacement — tanks can’t be patched safely
Most common no-hot-water causes by water heater type:
Gas tank water heater:
• Pilot light out ($150-$300 to fix)
• Failed thermocouple ($150-$300)
• Bad gas valve ($350-$650)
• Tripped flammable vapor sensor
• Gas supply issue
Electric tank water heater:
• Tripped breaker
• Failed upper or lower heating element ($150-$350)
• Failed thermostat ($150-$300)
• High-limit reset tripped
Tankless water heater:
• Dirty flame sensor
• Clogged inlet filter
• Scale buildup needing descaling ($200-$400)
• Ignition failure
• Gas/water flow rate issue
Old water heater (10+ years) with no hot water often signals end of life — we provide honest repair-vs-replace math.
These sounds usually mean sediment buildup. As water heats, minerals (calcium and magnesium common in Detroit hard water) settle to the bottom of the tank. Sediment traps water underneath, which boils and creates popping/rumbling.
Detroit’s water hardness makes this very common — the fix is a sediment flush ($150-$250) which can restore years of life to the heater.
If the noise continues after flushing, the tank may be damaged from years of heat stress on sediment — replacement is likely. Annual flushing prevents the buildup.
Tankless systems make different sounds, mostly from scale buildup, fixed with descaling.
Repair-vs-replace decision rules:
• Under 8 years old + repair under $400: Repair
• 8-12 years old + repair under $600: Usually repair if no rust
• 12+ years old OR major issue (tank leak): Replace
• Tankless under 15 years + repair under $800: Repair
• Tankless 15+ years: Replace
Signs replacement is needed:
• Rust-colored hot water (tank corroding from inside)
• Tank exterior corrosion
• Water pooling under tank
• Repeated repairs in past year
Modern 50-gallon gas tank water heater runs $1,500-$2,800 installed. Tankless conversion runs $3,500-$6,500 but lasts twice as long. We give honest recommendations — we don’t push unnecessary replacements.
Tankless pros:
• Endless hot water (great for large families or back-to-back showers)
• 20-30% energy savings on water heating
• 20+ year lifespan vs 10-12 for tanks
• Takes up less space
• Federal 25C tax credit up to $600 on qualifying units
Tankless cons:
• Higher upfront cost ($3,500-$6,500 vs $1,500-$2,800 for tank)
• Needs proper venting and may need larger gas line
• Limited simultaneous hot water flow (can’t run dishwasher + 2 showers at once unless properly sized)
• In Detroit hard water, requires annual descaling
Best fit for tankless: Homes with high hot water demand, basement utilities with venting access, homeowners staying 8+ years.
Best fit for tank: Simple no-fuss replacement, lower budget, homes with already-good venting for tank.
Yes — we service all major tankless brands including Navien, Rinnai, Noritz, Rheem (Performance Platinum / Pro Series), Bosch, Stiebel Eltron, EcoSmart, A.O. Smith, and Takagi.
Common tankless issues:
• Scale buildup needing descaling (every 1-2 years in Detroit hard water)
• Dirty flame sensor
• Clogged inlet water filter
• Ignition failures
• Flow sensor issues
• Control board failures
• Venting problems
Tankless repair pricing:
• Descaling: $200-$400
• Flow sensor: $300-$500
• Flame sensor service: $150-$300
• Control board replacement: $400-$800
The $79 covers a licensed Big Mike’s technician coming to your home, fully diagnosing the water heater problem (electrical test for electric, gas pressure and combustion check for gas, flow and pressure test for tankless, leak source diagnosis), and providing a written estimate before any repair work begins.
If you approve the repair that same visit, the $79 is credited toward the repair total. No hidden fees, no surprise add-ons. Same rate for emergency calls as routine maintenance — no surcharges.
Average water heater lifespan by type:
• Tank gas water heater: 8-12 years
• Tank electric water heater: 10-15 years (no combustion to wear it down)
• Tankless gas water heater: 20-25 years with regular descaling
• Tankless electric: 15-20 years
Detroit’s hard water shortens these by 1-3 years if not flushed annually.
Signs you’re nearing end of life:
• Rust-colored hot water
• Declining hot water capacity
• Increased energy bills
• Water heater making more noise than usual
• Age past 10 years for tanks
Annual maintenance (sediment flush for tanks, descaling for tankless) adds 3-5 years of useful life.
All major water heater brands:
Tank brands: Rheem, Bradford White, A.O. Smith, State, GE, Whirlpool, Reliance, American, Kenmore, Ruud, Vaughn, John Wood.
Tankless brands: Navien, Rinnai, Noritz, Bosch, Stiebel Eltron, EcoSmart, Takagi, Rheem tankless.
Commercial brands also serviced. We carry stock of common parts for major brands and source specialty parts same-day from local supply houses when possible.
Yes — fully credentialed:
• Michigan Mechanical Licensed (required for gas water heater work in MI)
• Registered for CO testing (required after any gas water heater service)
• BBB Accredited Business
• Fully insured with general liability and workers comp
• Registered with all Wayne County cities for permits
License numbers available on request. Many handymen aren’t licensed to work on gas water heaters in Michigan — it’s illegal for them and dangerous for you.