Water Heater Installation in North Bay
Water heater installation in North Bay is a licensed replacement-and-new-install service from Poly-B Plumbing for electric tank and electric tankless water heaters in North Bay, Callander, Sturgeon Falls, Powassan and the surrounding communities. A code-compliant installation is a tank sized to the household, new supply connections, a temperature and pressure relief valve piped to a safe discharge, an expansion tank where the system is closed, a mixing valve set to the Ontario limit at the fixtures, and the electrical connection made to Electrical Safety Authority requirements. Poly-B does not install gas or propane units and refers those to a TSSA-certified gas technician. Call 705-345-6616.
Service hours
- Monday to Thursday7:00 am to 7:00 pm
- Friday7:00 am to 5:00 pm
- Saturday and SundayClosed
Emergency service is available during business hours only. Members of the $49-per-month plan get priority scheduling.
What Poly-B installs, and what it refers out
| Unit | Poly-B installs it? | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Electric tank water heater (40, 50, 60 gallon) | Yes | The standard replacement in most North Bay homes; sized to the household below |
| Electric tankless water heater | Yes, where the electrical service can carry it | Draws far more current than a tank; often more than an older 100-amp panel can spare |
| Point-of-use electric heater | Yes | Under a distant sink, in a workshop or a bunkie |
| Natural gas or propane tank or tankless | No | Fuel-fired work is TSSA-regulated; Poly-B refers a licensed gas technician and can do the water-side plumbing around the unit |
| Rental tank from a utility or rental company | Plumbing around it, yes; the unit itself, no | The rental company services and replaces its own tanks under your agreement |
Electric tank or electric tankless?
| Electric tank | Electric tankless | |
|---|---|---|
| How it works | Heats and stores 40 to 60 gallons; recovers over an hour or so | Heats water on demand as it passes through; no storage |
| Electrical demand | A standard 30-amp double-pole circuit | Often two or three 40-amp circuits; a panel upgrade is common |
| Cold-water performance | Unaffected; the tank is already hot | Output drops when incoming water is near freezing, which in North Bay is November to April |
| Space | Floor space in the mechanical room | Wall-mounted, small |
| Life and maintenance | 10 to 15 years; anode rod and flush | Longer life; descaling on hard well water |
| Poly-B’s usual advice | Most replacements, cottages, and any home on a well | Homes with 200-amp service, moderate demand, and a reason to lose the tank |
Sizing a tank to the household
| Household | Typical electric tank | When to go bigger |
|---|---|---|
| 1 to 2 people, one bathroom | 40 gallon | A soaker tub |
| 3 to 4 people, two bathrooms | 50 gallon | Two showers in a row every morning |
| 5 or more, or a rental suite on the same tank | 60 gallon, or a second tank for the suite | Laundry and showers overlap daily |
| Cottage used on weekends | 40 gallon, with a drain-down layout for winter | Guests |
Recovery matters more than capacity in winter. Incoming water in North Bay sits near freezing for months, so an electric tank works harder for the same shower; a tank that was marginal in August runs out in February.
What the code requires on every installation
The Ontario Building Code governs the water side of a water heater, and Poly-B installs to it rather than to the quickest swap. A temperature and pressure relief valve piped to a safe discharge, never capped. An expansion tank where a backflow preventer or check valve closes the system, which is most North Bay homes on a meter. A thermostatic mixing valve so that hot water at bathroom fixtures does not exceed 49 degrees, while the tank itself is stored hotter to control bacteria. New supply connections, dielectric fittings between copper and steel, and a drain pan where the tank sits over a finished floor. The electrical connection is made to ESA requirements, with the ESA permit where required. Plumber (306A) is a compulsory trade regulated by Skilled Trades Ontario; Poly-B’s owner is a Red Seal journeyman plumber licensed for plumbing, wells, septic and backflow prevention, with up to $5 million in liability insurance.
Sources: Ontario Building Code, Part 7 Plumbing; TSSA, fuels certification; Skilled Trades Ontario, Plumber (306A).
What a water heater installation costs in North Bay
Poly-B Plumbing quotes water heater installations flat-rate, in writing. The price depends on:
- The unit. Supplied by Poly-B or by you, if it meets spec. Poly-B recommends models with a good anode and parts supply.
- Capacity. A 60-gallon tank costs more than a 40 and needs the floor space.
- What is missing today. An expansion tank, a mixing valve, a proper relief discharge or a drain pan added to meet code.
- Tankless. The electrical work, often a panel upgrade by the electrician, is the largest part of an electric tankless job.
- Removal. The old tank is drained, disconnected and taken away.
A tank replacement takes about a day including delivery; the home is without hot water for a few hours. Members of the $49-per-month plan get priority scheduling and 10 percent off.
Water heaters on wells around North Bay
Homes on wells around Corbeil, Astorville, Bonfield and Powassan draw water that often carries silt and iron. Silt settles on the bottom of a tank and buries the lower element; iron eats the anode rod. Poly-B installs a sediment filter ahead of a new tank where the water warrants it and sets the anode check on a schedule. For a cottage on Lake Nipissing or Trout Lake that is left cold in winter, Poly-B installs the tank with isolation valves and a drain so it can be emptied in an hour in October.
How Poly-B installs a water heater
Assess the system
Existing unit, electrical supply, space, water quality and what code items are missing. For a gas or propane unit, Poly-B refers a licensed gas technician at this step.
Quote and schedule
Written flat-rate quote with the unit, the code items and the timeline.
Remove and install
Old tank drained and removed; new tank set, plumbed with new connections, relief discharge, expansion tank and mixing valve; electrical connected to ESA requirements.
Fill, heat and test
Tank filled and purged of air before power is applied, heated, checked for leaks and correct temperature at the fixtures.
Walkthrough
Shut-offs, the relief valve, the mixing valve setting and the anode schedule explained.
What North Bay customers say
“Paul is such a professional and you’re always updated on when he is coming. Poly-B Plumbing will make sure everything is done on time.”Wayne Macchiusi, Google review, May 2025
“Always done great work and had them out to our houses more than one time.”Dave Melanson, Google review, June 2025
Where Poly-B installs water heaters
Water heater installation questions from North Bay homeowners
Can I switch from a tank to a tankless water heater?
With an electric tankless, usually yes if the electrical service can carry it; Poly-B Plumbing checks the panel capacity, the water flow rate and the space before quoting. Gas tankless units are installed by a licensed gas technician.
Does Poly-B supply the water heater?
Yes, or Poly-B Plumbing installs yours if it meets spec. Poly-B recommends models with a good anode rod and parts availability in North Bay.
Does Poly-B install gas or propane water heaters?
No. Fuel-fired installations are TSSA-regulated work and Poly-B Plumbing is not licensed for them. Poly-B refers a licensed gas technician and handles the water-side plumbing around the unit.
Is an inspection or permit needed?
Poly-B Plumbing installs to the Ontario Building Code and handles ESA permitting for the electrical connection where required.
How long does a water heater installation take?
About a day including delivery, with a few hours without hot water. A like-for-like electric tank swap in an accessible mechanical room is at the short end.
Book a water heater installation in North Bay
Monday to Thursday 7 am to 7 pm, Friday 7 am to 5 pm. Tell Poly-B whether the current unit is electric, gas or a rental and the quote is faster.
Call 705-345-6616 Request a free online quote
Poly-B Plumbing, 1107 Yellek Trail, North Bay, ON P1B 8G5.