- BBB A+ Rated
- Mesquite Chamber of Commerce Member
- 30+ Years Experience
Water Heater Repair and Installation in Arlington, TX
James Armstrong Plumbing repairs, replaces and installs water heaters in Arlington homes. We install State water heaters in standard tank and tankless models, and we quote the job with one flat price in writing before we start. It does not change if the job runs long.
James Armstrong is a Texas Master Plumber, License M-39428, with more than 30 years in the trade and a BBB A+ rating held since 2018. Our shop is in Mesquite, about 45 minutes from Arlington. Call 214-918-6109.
Licensed Master Plumber
License #M39428
The “Armstrong Clean Promise"
No mess, no stress — that's our guarantee.
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Our Services
Comprehensive Plumbing Solutions for Homes & Businesses
Most Requested 
Plumbing Repairs and Installation
Get fast help from a trusted plumber in the DFW for leaks, fixture installs, and upgrades. We restore your plumbing with smooth, reliable work.
Water Heater Services
From quick fixes to full replacements, our water heater services in Dallas-Fort Worth, keep your hot water steady. We work on all standard and tankless models.
Most Requested 
Drain Cleaning Services
Stubborn clogs disappear with our drain-cleaning solutions in Texas. We clear the buildup fully so your drains flow the way they should.
Sewer Line Plumbing
Our team handles sewer line plumbing in the DFW , with careful inspection and precise repairs. We keep wastewater moving safely away from your home.
Gas Line Plumbing
Safe and reliable gas line plumbing in the DFW, is just a call away. Whether it’s a leak, repair, or new line, we follow strict safety standards.
Emergency Service
Emergency Service — Available 24/7
Burst pipe? Major leak? Don’t wait. Our emergency team serves the entire DFW area around the clock.
Technician available now
Why Choose Us
Why DFW Homeowners Choose James Armstrong Plumbing
Licensed & Certified Technicians
Our plumbers are fully licensed, professionally trained, and committed to delivering quality workmanship that meets today’s industry standards.
Transparent, Upfront Pricing
No hidden fees and no surprises. Just clear, honest pricing you can trust before we begin any repair or installation.
Fast & Friendly Service
We respect your time. Our technicians arrive promptly, work efficiently, and treat you and your home with courtesy and care.
The Armstrong Clean Promise
Floor protection, shoe covers, and a meticulous cleanup on every job. If your home isn’t cleaner than we found it, we pay for the cleaning.
5-Star Rated by Homeowners Like You
Local families choose us for reliable plumbing and friendly service. Your comfort, safety, and satisfaction are the reasons we do what we do.
Emergency Response Available
Afterhours emergency calls accepted. Call (214) 918-6109.
Where Arlington Water Heaters Sit, by Era
Around UT Arlington and downtown, 1950s and 1960s
The heater is usually in a garage or a hall closet and has been swapped several times. What often has not been touched is the galvanized supply piping feeding it. A replacement is the moment to look at that.
West and southwest Arlington, 1970s and 1980s
Garage and closet units, and some homes with polybutylene at the heater connections. If we see gray plastic supply line there, we will point it out.
South Arlington, 1980s to 2000s
In 76001, 76002, 76017 and 76018, many heaters sit in the attic. When an attic tank fails, the water comes through a finished ceiling. The drain pan needs to be intact, its drain line needs to leave the attic, and the shutoff needs to be reachable without a ladder in the dark. We check all three on every attic unit we touch.
Viridian and north Arlington, 2010s onward
Newer units, often tankless. The common calls are descaling, venting and questions about how the original install was done.
Who Is Allowed to Replace a Water Heater in Arlington
The City of Arlington’s own advice to homeowners is direct. Anyone you hire, under a written or verbal contract, to do work on your property that needs a permit must be registered with the City of Arlington as a contractor. Plumbers are licensed by the Texas State Board of Plumbing Examiners, and you can look a license up there.
The city also flags one warning sign by name: be wary of anyone who asks you to get the permit yourself as an “owner/builder”. It can mean they are not properly licensed to get it.
So ask every plumber who quotes you a water heater three things: their state license number, whether they are registered with the City of Arlington, and whether their price includes the permit and inspection.
Arlington Water and Your Tank
Arlington treats its own drinking water. Arlington Water Utilities buys raw surface water through the Tarrant Regional Water District, from Cedar Creek, Richland-Chambers, Lake Arlington and Lake Benbrook, and treats it at its Pierce-Burch and John F. Kubala plants.
The city says its tap water meets every regulatory requirement and needs no further treatment from a health standpoint, and leaves softening to the homeowner. Third-party compilations of public data place Arlington’s water in the moderately hard range.
Moderately hard water still leaves scale in a tank. Heat pulls the calcium and magnesium out of the water, and it settles on the bottom. The unit runs longer to reach temperature, and on an electric heater the scale builds on the element and burns it out. A popping or rumbling sound during a heating cycle is water flashing to steam under that layer. Flushing the tank once a year is the cheapest way to get its rated life, and on a tankless unit, descaling on schedule matters more than on a tank.
Meet James Armstrong
Meet the Master Plumber Serving Arlington: James Armstrong
James Armstrong has been a Mesquite-resident Master Plumber since 1995. What began as helping neighbors fix leaky faucets turned into a career — and eventually a family business, built on one simple rule: treat people right, do the job with integrity, and always stand behind your work. Today, James and his crew serve Arlington, Sachse, Garland, and the broader DFW metro from the Mesquite headquarters at 844 Dalworth Dr.
“In thirty years of plumbing across the DFW metro, including Arlington, the drain calls almost always come down to two things: tree roots in the older neighborhoods, and grease and hair buildup in the newer developments. We camera-inspect first, then choose hydro-jetting or snaking based on what we actually see — not on what gets you to the highest invoice.”
James Armstrong, Master Plumber • Texas License M-39428 • Founder, James Armstrong Plumbing
Every job comes with the Armstrong Clean Promise — we leave your home cleaner than we found it, guaranteed. No excuses, no mess, no shortcuts. It’s the kind of commitment that’s earned us thousands of repeat customers and a reputation across the DFW metroplex for honest, reliable work.
Emergency Calls Accepted After Hours & Weekends as well.
Our Process
What to Expect When You Call
Call or Book Online
Speak with a real person, not a call center. We schedule at your convenience.
Same-Day Inspection
A licensed plumber evaluates your issue on-site. No guesswork.
Upfront Quote
You approve the price before work begins. The number you see is final.
Clean, Expert Work
Armstrong Clean Promise — we leave your home better than we found it.
Follow-Up Guarantee
We check in within 24 hours and follow up to ensure everything holds.
No hassle estimate · No obligation · Real person answers
Repair or Replace? In Arlington, the Permit Rules Draw the Line for You
The City of Arlington publishes a list of plumbing work that does not need a permit on a one- or two-family home. Replacing a minor part is on it. Replacing the water heater is not. That line matches the honest repair-or-replace answer.
| Repair | Replace | |
|---|---|---|
| What failed | A part: thermostat, heating element, thermocouple, gas control valve, or a leaking fitting at the top of the tank | The tank body is leaking. It has corroded through from the inside, and there is no repair for that |
| Age of the unit | Usually under about 8 years | Usually past 10 years |
| Cost test | The repair is well under half the price of a new unit | The repair approaches half the price of a new unit, or the heater was already repaired recently |
| City of Arlington permit | Usually not required. The city exempts replacing a minor part that does not change the equipment’s approval or make it unsafe | Required. Replacing the water heater is not on the city’s exempt list, so it is permitted work that gets inspected |
| What to do right now | If it is not leaking, it can usually wait for business hours | Close the cold water valve at the top of the tank, turn off the gas or the breaker feeding it, then call |
| How we price it | One flat price, in writing, before we start | One flat price, in writing, before we start |
We give you the repair price and the replacement price, both flat and in writing, and let you decide.
This is general information, not legal advice. Confirm current requirements with the City of Arlington before work begins.
Service Areas
Serving Communities Across Dallas-Fort Worth
- Allen
- Anna
- Arlington
- Azle
- Balch Springs
- Bedford
- Benbrook
- Blue Mound
- Blue Ridge
- Burleson
- Celina
- Colleyville
- Combine
- Dallas
- Everman
- Fairview
- Farmersville
- Flower Mound
- Forest Hill
- Fort Worth
- Frisco
- Garland
- Grand Prairie
- Plano
- Richardson
- Rowlett
- Sunnyvale
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FAQ
Water Heaters in Arlington, TX: Frequently Asked Questions
Have questions? We’ve got answers. Can’t find what you’re looking for? Give us a call anytime.
Yes. Replacing a water heater is not on the City of Arlington's list of plumbing work exempt from permits, so it is permitted and inspected work. The city also says anyone you hire for permitted work must be registered with the City of Arlington as a contractor. This is general information, not legal advice.
Usually not. The city exempts replacing a minor part that does not change the equipment's approval or make it unsafe, and stopping leaks that do not involve replacing valves, pipes or fixtures. A new thermostat, element or thermocouple is typically a repair. A new water heater is not.
A conventional tank typically lasts 8 to 12 years here. Arlington's water is in the moderately hard range, so scale still builds on the bottom of the tank and shortens its life. Flushing once a year is the cheapest way to reach the upper end of that range.
Not for health. The City of Arlington says its tap water needs no further treatment from a health standpoint and leaves softening to the homeowner. For the heater, an annual flush on a tank and scheduled descaling on a tankless unit do most of the work a softener would.
Almost never. Leaking from the tank body means it has corroded through and needs replacement. Close the cold water valve at the top of the tank and turn off the gas or the breaker feeding it, then call us at 214-918-6109.
We install State water heaters in both tank and tankless models.