
Water Heaters
Repair and replacement for tank and tankless water heaters that leak, make noise or run out of hot water too fast.
Orange stains in the tub, white crust on the faucets or a well that hasn't been tested in years. We test your water, explain the results in plain English and install the softener or filter your home actually needs. From our office on West Elm Street, serving McHenry County.

We install and service:
Remove the hardness minerals that leave scale in water heaters, fixtures and pipes.
Take out the iron that stains sinks, tubs and laundry orange.
Catch sand and particles before they reach fixtures and appliances.
Under-sink reverse osmosis for cooking and drinking water.
McHenry County gets its water from shallow and deep aquifers, so what comes out of the tap depends on which wells feed your home. Groundwater here tends to be hard, and some areas carry iron or manganese. A water test tells you exactly what's in yours.
If you're on a private well, testing matters even more. Health officials recommend testing private wells regularly, because no utility is doing it for you. We test for hardness, iron and other common issues and use the results to recommend only what your home needs.
Water is one of the biggest plumbing stories in McHenry County.
Groundwater tends to be hard across the county. It leaves scale on fixtures, sediment in water heaters and a film on glass shower doors.
Orange or rust-colored stains in sinks, tubs and toilets usually come from iron. Outside city limits, unincorporated Eastwood Manor, on a small private water system, lived with iron-heavy water for years until a filtration upgrade in 2025.
Many homes outside city limits in McHenry County are on private wells. Testing is the owner's job, and a filter or softener is often part of the setup.
A softener that's out of salt, set wrong or not regenerating lets hardness right through. We service and adjust them.
Test first, then recommend.
At your tap, explained plainly.
Softener, iron filter or both, sized to your water and household.
One price, and we show you how to maintain it.

4.7 stars from 5,669+ Google reviews across all J. Blanton locations.
"Edgar's the man. Not only did he install my water heater, but asked to test the quality of the water to see if that could've lead to the damage and the leak of my last water heater. My water was at a 7 on the hardness scale, and it's supposed to be at 2 or 3. So he reccomends a new water softener, and im thankful that he did. [...]"
"Matt W came out and worked a big job (water softener and sump pump) efficiently and with great attitude and humor! Ho got everything done quickly and was very informative"
"Ron was perfect. He came to do the job at hand and explained various pieces of information along the way that helped me understand the root causes of what we were dealing with and how to avoid problems in the future. [...] Didn't try and push the sale like some companies do, but was more or less educating on what the options were and what they entailed in full so we would know what to expect if we decided to go down those paths."
Usually iron in the water.
Orange or rust-colored stains usually come from iron in the water. It isn't a health hazard, but it stains fixtures and laundry and settles in your water heater. An iron filter takes it out.
Most homes on hard groundwater benefit. A test confirms it.
Most homes on hard groundwater see a real difference: less scale, longer water heater life and fewer spots. A test shows how hard your water is so you can decide.
Regularly. Health officials suggest at least once a year for bacteria.
Health officials generally recommend testing a private well at least once a year for bacteria, and after any flooding or changes in taste, color or smell. We can test for hardness and iron at the same time.
It may not be regenerating, or the settings are wrong.
The softener may not be regenerating, the resin may be worn out or the hardness setting may be too low for your water. We can test and adjust it.
It depends on the system and your water. You get a flat price first.
It depends on the type and size of the system and how it connects to your plumbing. We give you a flat-rate price before any work begins.
Annual Protection Plan
Most plumbing problems start small. The No Drip Club brings a J. Blanton plumber to your home for regular maintenance, so small issues get caught before they turn into big repairs.


Repair and replacement for tank and tankless water heaters that leak, make noise or run out of hot water too fast.

Slow, gurgling or backed-up drains in kitchens, bathrooms and basements.

Tree roots, cracked pipe and repeat backups in the line from your house to the street.

Running toilets, leaky shower valves and new fixture installs.

Hidden leaks behind walls, under floors and around fixtures, found and fixed.

Sump pump repair, replacement and battery backups to keep your basement dry through heavy rain.

Burst pipes, sewer backups and no hot water, any time of day or night.
Our McHenry office is at 3406 W Elm St, and our phone line is open 24/7.
We also serve Johnsburg, Wonder Lake, Ringwood, Spring Grove, Lakemoor, Fox Lake, Island Lake, Woodstock and more.