Do I Have to Have Plumbing Changes to Install a Tankless Water Heater?

If you’re thinking about upgrading your current water heater to a tankless model, you may be wondering how involved the installation process is. There are some changes that need to be made to your existing plumbing, but the number of changes depends on what you already have in place—or don’t.

When you need water heater service in Salt Lake City, you can trust our team to help. You can schedule an appointment for an in-home assessment to review what you can expect during a tankless water heater installation. In the meantime, you can keep reading to learn more about some of the common changes we have to make to hones during a tankless water heater installation.

Adding a Water Filter

If you don’t already have a whole house water filter in place, you may want to consider adding one for a tankless water heater. The impact of minerals from hard water also matters when you have a tank water heater. However, since the lines of a tankless water heater are much smaller, these minerals can have an impact much sooner.

When you install a whole house water filtration system, you eliminate the minerals from hard water before the water ever enters your home to begin with. You won’t have to worry about corrosion or clogs with your tankless water heater when you install a whole-house water filter. This household addition can also reduce the amount of maintenance that you need over the years for a tankless water heater, even extending the lifespan of your unit.

Upgrading Gas Lines

If you plan to have a tankless water heater that utilizes gas service, you may have to run new lines for your tank with the unit. Tankless models don’t work with the same types of gas lines that a more traditional tank model can use. This is because there are differences in the gas pressure for each type of water heater. A tankless water heater needs to use more gas upon turning on because of the way it operates.

Tankless water heaters still use less energy overall compared to tank models, they just use it in a different way. You also want to consider that if you don’t already have gas lines installed, you may want to invest in them during the tankless water heater installation process. Gas is a much better way to produce heat compared to electricity and a gas-powered tankless water heater will ultimately be more efficient compared to an electric model.

Adjusting Exhaust

With the difference in how a tankless water heater uses gas, you also have to make adjustments to the exhaust. Just like a tankless water heater needs more gas power to provide heat, it also needs a better exhaust system for removing carbon monoxide and other exhaust air from your home. This isn’t just for convenience. It’s actually a major safety concern.

We know that these additional steps can seem overwhelming. It may make you feel like investing in a tankless water heater is a bigger project than what you can take on. However, we complete tankless water heater installation all the time, and we can make the process as easy as possible.