What Does It Take to Install a Tankless Water Heater?
Learn about the property updates that are needed to accommodate a tankless water heater
Are you interested in getting a new tankless water heater for your home or business? If this is your first foray into the world of on-demand hot water, you may be very excited to enjoy benefits like:
- Instant hot water that never runs out
- Improved energy efficiency with no standby heat loss
- Lower monthly hot water bills
- Reduced footprint for more space in your utility room
- Life expectancy of 20+ years
However, you also need to prepare yourself for what may be a very involved and rather costly installation process. Here are the main updates that are typically necessary when upgrading from a traditional water heater to a tankless model:
Platform: If you are installing your tankless water heater in a basement, a covered platform needs to be built to position the unit in such a way that its vents will clear the floor joists.
Ventilation: Tankless water heaters must be vented to the outside. This may involve cutting a new hole in the exterior wall to accommodate the vent piping.
Electrical: All tankless water heaters require electrical power to run their fans and electronics. This means you may need to have an electrician come out and run new wiring to the unit, making sure that the system can handle the additional load. If you have an older home you may need to redo the wiring to allow 220V power to the unit.
Gas Supply Line: If you are installing a gas-fired tankless water heater, obviously the gas line needs to be extended to reach the unit. A new gas shut off may need to be added to allow maintenance on the unit.
Water Pipes: The water supply line will also need to be extended to reach your new unit, including any necessary shut off valves, supports to hold the vertical pipe run in place, and insulation on the outgoing pipes.
If you would like to learn more about purchasing and installing a new tankless water heater in your property, please contact The Stanley Louis Company. We will be happy to provide whatever information you require, whether you just want to get our expert recommendations as to the best tankless models or you are ready to get an estimate on an installation. You can reach us at 800-217-6527.
