Project description
My water heater is a 50-gallon tank unit that came with the house and it is at least fourteen years old. It still works, mostly, but the recovery time has gotten noticeably worse, the bottom has started to rust around the drain valve, and I would rather replace it on my own schedule than deal with a flooded utility closet at 2am some winter night. After reading up on the options I have decided to switch to a tankless on-demand unit instead of just swapping in another tank, mainly for the space savings and the promise of not running out of hot water when two people are showering back to back.
The house is on natural gas, so I am looking for a gas-fired tankless model rather than electric, ideally something in the 199,000 BTU range that can handle a three-bathroom household with a dishwasher and washing machine running at the same time. The existing unit sits in a small closet off the garage, and I understand that a tankless install usually needs a larger gas line, a new venting setup through the wall or roof, and possibly an upgraded electrical outlet for the unit's igniter and controls. I would like the plumber to assess all of that during the quote rather than discovering surprises halfway through the job.
Scope of work as I understand it: disconnect and haul away the old tank unit, cap or extend the gas line as needed, mount the new tankless heater and connect water lines with proper isolation valves for future servicing, install correct venting per manufacturer specs, and test the whole system for leaks and proper temperature output before calling it done. I would also appreciate a quick walkthrough on flushing the unit annually since I have read that is important for longevity in areas with harder water like ours.
I do have a specific unit in mind after some research, but I am open to a recommendation from someone with real installation experience if there is a better brand or model for our household size and gas supply. Permits should be pulled if required by our city, and I need someone licensed and insured since this touches both gas and water lines. Please include your estimated timeline, whether you handle permitting yourself, and examples of similar tankless conversions you have completed, ideally with before and after photos.
The house is on natural gas, so I am looking for a gas-fired tankless model rather than electric, ideally something in the 199,000 BTU range that can handle a three-bathroom household with a dishwasher and washing machine running at the same time. The existing unit sits in a small closet off the garage, and I understand that a tankless install usually needs a larger gas line, a new venting setup through the wall or roof, and possibly an upgraded electrical outlet for the unit's igniter and controls. I would like the plumber to assess all of that during the quote rather than discovering surprises halfway through the job.
Scope of work as I understand it: disconnect and haul away the old tank unit, cap or extend the gas line as needed, mount the new tankless heater and connect water lines with proper isolation valves for future servicing, install correct venting per manufacturer specs, and test the whole system for leaks and proper temperature output before calling it done. I would also appreciate a quick walkthrough on flushing the unit annually since I have read that is important for longevity in areas with harder water like ours.
I do have a specific unit in mind after some research, but I am open to a recommendation from someone with real installation experience if there is a better brand or model for our household size and gas supply. Permits should be pulled if required by our city, and I need someone licensed and insured since this touches both gas and water lines. Please include your estimated timeline, whether you handle permitting yourself, and examples of similar tankless conversions you have completed, ideally with before and after photos.
Other / Miscellaneous Cash, Bank transfer
