Understanding Tankless Water Heater Installation Requirements With Your Reliable Tankless Water Heater Repair Specialist | San Antonio, TX
So, you’ve bought a tankless water heater to install at your home in readiness for the coming cold season. Or maybe you want to replace that old conventional water heater, which uses a lot of energy. You might be asking yourself, can I install this unit myself? What are the requirements to install an electric tankless water heater? Have I chosen the right unit? Well, purchasing a tankless water heater is the easiest part. The main issue arises at the installation stage. However, this is a non-issue if you contract a tankless water heater repair professional to install the unit. With their experience and training, the professionals will complete the installation job faster and more seamlessly, saving you time.
Can a Homeowner Install Their Tankless Water Heaters?
Well, it is said that you can do anything that you want. However, this doesn’t mean that you necessarily should, and installing a tankless water heater is certainly not a DIY job. Many things could go wrong if you choose to install the unit yourself. Hence, it is recommended that you hire a tankless water heater repair professional to complete the job on your behalf. With their experience and training, they know how to install the unit, the best spot, and what considerations to make before installing it.
Why Shouldn’t You Install the Tankless Water Heater Yourself?
To begin with, installing the unit yourself will void any warranty. Hence, any future repairs will be paid from your pocket. Tankless water heater repairs aren’t the cheapest of things. Therefore, you should do all you can to ensure the warranty remains intact for the longest time. Having a professional install the unit is the beginning of this process. Additionally, you should have it serviced and inspected regularly to deal with any minor developing issues.
Tankless water heaters are mostly electrically powered. Thus, you should take adequate caution before installing the unit. Should you make the smallest mistake, you run the risk of starting an electrical fire in your home. Additionally, even when you install the unit properly, any weak or loose components may start a fire.
Requirements for Tankless Water Heater Installation
Picking the Correct Model
Before purchasing a tankless water heater, you should conduct enough research on things like your home’s circuitry and the energy value that the water heater will use. Most home tankless water heater models use lots of energy to heat the water but are still energy-saving. But how is this possible? Unlike conventional water heaters that heat and reheat the water continuously, tankless models heat the water on demand. Thus, the overall use less energy but requires more power to heat up. Does your home have a 200A or 300A capacity? If you don’t know, then enlist the help of a tankless water heater repair technician initially before purchasing the unit.
If you pick a model that uses more energy, you might have to upgrade your home’s wiring and install new breakers and thicker wiring. This isn’t ideal and realizing that your unit cannot work with the rated power at your home after you purchase it can be much more inconvenient. The best action is to hire a tankless water heater repair specialist to inspect your home’s wiring, current power capacity, and electrical connections before purchasing a unit.
Water Pressure Requirements
Knowing the water pressure at your home is essential. The water pressure should be 30-150 psi in tankless water heaters. Too much pressure over this could damage the unit. Thus, before buying a water heater, call a tankless water heater repair pro to measure and determine the water pressure levels in your plumbing. If the professional determines that the pressure is too high past the rated 150 psi, they will install a pressure release valve upstream to where they want to install the water heater.
Permits
Since you used your money to purchase the tankless water heater and are installing it in your home, you do not require an official permit. However, that is not the case. You must have a permit to install or replace any water heater (tankless or conventional) in Texas. Additionally, the installation should be inspected by a local municipality to ensure it is code compliant. Have a tankless water heater repair expert install the unit to ensure your installation is up-to-code.
Installation Spot
You must prioritize several considerations or requirements to ensure that you install the tankless water heater at the right spot. Finding and deciding on the right place to install the tankless water heater greatly impacts how you can use the heated water later. To begin with, you should pick a suitable wall where the tankless water heater repair pro will mount the unit. If you are installing it for whole-home use, the water heater should be installed where the hottest water will be used.
This ensures that once you turn on the hot water outlet, the unit will warm the water faster, and you’ll quickly get the heated water. This should also be the case if you’re using a recirculation pump. Additionally, having access to the main water line is critical. Since there is no storage tank, tankless water heaters don’t require venting. However, you can pick a suitable point for venting, and you’ll do just fine. Hence, a tankless water heater can be installed in areas such as under the sink.
The other thing you should ensure when choosing the installation location is that there should be enough space to accommodate the heater vertically. That means that the water supply and power connections will be pointing downwards. However, you don’t need to think of all this. Enlist a tankless water heater repair professional to choose the right spot.
We Can Help!
Do you need a tankless water heater installation, repair, or maintenance? Call us at bluefrog Plumbing + Drain of San Antonio to book an appointment.
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