Tankless water heaters in Ottawa, sized for January and installed properly
A tankless heater that works in a showroom can run short in an Ottawa winter. The Ottawa Plumber sizes the unit for the coldest water it will ever see, then installs and maintains it.
How a tankless water heater works
A tank heater keeps 150 to 250 litres of water hot around the clock, whether or not anyone is using it. A tankless heater has no stored water. When you open a hot tap, cold water runs through a heat exchanger and comes out hot a few seconds later, for as long as the tap stays open.
That means you do not run out part-way through the third shower, and you are not paying to keep a tank warm while the house is empty. The unit hangs on a wall and takes up about as much room as a carry-on suitcase.
Tank or tankless: an honest comparison
Tankless is not the right answer for every house. This is how the two compare.
Why Ottawa is harder on tankless heaters than most cities
A tankless heater is rated by how many litres per minute it can raise by a given number of degrees. Ottawa's tap water comes from the Ottawa River, and in winter it arrives only a few degrees above freezing. The heater has to lift it by 40 degrees or more, which roughly halves the flow it can deliver compared with summer.
This is the most common reason people are disappointed with a tankless unit: it was sized from a brochure figure for mild water. A unit that runs two showers and a dishwasher in July may manage one shower in January. Sizing has to start from the winter number.
There is good news as well. Ottawa's central water supply is very soft, about 30 milligrams per litre, so the scale that shortens the life of tankless units in hard-water cities builds up slowly here. Homes on rural well systems such as Carp, Richmond or Greely have much harder water and need more frequent flushing.
Renting your current water heater?
Many Ontario homes rent their water heater on a long contract. Before you replace it, find the contract and check the buyout or removal terms, because ending it early can carry a charge. It is worth knowing that figure before you compare prices.
How an installation goes
Most of the work is in the three connections a tank did not need at the same size: gas, venting and condensate.
Assessment
Your peak hot water use is worked out, and the gas meter, gas line, venting route and electrical supply are checked.
A firm price
You get a price that includes any gas line or venting changes, so nothing is added on installation day.
Removal
The old tank is drained, disconnected and taken away.
Installation
The unit is mounted and connected to water, gas, venting, a condensate drain and power, with isolation valves fitted so it can be flushed later.
Commissioning
Gas pressure and combustion are checked, the outlet temperature is set, and you are shown how to use the controls and what the error codes mean.
When a tankless heater needs repair
These are the faults that come up most often, and most are fixable without replacing the unit.
What a tankless installation costs
The unit is only part of the price. These are the things that move it.
Questions people ask
Is a tankless water heater worth it in Ottawa?
It suits households that want hot water that does not run out, plan to stay in the house long enough to recover the higher upfront cost, and have a gas supply that can support it. For a small household with modest hot water use, a good tank is often the more economical choice.
Can a tankless heater run two showers at once in winter?
Yes, if it is sized for it. Because Ottawa's water arrives so cold in winter, a unit has to be chosen from its cold-water flow rating, not the headline figure. Tell the plumber how many fixtures run at the same time in your house.
How often does a tankless heater need to be flushed?
On Ottawa's soft city water, a flush and inlet filter clean roughly once a year is a sensible schedule, and the manufacturer's instructions take priority. On hard well water it needs doing more often.
How long does a tankless water heater last?
A unit that is flushed regularly commonly lasts around 20 years, and most of its parts can be replaced individually. A tank heater typically lasts 10 to 15 years and is replaced whole.
Other work The Ottawa Plumber does
For everything else, from dripping taps to re-piping, see the main page for a plumber in Ottawa.
Tell us what the water is doing
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