Tankless Water Heater Houston Texas

Most people start looking at a tankless water heater. Houston, Texas homes then raise the same questions: will it keep up with two showers, will the gas line handle it, and what happens to the old tank?

Instead of reheating 40 or 50 stored gallons around the clock, an on-demand unit fires only while a hot tap is open. It hangs on a wall, never runs out mid-shower when it is sized right, and often lasts about twice as long as a tank with yearly descaling.

Before quoting, a local plumber checks your fuel supply, how far the hot water has to travel and where the unit can hang.

An instant water heater trades stored hot water for a burner or elements strong enough to heat water as it flows. That changes four things:

• Hot water supply: endless at the unit's flow rate, instead of until the tank empties.
• Space: a wall-mounted box about the size of a carry-on bag, instead of a 5-foot tank.
• Lifespan: often 20 years with descaling, versus about 8 to 12 years for a tank.
• Upfront price: higher, because conversions often need fuel, vent or wiring upgrades.

If your current tank is the right size and you plan to move in a few years, a new tank can still be the better buy. Not sure which water heater type fits? That guide compares them side by side. Weighing brands? Our Rinnai tankless water heater page lines up the big three on-demand makes.

Expect a typical installed range of about $1,200 to $1,800 for an electric tankless unit and $1,500 to $2,800 for a gas unit, depending on flow rate. A conversion from a tank adds gas line, venting or electrical work on top of that.

For a standard tank, a typical 40-gallon gas unit runs about $1,100 to $1,500 installed and a 50-gallon gas unit about $1,300 to $1,900. The tankless water heater cost guide breaks the numbers down, and the water heater replacement cost guide covers tanks.