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Tankless water heaters installed in Minneapolis
A tankless heater only makes hot water when a tap opens, so it never runs out and never keeps 50 gallons hot overnight. Getting there takes more than hanging a box on the wall: the gas line, the venting and the size all have to be right.
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- Sized by GPM not by tank size
- Wall-hung frees floor space
Quick answer
Installing a tankless water heater in a Minneapolis home means sizing it by gallons per minute at your coldest incoming water, running a larger gas line for a burner near 199,000 BTU, and venting it through PVC or stainless. Older homes often need the gas line upgraded, which is the biggest variable in the job.
Boilers & Water Heaters
Tankless is a different install, not a swap
Replacing a tank with another tank reuses the gas line, the vent and the floor space. Replacing it with a tankless unit changes all three. A large gas tankless heater needs several times the gas flow of a 40 gallon tank, dedicated venting, and a spot on a wall with water, gas and a drain nearby.
When those pieces line up, tankless is a good choice for households that run out of hot water or want the space back. When they do not, a power-vent or hybrid tank may be the better value, and we will price both.
Cost factors
What moves the price
Tankless installs vary more than tank swaps because the house decides how much has to change.
- Gas line upgrade. The biggest variable; long runs from the meter cost the most.
- Unit size and type. Condensing units cost more but vent through cheaper plastic pipe.
- Venting route. A short side-wall run is simpler than a long run to an outside wall.
- Condensate drain. Condensing units need a drain and a neutralizer.
- Electrical. Tankless units need an outlet nearby for controls.
- Water treatment. Very hard water may justify a softener or scale filter.
- Removal of the old tank. Included, along with sealing the old chimney connection.
Gas line and venting upgrades
Most tank heaters run on a half-inch gas line. A whole-house tankless unit burning near 199,000 BTU often needs a three-quarter inch line, sized for its length from the meter and for every other gas appliance running at once. We measure the run, calculate the load and replace the line where needed. Venting is usually PVC or polypropylene for condensing units, or stainless for non-condensing ones, run to a side wall away from windows and snow. The old chimney connection is removed and sealed.
Sizing by flow rate
A tankless heater is sized by how many fixtures run at once and how much it has to raise the water temperature. In winter the incoming water is at its coldest, so the unit has to lift it further, and its flow rate drops. We count your showers, tubs and appliances, estimate the peak demand, and pick a unit that holds shower temperature with the dishwasher running in February. Very large homes sometimes get two units linked together rather than one oversized heater, which also keeps some hot water available if one unit needs service.
Descaling and annual service
Minerals in the water build up on the heat exchanger over time, lowering flow and triggering error codes. We install isolation valves on every tankless job so the unit can be flushed with a pump and descaling solution without cutting pipe. A yearly service includes that flush, cleaning the inlet screen, checking the condensate neutralizer on condensing units, and inspecting the vent and burner. It is the one maintenance item that decides whether a tankless heater lasts, and in hard water we may suggest doing it more often than once a year.
What we see on calls around Minneapolis
With about 43 percent of Minneapolis homes built before 1939, a lot of the houses we quote were piped for a furnace, a range and a small tank heater, not for a burner several times that size. That is why the gas line is the first thing we measure on a tankless job here. In many of these homes a three-quarter inch line from the meter makes the difference between steady hot water and a unit that throttles back when the furnace fires.
What is included
What a tankless install includes
- Peak demand and gas load calculation
- Gas line upgrade where needed
- Wall-mounted unit on a solid backer
- Isolation valve kit for descaling
- PVC, polypropylene or stainless venting
- Condensate drain and neutralizer
- Old tank removed and chimney connection sealed
- Flow and temperature test with fixtures running
- Descaling interval and settings walkthrough
Step by step
How a tankless installation runs
- 1
Measure demand and gas
We count fixtures and measure the gas line from the meter.
- 2
Pick the unit and route
Size, venting path and mounting spot are decided.
- 3
Upgrade the gas line
The line is replaced or upsized where the load calls for it.
- 4
Mount, pipe and vent
Unit hung, water and gas connected, isolation valves and vent installed.
- 5
Fire and test
Flow and outlet temperature tested with several fixtures running.
Brands we service and install
On boilers and water heaters we see Weil-McLain, Navien, Bosch and Rheem most often.
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Descaling yourself or having it done
| Homeowner | Our technician | |
|---|---|---|
| Cleaning the inlet screen | Easy with the water off | Checked at every visit |
| Flushing with a pump kit | Possible with isolation valves | Done with a burner and vent inspection |
| Clearing error codes | Sometimes a reset works | We find the cause |
| Gas and venting work | Not a DIY job | Installed and tested |
Questions we get on the phone
Tankless water heater installation questions from Minneapolis homeowners
It will not run out, but it has a maximum flow. If too many fixtures run at once, the temperature drops. Sizing prevents that.
Often, yes. A whole-house tankless unit needs far more gas than a tank. We measure and calculate before quoting.
Well maintained, often around twenty years, longer than most tanks. Descaling is the key.
Sometimes not. A one or two person home may be better served by a smaller tank or a hybrid.
No. Tankless units need their own dedicated vent.
More from this category
Related work we handle
Water Heater Installation
40 and 50 Gallon Gas Replacement and more.
Water Heater Installation in MinneapolisPrice a tankless heater for your house
Call and we will measure the gas line and demand, then price tankless alongside a tank option.