So you’ve just purchased your tankless water heater! But now you must be wondering, how do I install this unit in my home or business?
While it is certainly possible to do it yourself, you are going to want to contact your local plumber to have your water heater properly installed. Improper installation can lead to damage to your pipes, plumbing system, home, and even the water heater itself. Knowing how much a water heater costs, surely you don’t want to damage such a huge investment.
We here at Monkey Wrench Plumbing, Heating & Air offer two different kinds of tankless installations: basic and premium. In this article, I’m going to walk you through the process of basic and premium tankless water heater installations to help you decide which is the better option for you.
Let’s get started!
What Is a Basic Tankless Water Heater Installation?
So we’ve already discussed what a tankless water heater is in a previous article, but how do we install it?
A basic tankless installation is essentially a simple installation of your water heater. There are no extra accessories (like with our premium installation, which is explained below).
Basic Installation Steps:
- Our Monkey Wrench technicians will take the old water heater out and replace it with a new tankless water heater, which also comes with a new set of isolation valves to be able to perform the yearly cleaning for your water heater.
- Additionally, the installation comes with a new gas flex line to ensure your water heater is up-to-code.
- Along with the gas flex line, we also include any necessary new copper pipe and fittings to make the adjustments as needed for your home or business to make sure it’s installed and working properly.
Monkey Wrench only recommends the basic installation if a customer already has water treatment installed.
Basic Installation may be good for someone who lives in an area that does not have hard water or has water treatment in the home already. It may also be good for someone who is considering selling the home soon. Another candidate for the basic installation is someone who wants to enjoy the benefits of going tankless right away without paying the price of a premium installation, as you can always add the premium items later.
What Is a Premium Tankless Water Heater Installation?
Now that you know what a basic installation is, you must be wondering what a premium tankless installation is.
Well! I’ll tell ya!
A premium tankless water heater installation has everything the basic installation includes but with some more extras. This includes installing a water treatment and any other additional items that are needed to have your water heater lasting for years to come, such as new copper pipe and fittings.
Premium Installation Steps:
- The installation features a water filtration system, where our technicians will use a water treatment pre-filter to catch the sediment build-up going into the unit that will ultimately protect the tankless water heater. It may not protect the entire home or business from the sediment, but it will certainly keep the tankless unit safe from any early problems.
- The premium tankless installation also comes with an expansion tank to absorb any of the extra pressure added to the unit due to thermal expansion, which could also cause early damage to your new tankless unit.
- Lastly, if your tankless water heater is a condensing model (which most units are), we will add a neutralizer to the condensation line, which will turn the acidic water into safe water.
Monkey Wrench will recommend the premium tankless installation if the customer does not already have a water treatment installed to protect the unit and prolong its life expectancy. Premium installation is the best way to go as this is ensuring a well-protected tankless unit and will help assist the full longevity a tankless should last.
So I’ve walked you through two different processes of installing a tankless water heater, and now it’s time to know how much this is going to cost you.
What Are The Price Differences in These Installations?
Okay! Now you know the process of a basic and premium tankless installation, but now you must be thinking, “the premium is probably going to hit me over the head with costs.” Right? Well, not exactly.
- Premium tankless install: between $5,000- $7900
- Basic tankless install: between $4,500-$6,900
Not terrible, right? Right!
Key Differences Between Basic and Premium Tankless Installs
So now that you know what basic and premium installations involve, your biggest question has to be, “well, what's the difference?”
The basic installation is mainly for customers who have a water treatment installed in their unit. We do not recommend the basic installation unless you have a water treatment, as it could cause early damage to your tankless unit.
On the other hand, the premium installation is highly recommended for customers who do not have water treatment and have hard water. While the upfront cost is higher, it will ultimately protect your tankless water heater unit and prolong its life span.
Lastly, if you’re wondering if the premium installation process takes longer than the basic one, you’re right!
The basic tankless installation will take anywhere from three-to-five hours, whereas a premium installation will take technicians around four-to-six hours to complete.
The Choice Is Now Yours
We discussed our basic and premium installation processes, with the basic being more catered to our customers who have water treatment. For anyone who does not have water treatment, our premium installation includes a pre-filter along with a number of other add-ons to help your tankless unit last.
So there you have it!
As the content writer for Monkey Wrench Plumbing, Heating & Air, I am dedicated to delivering to you the most up-to-date information on plumbing and the on-goings of the company. If you have any further questions on the basic and premium installation processes with Monkey Wrench and which option is best for you, click the "Book" button below or contact one of our office team members at 310-853-8690 to further discuss the best option for you.
