Pittsburgh Water Heater Installation

Tankless water heaters heat your water instantaneously as it flows through the unit. When you turn on a hot water tap in your Pittsburgh home, cold water enters the tankless unit where powerful heating elements quickly warm it to your desired temperature. This on-demand system eliminates the need to store and continuously heat water, providing hot water only when you need it—an efficient approach that many Pittsburgh homeowners appreciate during our cold winter months.

The right water heater depends on your specific situation. For many Pittsburgh homes, tankless models provide significant advantages despite higher upfront costs. If you value endless hot water, energy efficiency (savings of 30-50% on water heating costs), space-saving design, and longer system lifespan (20+ years versus 10-12 for conventional tanks), a tankless system is likely worth the investment. Factors to consider include your household size, hot water usage patterns, and whether your home has the necessary electrical or gas capacity for a tankless unit.

Tankless water heaters can experience several issues, though they’re generally very reliable when properly installed. Common challenges include insufficient hot water during peak demand (if the unit is undersized for your Pittsburgh home’s needs), temperature fluctuations (often due to improper installation or mineral buildup), and system overloads in homes with exceptionally high demand. Our Taggart Plumbing technicians can properly size your system, install it correctly, and provide maintenance guidance to prevent these common issues.

While tankless water heaters provide continuous hot water, they do have flow rate limitations. If your Pittsburgh household simultaneously uses multiple hot water sources that exceed the heater’s capacity, you may experience reduced water temperature. For homes with high demand, we often recommend installing multiple tankless units or selecting a higher-capacity model. During your consultation, our Pittsburgh experts will assess your household’s specific needs to recommend a system that ensures you’ll never run short of hot water, even during peak usage times.

Most water heater installations in Pittsburgh take about 3-4 hours for conventional tanks and 4-6 hours for tankless systems. The timeline varies based on your home’s specific setup, whether you’re switching heat sources (e.g., electric to gas), and if any additional plumbing or electrical modifications are required. Taggart Plumbing completes most installations in a single day, minimizing disruption to your household. We’ll provide a specific timeframe after assessing your home’s unique configuration.

The ideal water heater size depends on your household size and usage patterns. For traditional tank models, Pittsburgh homes typically need 40-50 gallons for 1-4 people and 50-80 gallons for larger households. For tankless systems, we calculate the required flow rate based on maximum simultaneous hot water usage. Factors like Pittsburgh’s cold winter water temperatures also affect sizing recommendations. Our Taggart Plumbing experts will help you select the perfect size by evaluating your specific needs, ensuring you have sufficient hot water without paying for unnecessary capacity.