Tankless Water Heater Installation & Repair Experts Serving Southwestern PA & Nearby Areas

Prevent tank leaks & water damage by switching to a tankless water heater

If your current water heater has a leak, or you want to replace your hot water heating system before it fails, contact the plumbing experts at Max C. Smith Company to have a tankless model installed in your home.

If you already have a tankless water heater, we can also perform necessary repairs and maintenance. Contact us today for an estimate in Wexford, Gibsonia, Pittsburgh and nearby.

Tankless water heaters are still unusual in the U.S., where tank-type water heaters have been used for many years. But in Europe, where energy costs are much higher, tankless water heating technology has a long and successful track record.

A tankless water heater only heats water when it's needed, which means lower water heating costs and no more having to worry about running out of hot water. We see more and more customers installing tankless hot water heaters as a replacement for gas tank-type water heaters.

How does a tankless water heater work?

Hot water on demand. A tankless water heater only starts to use energy when a person or appliance opens a hot water tap.

Most tankless water heaters burn either natural gas or propane fuel. But no fuel is burned until someone turns on a hot water tap, a dishwasher or a washing machine. Water flow automatically ignites the water heater’s burner, and your water is heated as it follows a serpentine path through the heating element. Within just a few seconds, you have hot water.

Tankless water heaters are also known as “on-demand water heaters” for obvious reasons. Unlike a tank-type water heater that must consume energy intermittently to maintain a minimum hot water temperature in the storage tank, a tankless water heater only burns fuel when you need hot water.

When is a tankless hot water heater a smart choice?

Business owners like tankless water heaters because this appliance simply stays off when the work space is unoccupied. But what about homeowners?

If your home is regularly empty for long periods of time, switching to a tankless water heater will eliminate unnecessary water heating that takes place with tank-type models.

Installation flexibility is another benefit

As shown in the photo, a tankless water heater has its components housed in a steel box that’s designed to be mounted on the wall. It’s more compact than a tank-type water heater, so it can be installed just about anywhere. Thanks to high-efficiency, direct-vent technology, most tankless water heaters don’t need to vent combustion gasses up a chimney. Instead, a small fan blows these combustion byproducts through a plastic pipe that extends through an exterior wall.  

What can go wrong with a tankless water heater?

• Clogged filter. A tankless water heater typically relies on an in-line filter to prevent sediment and other solids from entering and clogging the heat exchanger. Unless you have the filter cleaned or replaced on a regular basis, clogging occurs, which cuts down on water flow and hot water output. A clogged water line can also cause the heat exchanger to be damaged.
• Scale build-up. Minerals in the water can harden and form deposits in the heat exchanger. This will reduce heating efficiency; it can also lead to premature failure of the heat exchanger. Regular cleaning usually does away with this problem.
• Overwhelming demand. A tankless water heater can produce only a limited volume of “on-demand” hot water. This isn’t a problem when one person is taking a shower. But if hot water needs to flow to numerous users at once, there may not be enough hot water to go around. 

Enjoy continuous hot water & double the lifespan of your hot water system

Periodic cleaning and checkups are important to keep a tankless water heater in top condition. Max C. Smith Company can complete this essential maintenance. We can also install a new tankless water heater in your home.

Get a free quote for tankless water heater repair or installation, or for any of our other water heater services in Gibsonia, Pittsburgh, Wexford, as well as Monroeville, Allison Park, West Mifflin, Cranberry Township, Butler, Cecil, Glenshaw.

Looking for a price? Get a no cost, no obligation free estimate.