Tankless Water Heater in Wittmann, AZ

What happens when you call

You'll be connected with an independent plumber who works in the far northwest Valley. Expect questions about your water source (a utility, a shared system or a private well), your fuel (natural gas, propane or electric), and the current heater's size and location. If you're on a well, the plumber will want to know how the pressure tank behaves, because a tankless unit needs steady pressure and a minimum flow to fire.

What affects the cost

• Fuel: propane piping and regulator, natural gas line sizing, or electrical service capacity
• Water treatment: a sediment filter for well water and a softener or scale filter if the water tests hard
• Venting or an outdoor-rated unit
• Distance to the far fixtures and any recirculation
• Travel to a rural location
• Optional County inspection

Wittmann conditions

Wittmann is a small rural community about 35 miles northwest of central Phoenix along US 60, originally called Nadaburg, with farms growing crops like dates, citrus and alfalfa alongside livestock operations and dairies. Survey data put the median build year near 2001, with about 8% of homes built before 1980. We didn't verify a water utility for Wittmann, so check whether your home is on a provider or a well, and test well water for minerals and sediment before choosing a tankless unit.

Fuel isn't documented either. Outlying homes may use propane or be all-electric. In an all-electric house, a whole-house electric tankless unit can require a service upgrade, so a propane unit or an efficient tank may be simpler. Permits come from Maricopa County Planning and Development: no permit is needed to replace an existing water heater installed to the manufacturer's specifications, while a new gas line needs a County permit.

Before the plumber arrives

• Know whether you're on a well, and where the pressure tank is
• Check your propane tank level and supplier contact
• Clear access to the heater and the electrical panel
• Note whether pressure drops when the pump cycles

Monsoon outages stop both a well pump and a tankless heater. If you smell gas or propane, leave the house and call 911 and your propane supplier or gas utility from outside.