Source: [https://utahplumbingprices.com/tankless-water-heater/](https://utahplumbingprices.com/tankless-water-heater/) Preview: https://utahplumbingprices.com/tankless-water-heater/ Content revision: addf19bb344b59db0e0b12165460518b449db3ae57ca35038d88fbaf45244087 Extracted at: 2026-10-26T14:39:31+00:00 [Home]() / [Plumbing guides]() / Tankless water heaters HOT WATER / UTAH COST GUIDE # Tankless water heaters cost, explained. The heater is cheaper online, but the installation quotes are much higher. Before deciding whether the difference is reasonable, find out what has to change in your house to run it. [Check my quote ↗]()[Read the second opinion ↓]() Guidance by [Tyler Nerdin, Utah Master Plumber]() [**Contractor directory ↗** Look up the name or license on your quote.]() MAKE IT ABOUT YOUR JOB ## Let’s look at your quote. Tankless water heaters ✓ Use the job details to check the price. Your comparison comes before the contact form. [Check my quote ↗]()[No quote yet? Open the builder ↗]() Compared with Mountain Man reference prices. Not a Utah market average. IN THIS GUIDE [Quick answer]()[Check a claim]()[Why the price changes]()[Quote checklist]()[Repair or replace]()[Job photos]()[Questions]() A SECOND OPINION BEFORE YOU AGREE ## Why is the installed price so much more than the heater? A tank-to-tankless conversion can leave the installer running a new gas pipe and finding a new route for the vent. If that means working through a cramped attic or opening a finished wall, you're buying a fair amount of work besides the heater. Check the source [DOE: tankless conversion, sizing and operating costs ↗]() **Ask before you sign** Can you show me the gas and vent work included in this price? [Link to this answer ↗]()[Evidence and diagnosis ↓]() MAKE THE PRICES COMPARABLE ## Before you approve that quote. ### Can they reuse the vent above my old tank? Possibly, but it has to be an approved vent for that exact heater. In a house with an inaccessible attic or an expensive roof to disturb, the vent route can be the reason two otherwise similar installations cost very different amounts. Check the source [Rinnai: model specifications, installation and maintenance ↗]() ### Would a smaller unit save replacing the gas line? It might, but somebody needs to size the gas run for the smaller model before promising that saving. The pipe has to supply the heater at full fire along with the other appliances on the run. Check the source [Rinnai: model specifications, installation and maintenance ↗]() ### Where does the condensate go? A condensing heater needs a suitable drain for the water it produces during operation. With no drain nearby, the installation may need a pump. The model's instructions and local requirements also determine whether treatment of that condensate is needed. Check the source [Rinnai: model specifications, installation and maintenance ↗]() [Check my quote ↗]() More about what the plumber checks CHECK THE RECOMMENDATION ## Will it do what you want? Work through the hot water you use before paying for the upgrade. 01 **Can it run the showers we use at the same time?****+** The winter water temperature is the catch. Heating colder water takes more energy per gallon, which cuts the hot-water flow the unit can deliver. The brochure's biggest flow number may be for much warmer water than your house gets in winter. For two showers running together, use their combined flow and the heater's output at your winter inlet temperature. The model's flow chart is the useful page here. Sources [U.S. Department of Energy ↗]() 02 **Will it turn on for a trickle of hot water?****+** Not necessarily. Below its minimum activation flow, the burner won't start. If you tend to leave the hot tap barely open, that's a specification you'll actually notice. Sources [Rinnai ↗]() 03 **Will switching to propane actually save money?****+** That depends on what you pay for propane and electricity. Removing an electric heater will reduce the electric bill, but you'll be buying propane for that hot water instead. There isn't a useful savings figure without counting both. Even if propane works out cheaper to run, the extra installation and servicing costs affect how long it takes to recover the cost of converting. Sources [U.S. Department of Energy ↗]() 04 **Who will work on this brand after it is installed?****+** I'd want a name and a phone number for local service before ordering. Being able to buy a heater online doesn't mean the plumbers nearby work on that model. Sources [Rinnai ↗]() OTHER WORK THE QUOTE MAY NEED ### What can add to the job? - The hot-water flow the chosen model can deliver in winter - A new gas run or changes needed to the supply - Getting an approved vent through the house - Providing drainage for a condensing model - Service access and added water-treatment equipment [Check the written scope ↓]() YOUR QUOTE, LINE BY LINE UPP / TAN ## Is this in writing? Tick the details your quote spells out. A checked box means you found the detail—not that the price is fair. The quote gives the exact heater model and fuel. It describes the gas supply and approved vent route. It includes the electrical connection and any condensate drainage needed. It names any added filters, service valves or circulation equipment. It covers startup checks, old-heater removal, permits and who repairs any openings. THE QUESTIONS WORTH ASKING ## Get the missing details answered. 1. What will this model deliver with our winter incoming-water temperature? 2. Which fixtures can it supply at the same time? 3. What gas and vent work has to change, and is it included? 4. Which filters or services will I keep paying for? 5. Who can repair this model locally if it stops working? [Got the details? Check your quote ↗]() ### Different name on the quote? Search the company, its DOPL-listed DBA or the license number. Check the business separately from the price. [Look up the contractor ↗]() A DIFFERENT FIX IS A DIFFERENT PRICE ## Repair it, or replace it? What will the tankless conversion give me for the extra cost? REPAIR ### When repair is worth pricing An existing tankless heater has a serviceable fault. Get the cause of the shutdown checked before treating it as a reason to buy another unit. REPLACEMENT ### When replacement makes sense For a tankless upgrade, price the complete conversion alongside a tank option that supplies the hot water you need. Include the work on the house, not just the appliance. **What decides it** Settle what the upgrade is worth to you. Saving space or supplying longer hot-water use may matter even when fuel savings take a long time to repay the conversion. A QUOTE IN FRONT OF YOU? ## What are you being told? Pick your question. Read the short answer. Copy what to say to the plumber. [Read the full plumbing sales playbook ↗]() [Search the source desk ↗]() THE WORK **They say all the extras are required. How do I check?** + Ask them to mark each required item on the quote and show the rule or equipment instruction behind it. Rules can depend on your address and the heater being installed. Ask which items you can choose to leave out. ### Ask to see - Each extra and its price. - The rule or installation instruction they are using. - Who handles any required permit. ### When they may be right Some extra work really is required for a safe, legal installation. The plumber should be able to explain why. YOU CAN SAY Which items are required at my house? Show me the rule for each one, and mark the optional extras. Read the detail Have each requirement named in the quote. For example, Greater Salt Lake MSD lists water-heater replacement among work requiring a permit in its jurisdiction. That does not explain every accessory on a proposal. The equipment instructions, existing installation and local building department determine what needs correcting. CHECK THE SOURCE [Greater Salt Lake MSD: work requiring a permit ↗]()[Link to this answer]() THE WORK **Will a tankless heater give us unlimited hot water?** + It can keep heating water, but it can only heat so much at once. Two showers and a running washer may need more than one unit can supply. Ask what this model can handle together when the incoming water is cold. ### Ask to see - The exact heater model. - Which showers and appliances it can serve at once. - The output when incoming water is cold. ### When they may be right The right size can meet your needs. A larger family or more hot-water use may need a different setup. YOU CAN SAY Can this model keep up with our showers and other hot-water use at the same time, even in winter? Read the detail Continuous hot water still has a flow limit. Rheem’s sizing guidance considers simultaneous use and incoming water temperature. The useful number is this model’s output at the temperature rise your home needs—not its largest advertised GPM figure. CHECK THE SOURCE [Rheem: how tankless sizing works ↗]()[Link to this answer]() THE WORK **A 15-year warranty means I pay nothing for repairs, right?** + Check the details. A long warranty may cover one part, while labor coverage ends much sooner. You might still pay someone to remove the old part and install the new one. Ask what you would owe if it failed. ### Ask to see - The warranty for this exact model. - How long parts and labor are covered. - Costs and types of damage the warranty leaves out. ### When they may be right A long warranty can be useful. Know which bills it will actually cover. YOU CAN SAY If it breaks, what would I still pay? Show me how long both parts and labor are covered. Read the detail Covered for what? One Rheem residential tankless warranty gives qualifying installations 15 years on the heat exchanger, five on parts and one on certain labor. Its exclusions include permits, removal and disposal, code updates and scale-related failures. Those are that certificate’s terms—not a promise for every tankless unit. CHECK THE SOURCE [Rheem: tankless warranty, coverage and exclusions ↗]()[Link to this answer]() THE PRICE **Which package do I actually need?** + Start with the lowest-priced option that fixes the problem properly. Then ask what the next level adds. A fancy name does not tell you whether you are buying better equipment, more work or a longer warranty. ### Ask to see - All package prices on one page. - The repair included in each. - Extra parts, work and warranty coverage. ### When they may be right An upgrade can be worth paying for. You should be able to say what you are getting for the extra money. YOU CAN SAY Show me all the prices. Which option fixes my problem properly, and what does the extra money buy? Read the detail A package name tells you little about the work. Get the cash total and scope for every option, then identify which one corrects the diagnosed fault. Compare the extra equipment, warranty and service promises separately. Why we ask this ServiceTitan’s public playbook describes commissioned technicians at a seven-franchise Roto-Rooter group and training that withholds prices during the explanation. It also describes the intended benefits of clearer options. This is a specific example, not a policy established for every plumber or franchise. CHECK THE SOURCE [ServiceTitan: option-presentation training and franchise example ↗]()[Link to this answer]() THE PRICE **It took 30 minutes. Why does it cost that much?** + Check whether you agreed to a price for the whole repair or to pay by the hour. A repair price may cover travel, parts and business costs too. A quick job does not mean that money is the plumber’s hourly pay. For hourly work, check the time charged. ### Ask to see - The price you agreed to. - What the repair includes. - The hours and hourly rate, if that is how you are paying. ### When they may be right Skill can make a repair quick. Compare the complete job and price, not just the minutes spent inside. YOU CAN SAY Am I paying for the whole repair or by the hour? What is included, and what could cost extra? Read the detail First check what you agreed to buy. A fixed task price is not a timesheet: the company may build it from estimated labor, materials, overhead and profit. Finishing quickly does not tell you what the technician earns or make the bill automatically wrong. If the agreement was hourly, the rate, billing increments and time charged are the relevant comparison. CHECK THE SOURCE [ServiceTitan: the costs behind a billable labor rate ↗]()[ServiceTitan: flat-rate pricebook construction ↗]()[Link to this answer]() THE PRICE **Will the basic option fix it properly?** + Ask that before looking at upgrades. The basic option should have a clear purpose and include what is required for that repair or installation. A required part does not become optional because it is listed in a more expensive package. ### Ask to see - What the basic option fixes. - The required parts and work. - What the more expensive options add. ### When they may be right More capacity, better equipment or a longer warranty may be useful. Those choices should be clear. YOU CAN SAY Will the basic option fix this properly and include everything required? What do I get by spending more? Read the detail The lowest package should have a clear job to do. Ask what it repairs and whether it includes the installation work required for your equipment and home. A broader package can buy better equipment or longer coverage. Work required to make the chosen installation comply is not optional just because it appears under a premium label. CHECK THE SOURCE [DOPL: current plumbing laws and rules ↗]()[Utah Commerce: optional residential construction agreement ↗]()[Link to this answer]() [The monthly payment looks small. What will I really pay? ↗]()[Will the membership really save me money? ↗]()[They are already here. Can these repairs cost less together? ↗]()[Is the person doing the work a licensed plumber? ↗]() Questions are editorial examples, not quotations attributed to a particular company. Sources checked September 12, 2026. Each answer links to its supporting sources. A documented sales method does not establish what happened on your visit. FROM MTNMANPLUMBING.COM ## Recent Mountain Man work. Published job stories matched to this guide’s plumbing services. Gas valve and wiring harness inside a Rinnai tankless water heater during burner service in Salt Lake City Utah 2026-09-01 ### Rinnai tankless burner and flame rod fix We got called out in Salt Lake City because a Rinnai tankless water heater was beeping and throwing an error code. These units can be picky, but we… Read the job story ↗ [Open linked page]() State X3 Tankless Water Heater West Jordan 2026-05-10 ### Tankless Water Heater West Jordan \| Efficient Upgrades Recently, a homeowner in West Jordan called me looking for advice on switching their old, traditional water heater out for a new tankless model. Their existing heater was getting pretty… Read the job story ↗ [Open linked page]() Showing 2 of 2 published jobs. [Browse Mountain Man’s past work ↗]() KEEP THE JOB AND THE PRICE TOGETHER ## Before you say yes. What should be checked before the work is priced? - List the showers and other fixtures you expect to use together. - Have the installer check the model output against the incoming water temperature. - Walk through the proposed gas, vent and condensate routes before accepting a conversion price. - Get the maintenance requirements and local service arrangements for the chosen model. Quote shortcuts worth questioning - The output promise uses only the largest flow number in the advertisement. - “Complete installation” never identifies the gas or vent changes. - Fuel savings are claimed without counting the new fuel bill. - Nobody has established who services the model locally. THE DETAILS PEOPLE ASK ABOUT ## Tankless water heaters questions Will I keep buying filters for it? The little screen built into the heater is often cleaned and reused. A separate scale-treatment cartridge can mean buying replacements, though. The cartridge's name and replacement cost should be available before you agree to have it installed. Check the source [Rinnai: model specifications, installation and maintenance ↗]() [Link to this answer ↗]() Our softener quit before the tankless started acting up. Will flushing fix it? A failed softener makes scale worth checking. I'd question a flush being offered without a diagnosis of the shutdown, though: a gas-supply or ignition fault needs a different repair. Check the source [Rinnai: diagnostic-code troubleshooting ↗]() [Link to this answer ↗]() Do I need two heaters so I still have hot water when one fails? For backup, the proposed setup has to work with one unit out of service. How much hot water would it still deliver? That's the capacity you're buying as backup, so it belongs in the proposal for the extra heater and its connections. Check the source [Rinnai: diagnostic-code troubleshooting ↗]() [Link to this answer ↗]() **The work is only part of the proposal.**[Read the plumbing sales playbook ↗]()[Check the sources ↗]() Pricing packages, financing, memberships and the terms you are being asked to sign. MAKE SURE YOU’RE COMPARING THE RIGHT JOB ## Related cost guides. [All 25 plumbing guides ↗]() [Water heater repair **↗**]()[Water heater installation **↗**]() PUT THE EXPLANATION TO WORK ## Now make sense of your quote. [Check my quote ↗]()[Planning work? Use the quote builder ↗]() Today’s comparison uses Mountain Man reference prices. Better community pricing from real submissions is where we’re headed.