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Navien tankless water heater replaces a corroded tank in Greenville
A corroded tank water heater replaced with a Navien NPE-240A2 tankless unit in the crawl space.
See the full jobTankless water heaters
Tankless water heater installation in Greenville and the Upstate
Tankless water heater installation for hot water that does not run out. Navien certified, sized for your home and installed by a licensed Master Plumber.
A licensed Master Plumber on every job
4.8from 593 Google reviews
Is a tankless water heater worth it?
A tankless water heater is usually worth it if your household runs out of hot water, you want to free up space, or you plan to stay in the home for years. It costs more to install than a tank but lasts longer and only heats water when you use it. Call 864-438-0525.
- All major brands serviced
- Tank and tankless
- Old unit hauled away
How tankless works, and when it is the right call
A tank heater keeps 40 to 80 gallons hot around the clock. A tankless unit heats water only when a faucet opens, passing it over a burner or electric element as it flows. You get hot water as long as you need it, and you stop paying to keep a tank warm all night.
The key is sizing. A tankless unit is rated by how many gallons per minute it can heat, so we size it to the number of showers and appliances you run at the same time, not to a tank volume. An undersized unit is the most common reason people are unhappy with tankless.
Tankless is not the right answer for every home. If your current tank heater keeps up and you are not planning to stay long, a new tank may be the better value. We price both so the choice is yours.
What a tankless install involves
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Gas supply
Gas tankless units need more gas at once than a tank. Many homes need a larger gas line to the heater.
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Venting
Tankless units vent differently from tanks, usually through a wall or roof with dedicated pipe.
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Electric homes
No gas at the house? We install the Essency EXR, an electric on-demand water heater that runs on a standard 240-volt circuit, so most homes need no panel upgrade.
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Service valves
We install isolation valves so the unit can be descaled easily, which helps it last its full service life.
Is tankless right for your home?
Tankless tends to be a great fit when:
- You run out of hot water today
- You want the space a tank takes up
- You plan to stay in the home for years
- You have natural gas at the house
- You want to fill a large tub without running cold
- You want lower standby energy use
Tankless water heaters in Upstate homes
Upstate city water is generally soft, which is easy on a tankless heat exchanger. Homes on private wells often have more minerals, so we recommend descaling at least once a year and may suggest a water softener to protect the unit.
Our winters bring cold incoming water, which is when an undersized tankless unit struggles. We size for January, not July, so your showers stay hot all year.
What affects the price of a tankless install
You get a written price before work starts. It depends on:
- The flow rate your household needs
- Gas line size and length
- Venting route through a wall or roof
- Electrical capacity for electric units
- Converting from a tank in a new location
Gas tankless, or electric with the Essency EXR?
Gas tankless heaters heat a lot of water at once, so they suit most whole-home installs with two or more bathrooms. They need a properly sized gas line and venting, and we are Navien certified to install them.
For homes without gas, we install the Essency EXR instead of an electric tankless unit. Whole-home electric tankless heaters draw so much power that many homes need a panel upgrade, and they slow down when the incoming water is cold. The EXR heats water on demand through a heat exchanger, is rated at 80 gallons of hot water in the first hour, and runs on a standard 240-volt, 25-amp circuit with no venting. Full specs are on Essency’s product page.
We check your gas and electrical service and tell you which one fits your home.
- Gas: Navien tankless, needs gas line and venting
- Electric: Essency EXR, standard 240V circuit
- Written price for each option
Tankless vs tank water heater
A tank heater costs less up front and is quicker to replace. A tankless heater costs more to install, but lasts longer, takes up less space and never runs out of hot water. If your tank keeps up and you may move within a few years, a new tank is often the better value. If you want endless hot water and plan to stay, tankless usually wins over its life. We price both so you can compare.
How a visit works
You book a time
Online or by phone. We confirm your arrival window and call when the plumber is on the way.
We look and plan it
A licensed Master Plumber checks the space, the connections and what your home needs, and explains the options in plain terms.
You choose, in writing
You get your options side by side with written prices. Nothing starts until you approve.
We install it and walk you through it
Installed to code, tested, the work area cleaned up, and a walkthrough before we leave.
Recent tankless water heater installation jobs
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Tankless water heater swap in Greenville
An existing tankless water heater replaced with a new Navien unit, with clean, serviceable piping.
See the full jobWhy homeowners call Ethical Plumbing for tankless water heaters
Every job starts with a diagnosis from a licensed Master Plumber, not a sales pitch. We explain what we found in plain terms, show you the options side by side, and put the prices in writing before anything starts. If a repair makes more sense than a replacement, we say so.
We treat your home like a job site that people live in: shoe covers on, work area protected, cleaned up before we leave, and a walkthrough of what we did. Ethical Plumbing has served the Upstate for 16+ years, and our team brings 100+ years of combined plumbing experience. You can meet our plumbers or read what customers say.
What customers say
Every review here is from a real customer. Names are shortened for privacy.
Google
Highly recommend Ethical Plumbers! They exchanged our old water heat tank with a tankless water heater and repiped the crawl space. From the first contact on the phone, the next day visit of the technician Daniel, then Ivan and Asher who did the whole work within less than two days – we felt treated with respect, everything was explained well and they left everything clean and did a very good job in total.
Google
Ethical plumbing is exactly that. They’re honest and do the job right. I’m very pleased with my kitchen sink replacement and the cleaning service of my tankless water heater. I interacted with 4 technicians and they were all very professional and answered every question I had. Highly recommend!
Google
Our tankless water heater malfunctioned after we received a new roof. Brendan at Ethical Plumbing quickly responded and diagnosed a venting issue and fixed the problem for us. Happy to have a hot water again!
Tankless water heater installation across the Upstate
We install tankless water heaters in 7 counties across the Upstate and western North Carolina. Towns with a local page are linked.
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Greenville County, SC
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Spartanburg County, SC
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Pickens County, SC
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Anderson County, SC
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Henderson County, NC
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Polk County, NC
- Tryon
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Transylvania County, NC
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Also serving
- Seneca, SC
- Gray Court, SC
Tankless water heater installation FAQs
Are you a certified Navien installer?
Yes. Ethical Plumbing is Navien certified, so we install Navien tankless water heaters to the manufacturer’s standards. We also install and service Rinnai and other major brands.
How much does tankless water heater installation cost?
It depends on the unit size and whether your home needs a larger gas line, new venting or electrical work. You get a written price for each option before work starts.
How long does a tankless water heater last?
Many tankless units last 15 to 20 years with yearly descaling, compared with about 8 to 12 years for a tank.
Will a tankless water heater run out of hot water?
Not if it is sized correctly. A tankless unit heats water as it flows, so the limit is how many fixtures run at once, not a tank running empty.
Why does tankless cost more to install?
The unit costs more, and many homes need a larger gas line, new venting or electrical work. You get that cost back over time through a longer life and no standby heat loss.
Does tankless need maintenance?
Yes. Flushing the heat exchanger once a year removes mineral scale, more often on well water. We install service valves so this is quick.
Is there a delay before hot water arrives?
Hot water still has to travel through the pipes, just as with a tank. A recirculation (comfort) pump can bring hot water to the faucet in seconds.
What if my home is all electric?
We install the Essency EXR, an electric on-demand water heater that runs on a standard 240-volt circuit. Whole-home electric tankless units often need a panel upgrade and lose flow in cold weather, so the EXR is our electric choice. Learn about the EXR.
Do you offer any discounts on tankless?
Yes. Financing is also available through GoodLeap.
Can you replace my tank with tankless in the same spot?
Usually, yes, though the venting and gas line often change. We check the location and tell you before we quote.
Ready when you are
Tell us what's going on.
A Master Plumber will find the cause, explain it in plain terms, and put your options in writing before any work starts.
- A licensed Master Plumber on every job
- Serving the Upstate for 16+ years
- Written prices, every job