Tankless Water Heater in Chandler, AZ

Chandler conditions that shape a tankless install

The City of Chandler delivers a blend of treated surface water and groundwater: Salt and Verde River water through the Pecos plant, Colorado River water through the Santan Vista plant it shares with Gilbert, and city wells. The city says hardness runs from roughly 5 to 20 grains per gallon depending on the area, with a citywide average of 16.5. That puts most Chandler homes squarely in hard-water territory, and the heat exchanger of a tankless unit is where those minerals settle.

Chandler's median home was built around 1997, so many water heaters sit in the garages of master-planned subdivisions, fed by a Southwest Gas line sized for a tank. The city's homeowner permit manual exempts like-for-like replacement of a residential water heater, but a gas line added inside a residence needs a permit along with a gas riser schematic. Upsizing pipe for a tankless burner usually lands on the permit side.

Tank vs tankless in a Chandler garage

Signs your current setup needs attention

• A tank weeping or rusting at the base
• Tankless flow dropping, or the burner cycling on and off mid-shower
• White crust on the unit's inlet screen or on faucet aerators
• Error codes when the dishwasher and a shower run together

Seasonal notes

In midsummer the water coming into a Chandler home is already warm, so a tankless unit adds only a few degrees and may cycle at very low flow. In winter the incoming water is cooler and the unit works harder, which is when an undersized model shows itself. Book the descaling flush on a regular calendar, and if the unit hangs on an exterior wall, keep its power on during a rare freeze so the built-in protection can run. If you smell gas, get out of the house, then call 911 and Southwest Gas at 877-860-6020.