A tankless water heater gives you endless hot water and frees up floor space, but it is only as good as its installation. The unit needs adequate gas supply, correct venting, and demand conditions that match your household — get those wrong and you get cold-water sandwiches and short cycling.
For Michigan winters, incoming groundwater can drop near 40°F, which cuts a tankless unit's flow rate. We size the unit for worst-case winter demand, not summer, so your showers stay hot in January. We also plan for the annual descaling that hard water makes essential here.
Is tankless right for your home?
Tankless gives you endless hot water and reclaims floor space — but it is only the right call when your gas, venting, and demand line up. We give you an honest comparison, not a one-size answer.
Tankless (on-demand)
Endless hot water and a wall-mounted footprint, sized for winter groundwater so it keeps up in January — when your gas and venting support it.
Best for: Larger demand or homes wanting space savings
High-efficiency tank
Lower upfront cost and a simpler install, with strong efficiency. For many Oakland County homes this is the best overall value.
Best for: Best value for many households
Convert tank to tankless
A remodel is the ideal time to run the correct gas line and venting for a tankless conversion done right.
Best for: Remodels with gas and venting ready
What we size and check for tankless
- Peak simultaneous demand across your fixtures
- Winter groundwater temperature (we size for January, not July)
- Gas meter and line capacity for the higher BTU draw
- Stainless venting and condensate routing
- An annual descaling plan for our hard water
- The permit, inspection, and controls power
When to call us for tankless install
You want endless hot water
Large households, soaking tubs, and back-to-back showers benefit most from on-demand heating.
You're tired of a bulky tank
Wall-mounted tankless units reclaim closet or basement floor space in tighter homes.
Your tank keeps failing on hard water
Tankless units avoid the standing-sediment problem, though they still need periodic descaling here.
You're building or remodeling
A remodel is the ideal time to run the correct gas line and venting for a tankless conversion.
What's included in our tankless install
Every tankless install job is a complete, documented service — not a quick patch. Here's what you can expect when our licensed team is on site.
- A peak-demand calculation sized for Michigan winter groundwater, not summer
- A gas-meter and gas-line capacity check for the higher BTU draw
- Correct stainless venting and condensate handling for condensing units
- The Michigan permit and inspection, handled for you
- Commissioning to verify flow and temperature under real demand
- An annual descaling plan to protect the heat exchanger on hard water
Our process
- 1
Demand & gas review
We calculate peak simultaneous demand and confirm your gas meter and line can feed the unit at winter temperatures.
- 2
Venting & location plan
We plan stainless venting and mounting to code, and locate the unit to minimize hot-water wait times.
- 3
Permitted installation
We pull the permit, run or upsize the gas line if needed, and install condensate handling for condensing units.
- 4
Commission & descale plan
We commission the unit, verify flow and temperature, and set you up with an annual descaling schedule.
What affects the price
We never post fake prices. Here's what actually drives the cost — and we put the real number in writing before any work begins.
- Condensing vs. non-condensing unit and flow-rate rating.
- Whether the gas line must be upsized for the higher BTU draw.
- New stainless venting and condensate routing.
- Converting from an existing tank vs. new construction.
- Permit, inspection, and any electrical for the ignition/controls.
Why Bloomfield Hills homeowners choose Bloomfield Hills Plumbing for tankless install
We've served Bloomfield Hills and Oakland County for over 17 years, hold a 4.9-star rating across 138 reviews, and back every job with a licensed Michigan master plumber. Here's what that means for your tankless install.
Sized for January, not July
Cold incoming water lowers a tankless unit’s flow. We size for worst-case winter demand so your showers stay hot in a Michigan cold snap.
Honest tankless-vs-tank advice
Tankless is not the right answer for every home. We compare payback against a high-efficiency tank and tell you which is the better value for you.
Gas and venting done right
A tankless unit is only as good as its gas supply and venting. We upsize and vent to code so the unit performs and the warranty stays intact.
Maintenance built in
Hard water scales the heat exchanger. We install with service valves and set you up for annual descaling so efficiency and warranty hold.
Tankless Water Heater Installation FAQs
Yes — if it is sized for winter groundwater temperatures. Cold incoming water lowers the flow a tankless unit can heat, so we size for January, not July. That is the single most important step for reliable winter performance.
They do. Oakland County hard water scales the heat exchanger, so an annual descaling (or a bypass-valve flush) keeps efficiency and warranty intact. We build this into your plan and can service it each year.
Usually, yes. The main considerations are gas-line capacity and venting. We assess both and give you a clear conversion quote — sometimes a high-efficiency tank is the better value, and we will say so.
A well-maintained tankless unit often lasts 20 years or more — longer than a typical tank — but it depends on annual descaling to keep the heat exchanger clear on our hard water. We build that maintenance into your plan.
For smaller households the energy savings are real, but the payback on the higher install cost is longer. A high-efficiency tank is often the better value. We run the numbers for your specific usage before you decide.