Encinitas Plumbing

This is why it matters who installs your tankless water heater.

We recently worked on a Navien tankless water heater that was only four years old. The homeowner called us because the unit had developed a major leak and stopped operating properly.

What we found was eye-opening.

The installation was missing several critical components, including:

• Thermal expansion tank
• Condensate neutralizer
• Gas sediment trap
• Temperature & Pressure relief line not routed to outside

The water heater had also never been registered with Navien by the original installer, reducing the available warranty coverage period.

The biggest issue was a failed heat exchanger that had begun leaking from the inside out. The leak eventually damaged the wiring harness and control board, turning what could have been a maintenance issue into a major repair.

Fortunately, many of the replacement parts were still covered under the manufacturer’s warranty. Even so, the homeowner still spent approximately $2,000 bringing the system back into proper operating condition.

The photos below show some of the conditions we found, along with the repairs and code corrections that were required.

Tankless water heaters are sophisticated appliances that involve gas, plumbing, venting, condensate management, water quality, and system pressure considerations. A proper installation isn’t just about getting hot water today—it’s about protecting the equipment and maximizing its service life for years to come.

Before hiring anyone to install a tankless water heater, make sure they are:

✓ Properly licensed
✓ Pulling permits when required
✓ Familiar with current plumbing and mechanical codes
✓ Factory trained on the equipment they install
✓ Registering the unit with the manufacturer

Sometimes the most expensive water heater is the one that was installed incorrectly.

Encinitas Plumbing
Navien NSS Certified
Factory-Trained Tankless Water Heater Specialists