Good points about the electrical and gas line upgrades. When I switched to a tankless system, I was surprised at how much prep work was involved—definitely more than just swapping out the old tank. My electrician ended up replacing half the breakers in my panel because they weren't rated properly for the new setup. And yeah, the gas line sizing caught me off guard too...had to upgrade to a bigger line after realizing the existing one wasn't cutting it.
One thing I haven't seen mentioned yet is ventilation. Tankless units usually require different venting setups compared to traditional tanks, especially if you're going with a high-efficiency condensing model. I had to install new PVC vent pipes through the side wall instead of using the old chimney flue. Not a huge deal, but something to factor into your plans.
Curious if anyone else ran into unexpected venting or clearance issues when upgrading their water heater? Seems like every older home has its own unique quirks...
"Curious if anyone else ran into unexpected venting or clearance issues when upgrading their water heater?"
Yeah, venting was a bigger headache than I expected too. One of my rentals had an old brick chimney that wasn't suitable anymore, so we ended up rerouting through the basement wall. Definitely added time (and cost) to the project...
Ran into similar issues myself. Newer high-efficiency units often need PVC venting, which means old metal flues won't cut it anymore. Usually ends up being more involved than homeowners expect—especially if you're dealing with tight spaces or older construction.
"Usually ends up being more involved than homeowners expect—especially if you're dealing with tight spaces or older construction."
Yeah, that's spot-on. Had a job last winter where the homeowner thought we'd just swap out his rusty old tank and call it a day. But once we got in there, it turned into a real headache. The basement was cramped, and the old metal flue ran right through a brick chimney—no easy way to retrofit PVC venting without some serious demo work. Ended up having to reroute the venting entirely, which meant cutting through drywall upstairs and patching afterward. Homeowner wasn't thrilled, but sometimes that's just how it goes with older homes.
Honestly, if your heater's already showing rust, it's probably smarter to bite the bullet and replace it now rather than patching it up and dealing with bigger headaches down the line. Learned that lesson myself the hard way years ago...
Yeah, replacing sooner rather than later is usually the safer bet. I tried to squeeze a few extra months out of mine when it started rusting, thinking I'd save some cash. Ended up with a flooded laundry room and ruined flooring—lesson learned. Older houses always seem to hide surprises, too... better to tackle it before you're stuck dealing with water damage or worse.
