Tankless water heaters take half the closet space, last roughly twice as long as a tank, and never run out of hot water. They also cost more upfront, scale up faster on hard water, and require thought about gas line sizing and venting. I install Navien tankless units across St. Charles, Campton Hills, Geneva, and the rest of Kane County. Every job gets a flat price in writing before I start.
When tankless makes sense
- You’re tired of running out of hot water during back-to-back showers
- Your existing tank is at end-of-life and you’re already replacing it
- You want the floor space back (a 50-gallon tank takes a 24" × 24" footprint; tankless mounts on the wall)
- You’re remodeling and don’t want to plan around a future tank
- You expect to stay in the home long enough for the energy savings to pay back the install premium
When tankless doesn’t make sense
- You’re on hard well water and don’t want a softener (descaling every six months gets old)
- The gas line and venting work to support tankless would cost more than the unit
- You’re planning to sell the house in under 5 years
- Your hot water demand regularly exceeds 4 fixtures running at once (a tank with a recirculation loop is often a better fit)
I’ll tell you which bucket you’re in on the site visit.
What it costs
Tankless install pricing depends on the unit you need, the gas line you’ve got, the venting path, and any code work to bring the install up to current spec. Different houses, different numbers. What stays the same: I quote a flat price in writing on the site visit, before any work starts. Fastest way to get a quote is to call me at 630-310-4736.
What’s included
- Navien tankless unit, sized to your fixture count and gas line
- Concentric venting through the rim joist (or wall, depending on the run)
- Gas-line upsizing where required
- Isolation valves so future descaling stays a 30-minute job, not a teardown
- Permit pulled with your village; inspection scheduled and met
- Manufacturer warranty registered in your name
- Flat price in writing before I start
Around Kane County
Tankless on municipal water in St. Charles, Geneva, and Batavia is straightforward. On private wells in Campton Hills, Wasco, and Lily Lake, tankless works if you have softened water feeding it — without a softener, plan on twice-yearly descaling. Softener and tankless together is the right move on hard well water; I can do both in the same week.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
- Is tankless actually cheaper than a tank long-term?
- Depends on usage. A typical Kane County family tends to save on monthly gas with a properly sized tankless. The unit costs more upfront, so the break-even is several years out. If you're staying in the home long-term, the math usually works. Call and we'll do it for your house.
- Will I really never run out of hot water?
- Correct, with one caveat: tankless heats water on demand, but it has a maximum flow rate. A properly sized unit handles two showers plus a dishwasher running at once. If you regularly run more than that simultaneously, I'd size up or recommend a tank. I'll do the math with you on the quote.
- Do I need to upsize my gas line?
- Sometimes. Tankless units burn a lot more gas at peak than a tank water heater. If your existing line is feeding the heater alone, it's usually fine. If it's also feeding a furnace or dryer on the same run, the line probably needs upsizing. I check it on the site visit before quoting.
- What about hard water? I heard tankless dies fast on well water.
- Half right. Tankless units scale up faster than tanks because they heat water at higher temperatures across narrow heat-exchanger passages. On Kane County well water without a softener, expect to flush the unit twice a year and budget for the heat exchanger eventually. With a softener installed upstream, that timeline roughly doubles. I won't install tankless on hard well water without telling you that first.
- How long does the installation take?
- Without new gas line or venting work, it's a 6–8 hour job. With gas line upsizing and new concentric venting through the rim joist, it's a full day to a day and a half. I schedule it accordingly so you only lose hot water for one day.
- What does a tankless installation cost?
- Pricing depends on the unit, your existing gas line, the venting situation, and any code work needed. There's no flat number that fits every house. Give me a call and we'll talk through it.
- Where can the unit be installed?
- Tankless mounts on a wall and frees up the floor space your old tank occupied, the second-best reason to switch, after endless hot water. Indoors with concentric venting through the rim joist or outdoors with a freeze-protection kit. I'll find the location that minimizes plumbing runs and venting complexity.
- What brand of tankless do you install?
- Navien. Reliable heat exchanger, strong service-parts network, good performance on Kane County water once you have a softener upstream. I'll match the model size to your gas line and fixture demand on the site visit.
From a customer
Excellent and professional install of a tankless water heater. Very knowledgable plumber and took care to walk me through the process.