Tankless · Kelowna & area
Tankless water heater installation, repair & descaling in Kelowna
A tankless water heater heats water as you use it, so it does not run out the way a tank does when it is sized for your peak use, and it frees up floor space, but only if your gas line, venting and water can support it. We check all three before we recommend one, then install, repair and descale it.
Anderson Plumbing and Gas Fitting · owner-operated · last updated
Gas contractor licensed with Technical Safety BC (LGA0212697)
Quick answer
For tankless water heater installation, repair or descaling in Kelowna, call Anderson Plumbing and Gas Fitting at (250) 859-3548. We check your gas line, venting and water first, then install under a gas permit as a gas contractor licensed with Technical Safety BC (LGA0212697).
A tankless heater warms water as it flows instead of keeping a tank hot all day. That means hot water that does not run out and a unit that hangs on the wall, but it also means it needs a lot of gas for a short time, its own venting, and clean water through a small heat exchanger.
That is where tankless problems usually start. The gas line is too small for the new load, the venting was not changed, or scale has built up inside the heat exchanger because the unit has never been flushed. Manufacturers call for descaling at least yearly, more often with hard water or heavy use.
So before we recommend one, we check the gas supply, the venting route and your water. If a tankless makes sense, we size it to how many fixtures you run at once and install it with isolation valves so it can be serviced. If a good tank is the better call for your house, we will tell you that instead.
How a tankless water heater works
- 1Hot tap opens. Cold water starts flowing into the unit.
- 2Flow sensor. Senses the water moving and tells the controller to fire.
- 3Gas burner lights. Only while water is flowing, so no gas is spent keeping a tank hot.
- 4Heat exchanger. Water passes through it and is heated on the way through.
- 5Out at the set temperature. Hot water leaves at the temperature set on the controller.
- 6Venting. Exhaust goes outside through its own vent. Condensing models use certified plastic vent pipe (ULC S636).
- 7Condensate drain. Condensing models pull extra heat from the exhaust and need a drain for the water that forms.
- 8Service valves. Isolation valves on the water lines so the heat exchanger can be flushed and descaled.
Illustration for explanation, not a photo of a specific job. Layout varies by model and home.
Services covered
Gas tankless water heater installation
Tank-to-tankless conversions and replacements, including the gas line upsizing and new venting a tankless usually needs, installed under a gas permit.
Tankless water heater repair
Error codes, cold water bursts, ignition problems or reduced flow, diagnosed and repaired. Scale is checked first, since hard water is a common cause.
Tankless water heater descaling and maintenance
Heat exchanger descaled through the isolation valves, inlet filter cleaned, and burner, venting and error history checked.
Service valves on existing units
If your tankless was installed without isolation valves, we add them so it can be descaled properly from now on.
When to call about your tankless
- Hot water turns lukewarm or cold partway through a shower
- An error code is showing on the unit
- Hot water flow is weaker than it used to be
- It hasn't been descaled in over a year
- You are planning to switch from a tank and want to know if your house can support it
Is a tankless right for your house?
The same questions we work through on every quote.
Can the gas line feed it?
A tankless can need far more gas than the line was sized for. We check the meter, the pipe size and the length of the run before recommending one.
Where will it vent?
Switching from a tank almost always means new venting. We plan the route so it meets code and does not leave another appliance on a chimney that no longer suits it.
What is your water like?
Harder water means more scale and more frequent descaling. Your water utility's water quality report lists hardness. We install isolation valves on every tankless, and talk about a softener if it is worth it.
How much hot water at once?
Tankless units are sized by flow: how many showers, taps and appliances run at the same time, and how cold the incoming water gets in winter.
What about power outages?
Most tankless units need electricity for their controls and fan, so they usually will not make hot water during a power outage. A standard gas tank usually still will.
Tank or tankless?
Tankless lasts longer and doesn't run out the way a tank does if it's sized right, but costs more up front and needs yearly service. A good tank is still the right call for a lot of homes. We price both so you can compare.
Current as of November 2026
Tankless water heater rebates
Income-qualified households can get up to $3,000 from FortisBC toward a new condensing gas tankless. The yearly descale on a gas tankless also qualifies for a FortisBC rebate, and homes moving off oil or propane can get money toward a new gas water heater.
$3,000
Condensing gas tankless: FortisBC, income qualified
For income-qualified FortisBC natural gas customers replacing a working natural gas or propane water heater with an eligible condensing tankless model. A $350 bonus is available if you also make a second eligible upgrade. The rebate cannot be more than the paid invoice.
Details on FortisBC$50 back
Tankless water heater service
Residential FortisBC gas customers get $50 back on a tankless service by a licensed gas contractor. Storage tanks do not qualify. Apply within 60 days of the invoice.
Details on FortisBCUp to $150
Yearly gas appliance service
Residential FortisBC gas customers get $50 back for a furnace service, $50 for a tankless water heater service and $25 for each of up to two indoor fireplaces, up to $150 per household. Claim online within 60 days of the service invoice.
Details on FortisBCUp to $800
Gas water heater with a conversion
Add an eligible natural gas water heater at the same time as a rebated gas furnace or direct vent wall furnace when you connect to gas.
Details on FortisBCRebate amounts and rules are set by FortisBC and can change, so always check the official page before you buy. FortisBC rebates need a gas contractor licensed with Technical Safety BC. Ours is gas contractor licence LGA0212697. Service rebates are claimed with the paid invoice; the switch-to-gas rebates also ask for the gas permit number and the contractor's licence number on the invoice. CleanBC rebate finder
Licence and how we work
Gas contractor licensed with Technical Safety BC (LGA0212697).
- Owner-operated. The owner quotes every job and is on site for the work.
- A fair, upfront price first. You get the price before any work starts, so you can say yes or no before you are committed.
- Gas work under permit. We pull the permit on gas work, and we can put the permit number and our licence number on your invoice.
- Honest repair-or-replace advice. We assess the job first and explain your options in plain language. If a repair makes more sense than a new unit, that's what we'll tell you.
If you smell gas, leave right away and call FortisBC's 24-hour emergency line at 1-800-663-9911 (or your propane supplier) or 911 from outside. Then call us for the repair.
About usQuestions, answered
Why does my tankless go cold in the middle of a shower?
The usual causes are scale in the heat exchanger, a clogged inlet filter, or more hot water being drawn than the unit can heat at once. Descaling and cleaning the filter fixes most cases; if the unit is simply too small for the house, we will tell you.
How often does a tankless need descaling?
At least once a year, which is what manufacturers call for, and more often with hard water or heavy use. Scale builds up inside the heat exchanger and is a common reason a tankless starts acting up. Your water utility's water quality report lists your water's hardness.
Will a tankless work during a power outage?
Usually not. Most tankless units need electricity for their controls and venting fan, so they stop making hot water when the power goes out.
Can my existing gas line run a tankless?
Often it needs upgrading. A tankless uses a lot of gas while it runs, so we check the meter, pipe size and run length before quoting, and include any gas line work in the price.
What does a tankless descaling service include?
Shutting the unit down at its isolation valves, circulating a descaling solution through the heat exchanger, flushing it clean, cleaning the inlet water filter, and checking the unit runs properly afterwards.
Is there a rebate for servicing a tankless?
FortisBC gas customers can currently get $50 back on a tankless service by a licensed gas contractor, so it is worth claiming on the yearly descale. Tank water heaters do not qualify. For rebates on a new water heater, see our water heater page.
Areas we serve
Kelowna, West Kelowna, Lake Country (including Oyama), Vernon and Peachland.
Get an honest answer and a fair, upfront price
We are open 24/7 and tell you honestly when we can be there. You get the price before any work starts.