4 Questions Every Chattanooga Homeowner Needs to Ask Before Swapping to a Tankless Water Heater

If you’re tired of running out of hot water mid-shower, hating that 50-gallon tank taking up closet space, or watching your gas bill climb every winter, a tankless water heater sounds like the dream. Endless hot water, 20–35% lower energy bills, and a unit that fits on the wall like a suitcase — what’s not to love?

At Scenic Air Solutions, we’ve been installing tankless systems across Chattanooga, Signal Mountain, Lookout Mountain, and North Georgia for years (gas, electric, and hybrid). John has literally seen every possible install scenario in the last 55+ years, so we know which ones work brilliantly here and which ones turn into expensive headaches.

Before you sign anything or let anyone cut pipe, ask these 4 questions. Answer them honestly and you’ll know if tankless is actually right for your house — or if you’re about to waste $3,000–$6,000.

1. What’s my real simultaneous hot-water demand on the coldest January morning? Chattanooga water comes in at 45–50 °F in winter. A standard shower is 2.0–2.5 GPM, a modern washing machine can pull 2 GPM, and that body-spray shower your spouse wants? Up to 6–8 GPM by itself. Add it up. If you need more than 5–6 GPM total at the same time, you’ll need a bigger (and pricier) gas unit or multiple electric units.

2. Do I have the gas line and venting to support a high-efficiency gas tankless — or am I going full electric? Most homes in Hixson, Red Bank, and older parts of North Chattanooga have ½-inch gas lines. A decent whole-house gas tankless needs ¾-inch or 1-inch all the way from the meter plus new stainless Category III venting. That can add $800–$2,000 to the job. If your meter is only 250k BTU or less, EPB may make you upgrade it. Electric tankless is simpler but usually means a new 200–300 amp panel.

3. How hard is my water, and am I willing to maintain it? Chattanooga’s water hardness averages 8–12 grains per gallon in most areas (Lookout Mountain and Signal Mountain are often worse). Without annual descaling, a tankless unit dies in 8–10 years instead of 20+. Ask us about adding a scale-prevention system or softener at the same time — it’s cheaper to do it upfront.

4. Where exactly is this thing going, and will I lose storage or freeze worries? A lot of people want the tankless in the same closet the old tank lived in. Great — until you realize you need 12–18 inches of service clearance and combustion air. Basements and crawl spaces can work - the tankless water heater has a relatively small footprint.

Still think tankless is right for you? Give us a call at 423-463-6228. We’ll come out, run the numbers for your exact house, and tell you straight — your options and our recommendations.

Scenic Air Solutions — family owned, serving the Chattanooga area.