Tankless Water Heater in Redlands, CA

What is Redlands water like for a tankless heater?

The City of Redlands Municipal Utilities & Engineering Department supplies Redlands, Mentone, parts of Crafton Hills and San Timoteo Canyon and a small part of San Bernardino. Per the City's 2022 Consumer Confidence Report, the supply mixes surface water from the Santa Ana River and Mill Creek watersheds with Bunker Hill Basin groundwater, which covers about half of normal demand, and adds State Water Project water at peak times. That report lists groundwater hardness averaging 152 mg/L (range 100 to 200) and treated surface water averaging 135 mg/L. Neither is extreme, but heat drives calcium out of solution in a tankless heat exchanger, so a yearly flush and isolation valves are standard. The City's newest report is posted on its Water Quality page.

How do I get the permit?

Through the Building & Safety Division's One Stop Permit Center, 35 Cajon Street, Suite 15A, 909-798-7536. The City notes that water heater permits can be started on its online portal but must be paid in person before the permit is issued. Plumbing permits are handled by the same office. The installing plumber typically manages this step, but it helps to know there is a counter visit involved, so build a day for it into your schedule.

Will my house need gas or vent upgrades?

That depends on its age and layout. Redlands has a wide range of housing, from older homes with heaters in interior closets to newer tracts with garage installs. In older homes, the heater often shares a flue with the furnace and sits on a gas branch sized for a tank. A gas tankless unit needs its own sealed vent and a supply line large enough for its full burner input, so the plumber measures the gas pipe from the meter and walks the vent route before recommending a model. The City also reports that it has no lead or galvanized-requiring-replacement service lines in its distribution system.

A Redlands note

SoCalGas is the gas utility. If you smell gas, leave the house before doing anything else, then call 911 and SoCalGas at 1-800-427-2200 from a safe place.