Tankless Water Heater Installation and Repair in Austin, TX

Lantz Home Services installs, repairs, and replaces tankless water heaters across Austin, Lago Vista, and Central Texas. If you are tired of running out of hot water, tired of a 50-gallon tank eating floor space in your utility closet, or trying to figure out which rebate actually applies to a tankless unit in 2026, we can help today. Licensed plumbers, permitted work, and straight answers before you spend a dollar.

Call 512-881-1841

Why Austin and Central Texas Homeowners Are Switching to Tankless

A tankless water heater only heats water when a fixture calls for it. That single design difference solves several problems at once for homes in our area.

What you get with tankless:

• Endless hot water. Back-to-back showers, the dishwasher, and a load of laundry can all run at the same time without the cold surprise a tank gives you when it runs dry.
• A 15 to 20 year lifespan. Tankless units routinely last close to double what a tank does, and most components are serviceable, so you replace a part instead of the whole unit.
• Reclaimed space. A wall-mounted unit about the size of a carry-on suitcase frees up the floor space a 40 to 50 gallon tank occupies. This matters in lake-area homes and tight utility rooms.
• No standby heat loss. A tank reheats all day to fight against heat loss. Tankless skips that entirely, which trims the water-heating portion of your utility bill.
• No tank to silt up. Highland Lakes minerals settle at the bottom of a tank and cause early failure. A properly maintained tankless unit avoids that problem, and we make annual flushing simple.
• Cleaner water at the fixture. Without a tank holding standing water, you avoid the scale and rust-colored residue that a corroding tank eventually pushes through your pipes.

Lantz Home Services has served the Austin and Central Texas for more than 50 years as a family-owned plumbing, HVAC, and electrical company. Our tankless installations are handled by licensed plumbers, including field technicians like Scott, who brings 44 years of plumbing experience to every sizing call and gas line assessment. We pull permits, install to Austin-area code, and stand behind every job.

The Austin Tankless Rebate Most Websites Still Get Wrong

A lot of Austin plumbing pages still advertise a 600 dollar Austin Energy rebate on a gas tankless unit. As of 2026, that is not accurate, and relying on it can cost you money at the register.

Here is how the programs actually work right now.

• Austin Energy's 800 dollar water heater rebate applies only to ENERGY STAR heat pump (hybrid electric) water heaters. Gas installations are explicitly excluded from this program.
• Texas Gas Service is the program that actually rebates a natural gas tankless unit. It offers 400 dollars, or 650 dollars for higher-efficiency qualifying models, with eligibility tied to your service area and rate code.
• Many lake-area homes on propane fall outside both programs. We tell you that upfront, before you commit to a unit, rather than after the sale.

We confirm current program rules and your specific eligibility before you buy, and we handle the paperwork if you qualify.

Built for Austin Water, Propane, and Central Texas Freezes

A tankless unit only delivers on its 20-year promise if it is installed for the conditions it actually lives in around here. These are the local realities we design around on every job.

• Hard water scaling. This is the number one tankless killer in our region. Highland Lakes water runs mineral-heavy, often well above 120 ppm. We set isolation valves for clean annual descaling and recommend a whole-home softener so scale never chokes the heat exchanger.
• Propane on off-the-main properties. Lago Vista, Horseshoe Bay, Marble Falls, and Spicewood homes are frequently on propane rather than natural gas. We size the LP orifice, regulator, and gas line correctly instead of assuming a natural gas setup.
• Hill Country freeze cycles. Tankless units need continuous power and freeze protection. We plan venting, condensate lines, and outage exposure so a hard freeze does not leave your home without hot water.
• Second-home and seasonal vacancy. Lake homes that sit empty for stretches of the year need a setup planned around intermittent use, and we account for the vacancy patterns common across the Highland Lakes.

"On the lake side, the install that lasts isn't about the brand on the box. It's whether someone sized the gas line and planned for the hard water. That's where most early failures start." - Scott, 44 years of field plumbing experience, Lantz Home Services

What a Tankless Installation Actually Involves

Homeowners often assume a tankless swap is a simple one-for-one replacement. In most Austin-area homes, it is more involved than that, and knowing the steps upfront helps you plan for the job.

Step 1: Load and fixture assessment. 

We walk your home, count your fixtures, and determine your simultaneous hot water demand. This tells us the flow rate, measured in gallons per minute, that your unit needs to handle.

Step 2: Gas line evaluation.

Tankless units demand significantly more gas flow than a tank heater at the moment of ignition. Homes built before 2000 in the Austin area frequently need a larger gas line run from the meter to the unit. We measure your existing line and size the upgrade if one is needed.

Step 3: Venting plan.

Tankless units require stainless-steel venting rated for the higher exhaust temperatures they produce. We plan the vent path through your wall or roof line to meet manufacturer specs and Austin-area code.

Step 4: Electrical check.

Even gas and propane tankless units need a dedicated 120V outlet for the igniter and control board. We confirm your electrical setup can support it or add the circuit if it cannot.

Step 5: Unit mounting and connection.

We mount the unit, connect gas or propane supply, tie in the venting, run the water lines, and install isolation valves so the unit can be descaled annually without disconnecting anything.

Step 6: Permit and inspection.

We pull the required permit and coordinate any inspection your municipality requires. This step protects your homeowner's insurance standing and your resale value.

Step 7: Startup, testing, and walkthrough.

We fire the unit, test it under real load across multiple fixtures, and walk you through the annual maintenance your specific unit needs.

Most installations run a half day to two days depending on whether gas line or venting upgrades are required.

What Affects the Cost of a Tankless Installation in Austin

No two Austin-area tankless installs cost the same, and any company quoting you a flat number before seeing your home is guessing. Here is what actually drives the price up or down.

• Unit size and flow rate. Most area families land on a 7 to 11 GPM unit. Higher-capacity units cost more upfront but handle more simultaneous fixtures without running cold.
• Gas line upsizing. If your home was built before 2000, there is a good chance the existing gas line was sized for a tank heater and needs to be upsized for a tankless unit. This is one of the most common cost additions we run into.
• Venting complexity. A straightforward exterior wall vent costs less than a long roof-line run through multiple floors.
• Electrical work. If your utility space does not already have a dedicated 120V outlet nearby, adding one adds a modest cost to the job.
• Fuel type. Propane installations sometimes involve regulator and orifice work that natural gas installations do not.
• Water treatment additions. If we recommend a softener to protect the unit from Highland Lakes hard water, that is a separate line item you can choose to add or decline.
• Rebate eligibility. A qualifying Texas Gas Service rebate can offset a meaningful portion of the cost of a natural gas installation.

We give you a full, itemized scope before any work begins, so you know exactly what you are paying for and why.

Tank vs. Tankless for an Austin-Area Home

• Traditional tank water heaters are limited to their stored capacity and run out during heavy use. Tankless units deliver hot water on demand for as long as you need it.
• A tank typically lasts 8 to 12 years in our region because of hard water sediment buildup. A tankless unit, properly maintained with annual descaling, typically lasts 15 to 20 years.
• Tank heaters require periodic flushing, but sediment still accumulates in the bottom of the tank over time regardless. Tankless units have no tank to silt up, provided you keep up with the annual descaling flush.
• A tank heater occupies 40 to 50 gallons of floor space. A tankless unit mounts to the wall and takes up a fraction of that footprint, which matters in tight utility rooms and lake homes with limited square footage.
• Tankless units cost more upfront than a comparable tank heater, but the cost is typically offset over the unit's longer lifespan and lower operating costs.
• During a power outage, a gas tank heater has limited standby capability. A tankless unit, gas or electric, needs a 120V connection for its igniter and controls and will not produce hot water without power.

Lantz Home Services has installed and repaired tankless systems across this region for more than 50 years. Licensed plumbers. Permitted work. Honest answers about rebates, sizing, and what your specific property needs before you spend a dollar.

Call  us today to schedule tankless water heater installation, repair, or a straightforward second opinion anywhere in Austin, Lago Vista, or the Highland Lakes.

Call 512-881-1841 and Leave it to Lantz.