Tankless Water Heater Installation Across Greater Vancouver

Greater Vancouver’s housing is about as varied as it gets: character houses in Kitsilano and Mount Pleasant, Vancouver Specials in Sunset, post-war bungalows in Burnaby, towers in Metrotown and Brentwood, family homes with suites in Surrey and Richmond, hillside houses on the North Shore, and townhome complexes across the Tri-Cities. ROMA Heating & Cooling has installed gas water heaters in all of them since 1999. A tankless heater can be a great upgrade in almost any of these homes, but the plan that works in a Coquitlam townhome is not the plan for a West End walk-up. This page explains how we approach tankless installation across the region.

How do we decide if tankless fits your home?

We look at five things: how your household uses hot water, whether the gas supply can feed a tankless heater, where a sealed vent can exit, where condensate can drain, and any building rules that apply. If all five line up, tankless is usually an excellent choice. If one of them is a serious obstacle, such as a condo with no compliant vent route, we tell you and recommend the best alternative.

Why does the gas line matter so much?

Call a licensed ROMA gas technician — (604) 704-0300

A tankless heater burns a lot of gas for short periods. Many homes in the region were piped for a tank, which draws a small amount steadily. If the line is too small or too long, the heater starves when the furnace or range also runs, and the hot water fades. We measure and calculate on every job. Where an upgrade is needed, it is part of the written quote.

How is venting handled?

Tankless heaters use sealed direct venting, drawing air from outside and exhausting through dedicated pipe, usually through a wall and sometimes through the roof. Terminations need clearances from windows, doors, soffits and property lines. On tight city lots and in strata buildings, finding a compliant route is often the main design challenge.

What about condensate?

Condensing tankless heaters produce mildly acidic condensate that has to be drained, typically through a neutraliser to a floor drain or standpipe. Where no drain is close, we plan a route or a condensate pump. In colder spots like garages, we keep the line from freezing.

How do permits work across the region?

ROMA pulls every gas permit. Addresses inside Vancouver city limits get theirs from the City’s permit office. In Burnaby, Richmond, Surrey, the Tri-Cities, the North Shore and most other municipalities, the permit runs through Technical Safety BC. Either way, we arrange the inspection and help register the warranty.

What does installation day look like?

We protect floors, isolate gas and water, drain and remove the old tank, mount the tankless heater with service valves, install or upsize the gas line with a shut-off and leak test, run the vent and drain, and commission the heater at several taps. You get a walkthrough of the controls and a plan for yearly service.

How do strata homes across the region differ?

Roughly a third of the tankless calls we get come from condos, townhomes and other strata properties. The heater itself is the same, but the process adds steps: council approval for the vent penetration, building rules about hours and parking, elevator bookings, common-area protection and sometimes specific requirements for how exterior penetrations are sealed. Buildings in Downtown Vancouver, Burnaby’s town centres and New Westminster’s waterfront tend to be the most detailed. We prepare the paperwork councils usually ask for and work with property managers regularly.

Is recirculation worth it?

In homes where the heater is far from the busiest bathroom, such as a garage install in a three-storey Coquitlam townhome or a basement mechanical room under a long North Vancouver house, recirculation can shorten the wait for hot water noticeably. In compact homes it is seldom worth the added cost. We give an honest recommendation for your layout.

How is the right size chosen?

We ask about showers running at once, tubs, laundry, suites and distances to fixtures. A one-bedroom condo and a five-bedroom house with a suite need very different heaters. The size and reasoning go into your quote.

What does ownership involve?

Continuous hot water, more floor space and a yearly service. Our region’s water is soft, which spares tankless heaters heavy crusting, but sediment and sludge from household piping still collect in the heat exchanger and inlet screen, and a flush clears them. See our tankless water heater page for equipment details.

Why choose ROMA for a tankless installation?

We are TSBC-licensed under Gas LGA0202903, bonded and insured, and have served Metro Vancouver from our Burnaby office since 1999. We give free installation estimates, upfront flat-rate quotes in writing, and financing on approved credit, and we hold 4.8 stars from 221 Google reviews. We work seven days a week.

How do I book?

Book a free tankless estimate online or call the office. And a safety note for every gas home in the region: smell gas, get out, avoid switches, and call FortisBC’s emergency line and 911 from outside; if a CO alarm sounds or someone feels ill, leave and call 911.

Tell us what you have — the brand, the model, and what it’s doing — and we’ll come back with the honest picture. Call ROMA at (604) 704-0300 to start your tankless installation anywhere in Greater Vancouver.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which Greater Vancouver areas does ROMA serve for tankless installation?

We install tankless heaters across Greater Vancouver and the Fraser Valley, including Vancouver, Burnaby, New Westminster, Richmond, Delta, Coquitlam, Port Coquitlam, Port Moody, North and West Vancouver, Surrey, Langley and beyond. Our office is in Burnaby, and we work seven days a week. Tell us where you are when you book.

Who issues the gas permit for a tankless install in Greater Vancouver?

It depends on the municipality. Properties inside Vancouver city limits get a City-issued permit. In most other municipalities, including Burnaby, Surrey and Richmond, the permit runs through Technical Safety BC. ROMA pulls the permit in every case and includes it in the written flat-rate quote.

Can every Greater Vancouver home switch to tankless?

Most detached homes and townhomes can, with the right gas supply and venting. Some condos cannot, either because the building supplies hot water centrally or because there is no compliant vent route. We assess your home during the free estimate and tell you honestly if a tank is the better choice.

How long does a tankless installation take in Greater Vancouver?

Most straightforward replacements are completed in one day. New gas lines from the meter, long vent runs, relocating the heater or strata limits on working hours can extend that. We give you an expected timeline with the written quote, so you can plan around the work.

Reviewed by the ROMA Heating & Cooling team — TSBC-licensed gas contractor (Gas LGA0202903), serving Greater Vancouver since 1999. Updated September 2026.