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A tankless water heater is conceptually simple — fire a burner when someone opens a hot-water tap, modulate the heat to match the demand, deliver continuous hot water. But the engineering inside is sophisticated. Here is the plain-English walkthrough of what is actually happening when you turn on the shower.
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A flow sensor in the cold-water inlet detects when someone opens a hot tap. Above a minimum activation threshold (typically 0.4-0.6 GPM), the unit triggers.
Gas valve opens proportionally, electronic igniter sparks, burner lights. The unit modulates from ~15% to 100% of its rated input (e.g., 19,000 BTU minimum to 199,000 BTU max for a Navien NPE-240). Modulation matches DHW demand precisely — saving gas vs an old-school on/off burner.
Cold water flows through a finned copper or stainless heat exchanger that wraps around the burner. Water absorbs heat as it travels through — typically picking up 50-70°F (28-39°C) on a single pass.
Free in-home consultation. TSBC-licensed technicians. FortisBC rebate paperwork handled.
📞 (604) 359-1081 Request a quoteModern condensing tankless units (the only kind we install in Vancouver now) include a stainless secondary heat exchanger that extracts additional heat from the flue gases. This pushes UEF from ~0.82 (non-condensing) to .94-.97 (condensing) — meaning 94-97% of the gas energy ends up in your hot water.
The condensing process produces 1-3 gallons/day of mildly acidic condensate. A drain line carries it to a floor drain or condensate pump. In Vancouver basements without floor drains, a small condensate pump moves the water up and out.
Premium units (Navien, Rinnai, Noritz, Bosch) modulate from 19k-199k BTU — a 10.5:1 turndown ratio. This matters in Vancouver because most household hot-water uses (handwashing, light shower) only need 20-30k BTU. Wide turndown = less cycling = longer life.
Tankless units use sealed combustion: 2-inch PVC or polypropylene intake from outside, 2-inch exhaust to outside. No chimney needed. Vents typically run 6-30 feet from the unit to the wall.
Free in-home consultation. TSBC-licensed technicians. FortisBC rebate paperwork handled.
📞 (604) 359-1081 Request a quoteCANRO Heating & Cooling — TSBC Class-A gas-fitting licence · Red Seal HVAC certified · WorkSafeBC and liability insured · 4.9★ from 85+ Google reviews · Serving Metro Vancouver since 1999.
CANRO Heating & Cooling — TSBC Class-A gas-fitting licence · Red Seal HVAC certified · WorkSafeBC and liability insured · 4.9★ from 85+ Google reviews · Serving Metro Vancouver since 1999.
“Canro does an amazing job! Super professional and skilled with everything—boilers, furnaces, and AC. Always a pleasure working with them!”
“Five stars for Canro. We needed a replacement of a 30-year-old boiler. A new high-efficiency unit was installed—clean, professional work.”
“I can’t speak highly enough about George, who was recommended for a boiler service call for my parents’ home. George is excellent.”
25+ years keeping Metro Vancouver homes comfortable. Honest advice, upfront pricing, work that lasts.