Error code on the display or suddenly no hot water? Tankless units are reliable until scale or a sensor trips them — then you need someone who actually knows them. We diagnose, descale, and repair all major brands around the clock, with flat-rate pricing and no after-hours surcharge.
Tankless heaters tell you what's wrong — if you can read the codes. We handle the full range:
Have a tank unit instead? See water heater repair.
The #1 cause of tankless trouble in Portland is mineral scale on the heat exchanger. It:
An annual descale and flush is the single best thing you can do for a tankless heater — we handle it in one visit.
Diagnostics, descaling, and component repair on gas and electric tankless systems.
We read the fault, trace the cause, and fix it — not just reset the display.
Full system flush to clear scale, restore flow, and prevent recurring faults.
Failed igniters, flame sensors, and burners replaced so the unit fires reliably.
Venting, intake, and condensate issues that throw codes diagnosed and corrected.
Flow sensors, inlet filters, and valves cleaned or replaced to restore hot water.
New units and conversions when repair isn't worth it. Tankless install
Tankless units last 15–20 years, so repair is usually worth it well into their life — a sensor, igniter, or descale brings most units right back.
If the heat exchanger has failed on an older, out-of-warranty unit, replacement may win. We give you the honest numbers and, if it's time, handle the new install or a switch to a tank.
Tankless heaters are popular across Portland for endless hot water and space savings — but the region's mineral-rich water scales heat exchangers faster than many owners expect. Skip the annual descale and the unit starts throwing codes, losing efficiency, and eventually failing early.
We know the local water and the brands installed here, so we fix the fault and set you up with maintenance that keeps it from coming back.
No hot water before work? A live dispatcher answers any hour and we keep plumbers on call overnight.
Give us the brand and error code; we arrive with the likely parts.
We read the fault and pinpoint the real cause — scale, sensor, gas, or venting.
One upfront price to repair or descale — same rate, day or night.
Most repairs done the same visit, tested, and backed by our guarantee.
| Service | Typical range* |
|---|---|
| Diagnostic (applied to repair) | Quoted upfront |
| Descale & system flush | $200–$500 |
| Igniter / flame sensor | $200–$450 |
| Flow sensor / control board | $250–$650 |
| Venting / condensate repair | $200–$600 |
*Typical Portland-metro ranges. Brand, part, and access set the final flat quote — confirmed before work, with no after-hours, overtime, or trip surcharge.
An error code feels alarming, but most are fixable — a descale, a sensor, a venting tweak. The trick is reading the code correctly and treating the cause, not just clearing the display so it trips again next week. We do the former.
The region's mineral-rich water is hard on heat exchangers, so descaling is the heart of tankless care here. We flush the system, fix the fault, and set you up with maintenance that keeps the unit out of fault mode.
We service every major tankless system, gas and electric:
An annual descale costs a fraction of an emergency repair and adds years to the unit. We can set a reminder cadence and, if a unit is finally done, handle a replacement or a switch to a tank system.
No hot water is never convenient, and on a tankless unit it usually means a single trippable fault rather than a dead heater. Because we keep plumbers on call overnight, a unit that quits before a workday morning gets a same-night visit instead of a cold shower.
Every repair is performed by an Oregon-licensed, background-checked plumber and backed by a written guarantee, at the same flat rate whether we descale your unit at noon or replace an igniter at 2 a.m. — no after-hours surcharge.
Once a year is the rule of thumb, and in Portland's mineral-rich water, sticking to it matters. Scale builds up on the heat exchanger faster here than in soft-water regions, and skipping the annual flush is the single most common reason a tankless unit starts throwing error codes, loses efficiency, or fails early. If your unit has never been descaled and it's a few years old, that's the first thing to schedule — it often clears up complaints on its own.
Lukewarm or fluctuating water usually points to scale buildup, a flow rate too low to fully fire the burner, a partially clogged inlet filter, or undersizing for the number of fixtures running at once. We check the flow sensor, descale the heat exchanger, clean the filter, and confirm the unit is sized for your demand — most "not hot enough" complaints trace back to one of those.
It won't run out the way a tank does, but it can fall behind if you exceed its flow rating — say, two showers plus the dishwasher on a unit sized for one or two fixtures. That feels like running out, but it's really a sizing or flow issue. We can confirm whether your unit is right-sized for your household and recommend a fix if it's being asked to do more than it can.
With regular descaling, a quality tankless unit lasts 15 to 20 years — roughly double a standard tank. That longevity is a big part of their value, but it depends on maintenance: a neglected, scaled-up unit can fail years early. Keeping up the annual flush is what turns a tankless into a two-decade appliance.
For many homes, yes — endless hot water, a smaller footprint, lower standby energy loss, and a long lifespan. The trade-offs are a higher upfront cost and the need for annual descaling in our hard water. If your old tank just failed and you're weighing the switch, we'll size both options and give you honest numbers so you can decide; see water heater installation.
We're a locally run, Oregon-licensed plumbing company that actually knows tankless systems — codes, descaling, and the brands installed across the metro. A real person answers any hour, and the flat rate is the same day or night — no after-hours surcharge.
Common parts on the truck and descaling gear on hand mean most tankless repairs finish in one visit.
We repair and descale tankless water heaters 24/7 across Portland and the surrounding metro. Tell the dispatcher your neighborhood and brand for a real arrival window.
Give us the brand and number and we'll arrive ready to fix it — descale, sensor, or venting. Call any hour, same flat rate.
Error code or no hot water? Call any hour and we'll talk it through.
Tankless units use codes to flag specific faults — ignition failure, flame loss, scale buildup, overheating, venting or air-supply problems, flow-sensor or fan issues. Tell us the brand and code when you call and we'll arrive prepared. We service Rinnai, Navien, Noritz, Rheem, and more.
Common causes are a failed igniter or flame sensor, a unit tripped by scale, a gas-supply or venting problem, a clogged inlet filter, or a flow rate too low to fire the burner. We diagnose the exact cause and repair it, usually the same visit.
Yes — it's the most important tankless maintenance, especially with Portland's water. Scale builds on the heat exchanger, hurts efficiency, triggers codes, and shortens life. We flush and descale to restore performance and prevent faults.
That's the burst of cold water between two hot draws as the burner re-fires — common on tankless units and usually normal. We can check for contributing issues like scale, a failing flow sensor, or sizing, and recommend a fix or a recirculation option.
A descale and service typically runs $200–$500; component repairs like an igniter, flame sensor, or flow sensor run $200–$650 depending on the part. We diagnose first and quote a flat rate before any work, with no after-hours surcharge.
Yes. A live dispatcher answers 24/7 and we keep plumbers on call overnight, so no hot water before a workday gets a same-night visit at the same flat rate — no after-hours surcharge.
Tankless units last 15–20 years, so repair is usually worthwhile well into their life. If the heat exchanger has failed on an older, out-of-warranty unit, replacement may be the better value — we'll give you the honest numbers. See installation.
Yes — Rinnai, Navien, Noritz, Rheem, Takagi, and Bosch, both gas and electric, with the common parts on the truck.