Do tankless water heaters freeze?

They can, but only if you allow them to! Some heater brands are more susceptible to freezing than others. And of course, some installation locations are more susceptible to extreme weather. The key word here is “extreme.”

In Texas, we occasionally get an odd couple of days where it is far colder than building codes expected or predicted. Those extreme events are once in a 20–30 year period, like what happened in February 2021. But there are steps to take to prevent damage to your tankless water heater in those rare events where it gets and stays below 15 degrees for multiple days in a row.

As long as you follow our steps and advice, you will be fine. The key here is water flow—regardless of if you have tank water heaters or tankless water heaters.

In February 2021, we saw staggering property loss due to historically low below-freezing temps. People that listened to the news anchors, government agencies, or a handyman instead of advice from a licensed plumber probably learned some costly but valuable lessons. The customers that followed our advice not only did not lose their tankless water heater—they also had minimal to zero water pipe ruptures or home damage.

Also, their lines never froze, and they never lost the use of water—except for some of those with a water softener.

If you have a water softener that was installed incorrectly by an unlicensed supplier (we rarely see them done correctly), then there is probably nothing that we can do for you outside of completely reinstalling their incorrect work. That can only be done proactively—NOT the week before, the day of, or worse, during the weather event.

Sometimes getting the cheapest price means getting cheap and inferior results. There is a right way and countless wrong ways—the right way is always more labor-intensive and usually costs a little more. So, buyer beware!