California contractor has tankless as his go-to wherever possible
Edward Asuncion has been a certified plumber since 1991 and has owned his own business, Bonafide Plumbing, in Alameda, California, since 2007. Although not always a proponent of tankless water heating technology, the past few years have seen a shift in his thinking. 
“Until five years ago, I was hesitant to install the technology, because I was worried about having to upsize the gas line,” he recalls. “I eventually discovered that, in many cases, a Noritz unit allows me to keep the same gas line.”
Since then, Edward has never looked back, now installing, on average, one tankless unit per month.
He works in a unique part of the country. Alameda has a dense concentration of single-family Victorian homes, which makes for interesting history and architecture, but difficult plumbing.
“Not only do I have to convert the plumbing pipe from galvanized steel to copper when installing a new water heater, but the old heater is often positioned in the middle of a room,” he explains. “So, to save space, we try to relocate the new water heater to the wall.”
Moving the heater is much easier with Noritz units than a storage tank — or even other tankless models that are heavier, according to Edward. Because of their compact, lightweight design, they are easily wall-mounted and offer more than enough space for maneuvering around and routine dusting.
Tankless Case-In Point
Edward recently finished installing an NRC711 in a Victorian home for a family of four. The previous, 50-gallon storage tank water heater had pilot light issues and wasn’t providing the necessary hot water.
Edward gave the homeowners an option between tank and non-tank. “I emphasized the space savings for this family. The unit could be installed outdoors, giving them extra room inside.”
He also discussed the ability to enjoy unlimited hot water, thanks to the unit’s powerful burner that quickly heats incoming water. “I told them they can run hot water all night if they want, as long as they pay the bill,” he laughs.
Finally, he mentioned the potential energy savings. “Since the unit heats water only on demand, it doesn’t need to constantly turn on and off, burning energy when no one is home,” he explains. Depending on the type of unit being replaced, a Noritz can save up to 40 percent in energy costs.
The 41-pound unit was easy to move and wall-mount, so the installation went smoothly. As with many other older homes in Alameda, much of the plumbing had to be upgraded, but the compact nature of the NRC711 streamlined the job.
Edward says he will continue installing Noritz units, especially since he’s never had a single call-back. “I’ve installed several units over the past few years without any complaints or malfunctions,” he says. “That’s reason enough to stick with this reliable technology.”
Edward can be reached at 510-917-0119 or ed@bonafideplumbing.com.
For more information about the NRC711 and other units, please visit https://www.noritz.com/.