Plumber in Novato, CA: Tankless, Water Heaters & Leak Repair
Tankless water heaters are our most common larger job in Novato. We also replace gas tanks, track down leaks and renew worn-out water lines. From San Marin to Bel Marin Keys, Local Plumbing sends licensed plumbers who explain your options in plain terms and put the price in writing before anything gets cut, moved or replaced.
Serving all of Novato from San Rafael, just down Highway 101 · Open 24/7 · Contact us
Plumbing services for Novato homes
Most of our larger Novato projects involve hot water: tank-to-tankless conversions, tankless replacements and gas tank swaps. We also handle leaks, water service lines, repipes and everyday repairs.
Tankless Water Heaters
Conversions, replacements, gas lines and descaling
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Tank Water Heaters
Gas tank repair and same-day replacement
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Leak Detection
Hidden leaks, slab leaks and a meter that won’t stop
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Water Service Lines
Meter-to-house line repair and replacement
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Also: Heat Pump Water Heaters · Whole Home Repipe · Plumbing Repairs · Emergency Plumbing · Ejector Pumps · Water Filtration · Earthquake Gas Shutoff
From the job file: real Novato work
A recent Novato job: tank out, exterior tankless in (May 2025)
A Novato home was running on a 50-gallon gas tank water heater. We removed it and installed a tankless unit on the outside of the house. Here is what that took:
- New gas line
We ran a new gas line from the meter to the tankless unit. A tankless heater draws far more gas at full fire than a tank does, so the old supply to the water heater location is rarely enough. - Water lines extended
We extended the hot and cold lines from where the old tank stood out to the new unit on the exterior wall. - Condensate drain
A condensing tankless makes a steady trickle of acidic condensate that has to go somewhere approved. To route it, we cut through a stone walkway.
In a tank-to-tankless conversion, the gas, water and drain routing is where the planning goes, which is why we price tankless on site.
Leaking water service line replaced
At another Novato home, the poly water service line between the meter and the house was leaking. We replaced it with new copper.
Outdoor units and Novato frost
Novato averages about 12 frost days a year, and the record low is 16°F (December 2013). Outdoor tankless units protect themselves from freezing only while they have power, so we insulate the exposed water lines and make sure the unit’s circuit stays on through winter.
North Marin water and your tankless heater
North Marin Water District buys about 80% of its supply from Sonoma Water’s Russian River system, and the other 20% or so comes from Stafford Lake, mainly from late spring to early fall.
NMWD’s 2022 water quality report lists hardness of 115 to 140 mg/L, about 6.7 to 8.2 grains per gallon. Marin Water’s reservoir water is closer to 3.5 grains, so Novato’s water is roughly twice as hard as what most of southern Marin gets.
- Tankless: calcium builds up inside the heat exchanger. Early signs are fluctuating temperature, weaker flow at the shower and error codes. We fit isolation valves on our installs so a yearly descale is quick.
- Tank: scale settles on the bottom of the tank, where it insulates the water from the burner and causes popping noises.
If scale keeps coming back, ask about whole-house water treatment. We’ll test your water first.
Novato neighborhoods, from Old Town to the bay
Novato incorporated in 1960 after a fast, mostly unplanned wave of post-war tract building, and the median home in town dates from 1975.
The oldest buildings in town
Along Grant Avenue, City Hall is a former 1896 Presbyterian church and the Flatiron Building dates to 1908. Novato’s housing runs from 1940s cottages to 1950s–60s ranch homes, and older piping deserves a careful look before any big upgrade.
1960s-and-later tracts
Large tracts of mostly single-family homes built from the ’60s on. Houses this age are where we expect aging water heaters, tired shutoff valves and, eventually, the repipe conversation.
Big lots near Stafford Lake
Horse ranches and lots often over an acre. When a house sits a long way from the meter, a leak on the water service line can go unnoticed for a while. A spinning meter is the giveaway.
Built on the old air base
Hamilton Field was decommissioned in 1974. New homes followed from 1999, with The Landing in 2012, across nine neighborhoods. Original water heaters from those builds are reaching replacement age.
Lagoon homes at the bay’s edge
Two large lagoons open to Novato Creek and the bay, with levees and navigational locks run by the Bel Marin Keys Community Services District. It is very exposed to sea-level rise. It’s unincorporated, so permits come from Marin County.
Along the Petaluma River
An unincorporated area with 616 housing units (2020), from sea level up to about 190 feet. North Marin Water District serves it, and Marin County handles permits.
If floodwater reached your water heater
The Novato Creek watershed is its own county flood control zone. If water ever covers the controls on a gas water heater or furnace, don’t relight it: the Consumer Product Safety Commission advises replacing any gas control valve that has been under water. We’ll replace the controls or the unit and check the venting.
Common Novato calls: what’s usually behind them
Tankless runs hot, then cold
Usually: scale in the heat exchanger, a plugged inlet screen, or a flow sensor issue.
We descale, clean the screen, pull the error history and check gas pressure and venting.
Water pooling under the tank
Usually: a fitting, the T&P valve, or the tank body itself.
We pin down where it’s coming from. If the tank itself is weeping, it gets replaced, often the same day.
Meter spinning, nothing on
Usually: a buried service line leak or a hidden leak under the house.
We trace it with leak detection tools, then repair or replace the line.
Old poly or galvanized service line
Usually: an original line that has started failing.
We replace it meter to house, often in copper, like our January 2026 Novato job.
Repeat pinhole leaks
Usually: original copper that’s wearing thin.
We fix the leak today and quote a partial or whole-home repipe if it keeps happening.
Leak or no hot water in Novato? We’re on call 24/7.
Novato and the 2027 gas water heater rule
Novato is in the Bay Area Air Quality Management District, so Rule 9-6 applies here. As of October 2026, here is where it stands.
- Gas storage tanks up to 75,000 BTU/hr made after January 1, 2027 must be zero-NOx. A proposed amendment could move that to 2028.
- Gas tankless units, larger heaters and home gas boilers are on a later timeline: units made after January 1, 2031. A proposal would move that tier to 2033.
- It only applies at the point of sale or installation. A working water heater can stay where it is. The Air District Board votes on the amendments on November 4, 2026.
- Propane-fired equipment isn’t covered by the zero-NOx standards.
So a tank-to-tankless conversion like our May 2025 job is still an option, and so is a heat pump water heater. More in our 2027 gas water heater rule guide.
MCE heat pump rebate
Novato is in MCE’s service area. When we checked in fall 2026, MCE listed a rebate of up to $675 on a qualifying heat pump water heater, filed by a participating contractor. Local Plumbing is one. Check current terms at mcecleanenergy.org.
Water heater prices and permits in Novato
The final number depends on where the heater goes, the gas or electrical work and the venting. You get it in writing before we start.
2026 pricing. Every home is different. Leaks and everyday repairs: call for a quote.
Every install includes
- Haul-away of the old heater
- Seismic strapping and an expansion tank set to your water pressure
- T&P discharge to an approved location
- Gas line sizing and a pressure test; venting or condensate drain to spec
- Isolation valves on every tankless unit
Who issues the permit
Inside Novato city limits: the City offers an express permit for a like-for-like residential water heater replacement, issued online to licensed contractors who hold a Novato business license.
Bel Marin Keys and Black Point–Green Point: these are unincorporated, so the permit comes from Marin County. We file it either way.
Sewer laterals, boilers and who handles what
Novato Sanitary District
Novato Sanitary has no point-of-sale lateral rule. It runs a Lateral Grant Program instead, with $80,000 set aside for fiscal year 2026–27 on a first-come, first-served basis. We don’t replace sewer laterals ourselves, but we can point you to someone who does.
Boilers and radiant heat
Some Novato homes heat with hot water. Hamilton’s 1933 officers’ quarters were documented with basement boiler rooms and steam radiators. If your home has a boiler or radiant floors, see boilers & radiant.
Novato plumbing & tankless FAQ
Do you install tankless water heaters in Novato?
Yes. Tankless is our biggest category of larger jobs in Novato,, from replacements to full conversions like our May 2025 job. Tankless is priced on site with a free written estimate.
How much does a new water heater cost in Novato?
A 40–50 gallon gas tank typically runs $3,500–$6,500 installed, and a heat pump water heater $6,500–$12,000 before rebates. Tankless is priced on site.
Is Novato water hard?
Harder than southern Marin. NMWD’s 2022 report lists 115–140 mg/L, about 6.7–8.2 grains per gallon, roughly twice Marin Water’s reservoir water. Plan on descaling a tankless unit every year.
Can I still put in a gas tankless water heater in Novato?
Yes. Gas tankless units fall under the Air District’s later tier, for units made after January 1, 2031 (a proposal would move it to 2033). Gas tanks are on the January 1, 2027 tier.
Do I need a permit to replace a water heater in Novato?
Yes. Inside city limits, a like-for-like replacement can use Novato’s online express permit. In Bel Marin Keys and Black Point–Green Point, Marin County issues it. We take care of the permit.
My water meter keeps moving with everything off. What now?
That usually points to a leak, often on the buried service line. We locate it, then repair it or replace the line.
Do you offer emergency plumbing in Novato?
Yes, 24/7. For a burst pipe, a leaking water heater or no hot water, call or text (415) 234-0370. Shut off the water at the main or at the heater while you wait.
Local Plumbing in Novato
Our plumbers cover all of Novato from our San Rafael base, just down Highway 101.
- Phone: (415) 234-0370, call or text
- Open: 24/7, emergency service available
- License: C-16 & C-36 Lic #1091739
- Reviews: 5.0 on Google, 340+ reviews
- Owner: Conor Crawford, 2026 PHCC California Young Entrepreneur of the Year
Areas we serve in and around Novato:
Book a Novato plumber
Thinking about tankless, dealing with a leak, or out of hot water? Tell us what’s going on and we’ll take it from there.
