Navien Tankless Water Heaters in Richmond, VA
Navien's condensing tankless water heaters are a common pick for Richmond homes switching from a tank. Here's how the Navien lineup works, what the built-in recirculation does, what Navien's warranty requires, and how to get an independent, licensed contractor to install or service one.
The NPE-2 lineup
Navien's whole-home tankless water heaters are the NPE-2 series. Every model is condensing, with two stainless steel heat exchangers, and comes in two versions: the A2, with recirculation built in, and the S2, without it.
- Sizes: the number in the model name is the size. The 180, 210 and 240 come as A2 or S2, and there's a smaller 150 in the S2 only.
- The largest, the NPE-240: up to 199,900 BTU per hour. Navien rates it at 11.2 gallons per minute when the water has to rise 35 degrees, and about 5.6 to 5.8 gallons per minute at a 67-degree rise, which is closer to what a Richmond winter asks for.
- Fuel: units ship set up for natural gas and can be converted to propane with the kit Navien includes. The conversion has to be done by a qualified installer.
- Location: NPE-2 units hang on a wall indoors, or outdoors with Navien's outdoor vent kit.
If your home has hot-water heat, such as baseboard or radiant floors, Navien's NCB-H combi boilers heat the house and the water in one wall-hung unit. That's a different job from a water heater swap, so mention it when you call.
A2 or S2: the recirculation difference
The A2, which Navien calls ComfortFlow, has a recirculation pump and a small buffer tank of about 0.4 gallons built in. Navien says the buffer tank helps with the "cold water sandwich," the brief burst of cool water some tankless units send when hot water is turned off and back on.
Recirculation only shortens the wait at your faucets if there's a way back to the heater. That's either a dedicated return line or Navien's NaviCirc valve, which uses the cold line as the return. With an A2, recirculation can run always on, on a weekly schedule, in Navien's Intelligent mode, or only when you press a HotButton. An S2 needs a separate pump to recirculate.
How you set it up affects the warranty. Navien's terms drop to 5 years on the heat exchanger and 3 years on parts if recirculation runs uncontrolled and nonstop, so ask your contractor to set it up as controlled recirculation.
The half-inch gas line question
Navien says NPE-2 units can run on half-inch gas pipe for up to 24 feet of equivalent length, subject to local code. The manual adds conditions: the pipe must be rigid, half-inch corrugated connectors aren't allowed, and the run has to be sized with Navien's tables.
Your gas meter still has to keep up with every gas appliance in the house running together. Around Richmond, Richmond Gas Works asks for the BTU load of each existing and new appliance so it can size the meter, and Columbia Gas of Virginia offers meter and service line upgrades when you add usage. A good contractor checks this before the install, not after. More on gas installs.
Venting and condensate
NPE-2 units vent through 2-inch pipe for up to 75 feet with up to six elbows, or 3-inch pipe for up to 150 feet with up to eight, in solid-core PVC or CPVC, approved polypropylene, or stainless steel. Each elbow counts against the total length. The vent can't tie into another water heater's vent or a shared vent stack. Because they're condensing, Navien units also need a condensate drain, and Navien says to check a condensate neutralizer's pH once a year.
Warranty: who installs it matters
For residential use with standard or controlled recirculation, Navien covers the heat exchanger for 15 years, parts for 5 years, and labor for 1 year, starting at installation. Navien's warranty excludes units consumers buy online, installs by a non-licensed installer, code violations, damage from scale or hard water, improper sizing, freezing, and lack of maintenance. Warranty claims go to the original installer first.
In short, buy and install a Navien through a licensed contractor. A unit bought online or installed by someone unlicensed may not be covered.
Maintenance on Richmond water
Navien ties flushing to water hardness. Its manual says water under 4 grains per gallon needs no flushing, water from 4 to 7 grains calls for yearly flushing and a softener or scale-prevention filter, and the harder the water, the more Navien pushes for treatment. Chesterfield County describes its water as about 2 to 4 grains per gallon, and the City of Richmond listed 64 parts per million, about 3.7 grains, in its 2019 report. Many homes on public water fall at or near Navien's lowest band. Homes on a private well should test their water.
Navien also says to clean the inlet water filter periodically, check the intake air filter every 3 to 4 months, and keep the unit plugged in, because its freeze protection needs power. How flushing works.
Common Navien error codes
- E003: ignition failure.
- E012: flame loss.
- E016: heat exchanger overheating. Navien points to cleaning the inlet filter and flushing.
- E030: exhaust overheating.
- E407: a fault in the hot water outlet temperature sensor.
- E515: a circuit board fault.
Write down the code and your model number before you call. The repair page covers other symptoms and what's safe to check yourself.
Navien training and Virginia licenses
Navien lists companies that have completed its training as Navien Service Specialists in the installer locator on its website. That training is a good sign, but it isn't a Virginia license. Whoever installs your Navien should hold the right state license for the plumbing and gas work. Check a license in two minutes.
Navien questions
My Navien shows E003. What does that mean?
Navien lists E003 as an ignition failure: the burner tried to light and didn't. Check that your other gas appliances work and that the gas to the house is on. Beyond that, gas and ignition problems are a job for a licensed technician.
Should I get the A2 or the S2?
Choose the A2 if you want shorter waits for hot water and either have a return line or will add a NaviCirc valve. The S2 makes sense if you don't plan to recirculate, or if your home already has a separate recirculation pump.
Can a Navien use my existing half-inch gas line?
Sometimes. Navien allows rigid half-inch pipe for up to 24 equivalent feet, subject to local code, and the meter still has to handle the total load. Your contractor sizes the line from Navien's tables.
Does a Navien work during a power outage?
No. It needs electricity for its controls, fan and ignition, and its freeze protection needs power too. Some homeowners add battery backup or a generator connection.
Is the NaviLink app built in?
No. Phone control needs a NaviLink or NaviLink Lite module, sold as an add-on. With it you can change the temperature, get error alerts, and on an A2, start recirculation from your phone.
How we help
Call or send a short request and tell us about your home, including your Navien's model number if you already have one. We connect you with one independent, licensed contractor who serves your area. They evaluate your home and give you a quote, and you decide. There's no charge for the referral. RichmondTankless.com isn't affiliated with Navien.
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