If you’ve got a growing family or just love long showers, your old water heater might be struggling to keep up. At B. Carlson, we’ve seen it time and time again: the morning rush, the cold surprise halfway through a shower, or the last load of laundry waiting for hot water to catch up. If that sounds familiar, there’s a better way—and we’re here to make it easy.

We install a lot of tankless water heaters, and for good reason. They’re compact, smart, energy-efficient, and built to keep up with your life—not the other way around.

But if you’re like most homeowners, switching to tankless can raise a lot of questions. Will it really save money? How does it work? Will it keep up with your family? That’s where we come in.

At B. Carlson Heating, Air Conditioning & Plumbing, we’ve been helping New Mexico families upgrade their water heaters for over 50 years. We know the systems inside and out, and we understand what works best in our unique climate and homes. Whether you live in a newer build with high water demand or an older home with limited space, we’ll guide you through everything you need to know about going tankless—with no guesswork and no pressure.

Let’s walk through what makes tankless water heaters such a smart choice—and how we make sure yours is done right from day one.

Why Tankless Water Heaters Work for Today’s Homes

Let’s be honest, most traditional water heaters just weren’t built for the way families use water today. If yours is a standard tank model, it’s likely holding 40 to 80 gallons of water that it has to keep hot around the clock, just in case someone turns on a faucet or starts a load of laundry. That constant reheating wastes energy, even when you’re not using hot water. And once the tank runs out, you’re stuck waiting for it to heat back up.

That’s where tankless water heaters come in. Instead of storing hot water, they heat it the moment you need it. When you turn on the tap, water flows through the unit and gets warmed up on its way to you—like a personal hot water lane, always open and ready.

At B. Carlson, we install both gas and electric tankless water heaters depending on what fits your home best. The real magic is in the setup: we size everything specifically to match your household’s actual water usage, so you get hot water exactly when – and how – you need it. Whether you’re running back-to-back showers, tackling weekend laundry, or filling the tub for the kids, you won’t have to worry about running out.

Why Tankless Water Heaters Work So Well in New Mexico Homes

If you’ve lived in New Mexico for a while, you know how extreme our temperatures can get: hot, dry summers and chilly desert nights in the winter. And while that’s part of what makes our state beautiful, it also puts a unique strain on the systems in your home, including your water heater.

Most tank-style water heaters in our area are installed in garages, utility closets, or even exterior wall-mounted enclosures. These are unconditioned spaces, meaning they aren’t cooled in the summer or heated in the winter. That’s a problem, because traditional tanks have to work harder to keep all that stored water hot—especially on cold nights or during high-use times when the hot water runs out and has to “recover.”

All that reheating adds up. Not just in energy use, but in monthly bills.

Tankless water heaters solve that issue by avoiding standby heat loss entirely. Instead of keeping water hot all day, they only turn on when you need hot water – nothing more, nothing less. No constant cycling, no wasted energy. And here’s the part we’ve perfected over decades of local experience: we know exactly where to install them so they’re protected from the elements while still giving you full performance.

Whether it’s inside your home, in a shaded mechanical area, or on an exterior wall with proper ventilation and weather shielding, we’ve installed thousands of these systems in New Mexico’s unique building styles. From older Pueblo-style homes to newer suburban builds, we’ll make sure your system is positioned for efficiency from day one.

And don’t worry about the summer heat. We’re not the kind of crew that slaps a unit on a sun-blasted stucco wall and calls it done. We take the time to install it right—because your water heater should work as reliably in July as it does in January.

A Quick Note on Hard Water

Now, one thing we’ve learned over the years is that even the best tankless system needs the right conditions to stay at peak performance. And here in Albuquerque, hard water is just part of the deal. You might not see it, but over time those minerals can build up inside your plumbing—and yes, even inside your brand-new tankless water heater.

That’s why, when we install these systems, we often take a look at your home’s overall water quality too. A little prevention goes a long way. With the right setup, you’ll not only protect your new water heater, but you’ll also see benefits throughout your home—from your laundry and dishes to your skin and fixtures.

It’s all part of making sure your system runs efficiently and lasts as long as it should. Because when we install a tankless water heater, we want everything around it working just as hard for you.

Real Advantages of Tankless Water Heaters

By the time we’re done installing a new tankless water heater, most homeowners tell us the same thing: “We should’ve done this sooner.” It’s not just about hot water, it’s about comfort, efficiency, and not having to think about it anymore.

When you go tankless with B. Carlson, here’s what you can expect:

Endless hot water – no more racing to shower first
Lower energy bills – because you’re not paying to heat a tank all day
Compact design – wall-mounted and out of the way
Longer lifespan – 20+ years with proper maintenance
Cleaner water – no rusty tank sediment sitting around
Smart features – optional app controls, diagnostics, and temperature settings

Whether you’re planning a remodel, replacing an aging system, or just sick of running out of hot water, a tankless upgrade can give your home the modern comfort it deserves.

At B. Carlson Heating, Air Conditioning & Plumbing, we make it simple. From helping you choose the right size to making sure your water quality supports long-term performance, we take care of the whole picture—so you don’t have to worry about a thing.