Gas water heaters supplied, fitted and serviced across the Costa del Sol. Junkers, Vaillant and Cointra. Butane, propane and piped natural gas. Three-year parts and labour warranty.
Continuous-flowJunkers and VaillantBoletin de gasThree-year warranty
A continuous-flow gas water heater fires on demand, heats incoming cold water as it flows through the burner, and runs at a much lower cost per litre than an electric storage boiler. For larger Costa del Sol homes with two or more bathrooms running together at peak times, gas is usually the right answer. The catch is that a gas water heater needs a registered gas installer, a boletin de gas, an annual flue and combustion check, and either a piped supply or a butane or propane bottle set in a ventilated locker. We supply, fit and service gas water heaters across the Costa del Sol from Nerja to Gibraltar.
Continuous-flow versus storage gas heaters
Two formats cover the gas water heater market. Continuous-flow (instantaneous) units fire when an outlet opens, heat the water as it flows, and stop when the outlet closes. They take up little wall space, hold no stored hot water and run at fourteen to eighteen litres per minute on residential models. Gas-fired storage tanks hold pre-heated water like an electric tank but reheat using a gas burner, which gives faster recovery for high-demand households. Continuous-flow is the format we install most often on the coast because it suits the typical villa or townhouse pattern of two showers running back to back rather than four together.
Continuous-flow: heats on demand, fourteen to eighteen litres per minute
Gas-fired storage: pre-heated tank, faster recovery for high demand
Both run on butane, propane or piped natural gas
Both need a flue and a registered gas installer
Sizing the unit to the household
Sizing matters more on continuous-flow than on storage. A 14 litres-per-minute heater handles two showers and a kitchen tap together. An 18 litres-per-minute model handles three showers running, with the kitchen tap on. Most Costa del Sol villas with two or three bathrooms run a 14 to 16 litre unit comfortably. Larger five-plus bedroom villas with multiple en-suites need 18 to 22 litres or two paired units. Sizing too small drops the temperature mid-shower when a second tap opens. Sizing too large over-cycles the burner.
Gas supply, flue and certification
Gas water heaters need a flue for the combustion gases, room ventilation as required by RITE, and a boletin de gas from a registered gas installer (instalador autorizado de gas). The supply runs from a piped natural gas connection (available in central Marbella, Fuengirola, Malaga and a handful of urbanisations on the coast) or from a butane or propane bottle set in a ventilated external locker. The annual flue and combustion check is part of the warranty terms on most brands and a legal requirement under RITE for the install to stay in date. Our engineers are registered gas installers and the boletin goes on file the day the work is signed off.
Hard water and limescale on the burner plate
Hard mains water on the coast scales the heat exchanger plate of a gas water heater the same way it scales an electric tank. Most Junkers and Vaillant continuous-flow units we replace died from a scaled exchanger plate after eight to ten years of unmaintained use. The annual service includes a flush of the heat exchanger and a clean of the burner. A water softener at the mains is the long-term fix and pays for itself across all the white goods in the home.
How the work runs
From first call to commissioned system
Step 1
Site survey
An engineer visits the property to check the existing unit, the gas supply, the flue route and the room ventilation. Survey appointments are free.
Step 2
Quote and brand pick
We send a written quote covering the unit, the flue and ventilation work, the boletin fee, the gas pipework and the labour figure. No deposit until you accept it.
Step 3
Installation
Most gas water heater swaps run as a same-day job. New flue runs or piped-gas first connections take an extra half day to a full day. We protect floors and finishes through the install.
Step 4
Commissioning and boletin
We commission the burner, run a flue draught test and a combustion analysis, register the boletin de gas and walk through the controls. Three-year parts and labour warranty starts that day.
Why EnviroCare
Local experience that matters on the job
Trading since 1996
Close to thirty years installing and servicing gas water heaters on the Costa del Sol for British and European homeowners across the coast.
Registered gas installers
Spanish law requires a registered gas installer for any gas appliance work. Our engineers hold current registration and the boletin goes on file.
Hard-water service routine
Annual heat-exchanger flush and burner clean built into the service contract. We track scaling on every visit and flag a softener install when the symptoms call for it.
Three-year parts and labour
Every new install carries a three-year EnviroCare warranty on parts and labour, on top of the manufacturer warranty on the unit.
Brands we install
Brands matched to the job
Junkers
Junkers (now part of Bosch) gas water heaters are the workhorses of the Spanish market. Continuous-flow units handle two showers at once. Default fit for villas and townhouses with piped gas or a butane set.
Vaillant
German engineering, top of the range. Vaillant gas water heaters are quiet, efficient and built to last fifteen years plus. Worth the investment when running cost matters more than initial outlay.
Cointra
Spanish manufacturer, strong on continuous-flow gas water heaters and gas-fired storage tanks. Parts are easy to source on the coast. A serviceable pick at a fair price.
Is a gas water heater cheaper to run than electric?
Yes for medium-to-high demand households. A typical three-bed villa with two bathrooms running on butane costs roughly 30 to 50 euro a month for hot water at 2026 prices, against 60 to 100 euro on an equivalent electric tank. Piped natural gas is cheaper still. Single-bathroom apartments rarely save enough to justify the gas install.
Can I run a gas water heater on a butane bottle?
Yes. Most Costa del Sol gas water heater installs run on butane bottles in a ventilated external locker. A 14-litre continuous-flow unit uses one 12.5 kg bottle every three to four weeks of standard household use. Propane is the alternative for inland properties exposed to colder winters.
What is the annual service routine?
Once a year. The service covers a flue draught test, a combustion analysis on the burner, a gas-tightness test on the supply pipework, a heat-exchanger flush, a burner clean and a thermostat check. Most manufacturer warranties require the annual service to stay in force. Owners on a maintenance contract get the work bundled with the wider gas-appliance check.
How long does a gas water heater last on the Costa del Sol?
Eight to twelve years on a continuous-flow Junkers or Cointra, twelve to fifteen years on a Vaillant. Hard-water scaling on the heat exchanger is the most common failure mode. Annual servicing extends working life noticeably. Replacement parts (gas valves, ignition modules, heat exchangers) are stocked locally for the major brands.
Can a gas water heater go on a balcony?
Modern balanced-flue gas water heaters fit on a balcony with the flue running horizontally through the wall. Older open-flue units need an internal location with the flue running up to the roof. Most apartment installs we do are balanced-flue replacements where the original unit was open-flue. We confirm what is feasible during the survey.
How do I get a quote?
Send a WhatsApp to +34 670 409 759 with a photo of the existing unit, or use the contact form for a callback. We book a free survey, identify the right replacement or upgrade and quote within a few days. Most replacements run within two weeks of order.
Need help with gas water heaters?
Tell us what you need and where the property is, and EnviroCare will advise on the right next step.
