Concrete and brick
Solid panel walls in Soviet-era blocks and brick walls in older houses usually hold a heater well, provided the anchors suit the material.
Hot water · Electric boilers for flats and houses
Water heater installation: fitting or replacing an electric boiler
Water heater installation covers hanging a new electric storage heater, connecting it to your cold and hot pipes with a safety valve, and filling and testing it, or taking down an old unit and fitting its replacement. The price depends on the location, the wall, the pipework needed and whether an old tank comes off first. Send a photo of the spot and the model, then book by phone, text or WhatsApp in English.
- New installations and old-unit replacements
- Safety valve and water connections
- Wall and location checked before drilling
- Coordination in English
A word on words
What people in Tbilisi mean by a boiler
In Georgia, "boiler" almost always means an electric storage water heater: an insulated tank on the bathroom or kitchen wall that heats water with an electric element and keeps it hot until you use it. It is not the same as a gas combi boiler, which is explained further down.
Many flats in Tbilisi, especially in older blocks without central hot water, rely on one of these tanks for every shower and every sink. If your landlord or a neighbor says the boiler has stopped working, they almost certainly mean this tank. Knowing the local word helps when you read listings, talk to the building administrator or shop for a unit.
This page is about fitting and replacing electric heaters. If what you have is a small wall-mounted gas unit with a flame window or a flue pipe, skip to the section on gas combi boilers.
Choosing
Tank size in general terms
There is no single correct size. The right tank depends on how many people shower, whether anyone takes baths, and how much wall space you have.
| Household | Typical use | Size range people often choose |
|---|---|---|
| One person, small studio | Short showers, a kitchen sink | A small tank, roughly 30 to 50 liters |
| A couple | Two showers a day, washing up | A mid-size tank, roughly 50 to 80 liters |
| A family, or anyone who takes baths | Several showers in a row, a bath | A larger tank, roughly 80 to 100 liters or more |
| A holiday rental | Guests arriving back to back | Sized for the maximum number of guests, not the average |
A bigger tank holds more hot water, but it also takes longer to heat from cold, weighs more and needs a stronger wall. Slim and horizontal models exist for narrow spaces above a toilet or along a ceiling line, though the choice in local shops varies. Check the manual for the clearance it needs on each side and for how far it must sit from the shower.
If you are unsure, send us the room size and a photo before buying. It is much easier to agree on a spot and a shape first than to discover on the day that the tank does not fit.
Before drilling
Can your wall carry it? Heavy when full
An empty tank feels light when you carry it home. Once filled, every liter of water adds roughly a kilogram, so an 80-liter unit ends up weighing well over 80 kilograms, all of it hanging from two brackets. The wall has to hold that for years, with vibration from doors and the occasional knock.
Hollow blocks
Many newer buildings use lightweight or hollow blocks for internal walls. These need anchors made for hollow material, and sometimes a different spot altogether.
Plasterboard
A partition of plasterboard on a metal frame cannot carry a full tank on its own. The heater needs a solid wall behind it, a reinforced frame or a floor-standing arrangement.
The plumber checks the wall before drilling and will tell you plainly if a spot is not suitable. It is also worth thinking about access: someone will eventually need to reach the valves, drain the tank or service it, so a heater boxed in behind tiles or a tight cupboard costs more to maintain later.
Electrics
Why a water heater needs its own power line
An electric heater draws a large current for long periods while it heats. Plugged into an ordinary kitchen socket shared with a kettle or a washing machine, it can overheat the wiring, melt a plug or keep tripping the breaker. The safe arrangement is a dedicated line from the flat's panel, with its own breaker and, ideally, a residual current device that cuts the power if current leaks to earth.
This matters more in older Tbilisi buildings, many of which still have original aluminium wiring that was never meant for today's loads. If you are not sure what your flat has, ask before the heater goes up.
Our plumber handles the water side of the installation. Wiring, a new line from the panel or a replacement socket is a job for an electrician. See our electrician page (in Georgian), and mention the heater when you book so both visits can be planned together.
The job
How a new heater is installed, and why it is filled first
- 1
Mark and mount
The position is agreed with you, the wall is checked and the brackets are fixed at the height and spacing the manufacturer specifies.
- 2
Connect the cold side
The cold supply gets a shut-off valve and the safety valve, fitted on the inlet in the direction marked on its body.
- 3
Connect the hot side
The hot outlet is joined to the pipe that feeds your taps and shower, using suitable hoses or rigid pipe.
- 4
Fill before power
A hot tap is opened, then the cold inlet. The tank fills while air escapes through the tap, and only when water runs steadily without spluttering is it full.
- 5
Check, then switch on
Every joint is watched for drips. The power goes on only after that, and the plumber waits to see the safety valve behave normally as the water warms.
The order matters. An electric element switched on in an empty or half-empty tank overheats within moments and can burn out on the first day. The same rule applies to you later: if the heater has been drained for a repair, or water to the building was cut and the tank emptied, fill it completely before switching it back on.
Hoses, valves and fittings are usually bought by the customer from a list the plumber provides, unless another arrangement is agreed when booking. Flexible hoses that come in the box are often short or thin, and the plumber may suggest better ones.
The valve that drips
The safety valve drips, and it is meant to
Water expands as it heats. In a closed tank, that expansion has to go somewhere, and the safety valve on the cold inlet lets a small amount out once the pressure reaches its set point. So a few drips while the heater is warming up are normal. It is the valve doing its job, not a leak.
- The drip should be led away by a small tube to a drain, sink or tray, so nobody decides to block it.
- Never plug, cap or remove the safety valve. Without it, pressure inside a hot tank has nowhere to go.
- A valve that drips only while heating is fine. One that streams constantly, or drips when the heater is off, needs checking.
- Water coming from the tank body itself, rather than the valve, is a different problem. Switch the heater off and close the cold inlet, then call.
Where the building's mains pressure is high, a pressure reducer on the flat's supply can calm a valve that drips a lot. The plumber can tell you whether that is worth considering once the heater is running. For water already pooling on the floor, go to our emergency plumber page.
Old units
Replacing an old heater, descaling and the anode
Signs an old unit is near the end
- Rust-colored water from the hot taps only
- Loud crackling or rumbling while it heats
- Hot water running out much sooner than it used to
- A breaker that trips whenever the heater switches on
- Damp or rust stains on the tank casing
Replacing a unit means switching it off at the breaker, closing the cold inlet, draining the tank, disconnecting it and lifting it off the wall, which takes two people for a large tank. The old brackets are checked, because a new model rarely matches the old hole spacing. Arranging where the old tank goes afterwards is worth doing in advance. Our waste removal page (in Georgian) covers taking bulky items away.
Descaling and the anode
Most tanks contain a magnesium anode, a metal rod that corrodes on purpose so the tank itself corrodes more slowly. It wears away over time and is meant to be replaced. Hard water also leaves scale on the heating element, which makes it work longer for the same result and can make it noisy. Both are checked with the power off and the tank drained, and how often it is worth doing depends on the water and the model. The manual usually gives an interval.
If you rent, send your landlord a photo of the old unit and its label before anything is bought. Who pays for a new heater is normally agreed between you, and landlords often prefer to choose the model themselves.
Gas
How a gas combi boiler is different
Many flats and houses in Tbilisi, especially those with radiators, have a wall-mounted gas combi boiler instead of, or as well as, an electric tank. A combi burns natural gas to heat water on demand as it flows through, and it usually also heats the radiators. There is no large tank to fill, and hot water does not run out. On the other hand, it has a gas supply, a flue and combustion safety devices, and all of that needs specialist attention.
- A combi usually has a small display or pressure gauge on the front, and a flue pipe leading outside.
- Low heating pressure, error codes and radiators that stay cold are heating questions, not water heater questions.
- Any work on the gas pipe or the burner must only be done by a qualified gas specialist.
For radiators, heating systems and combi boilers, see our heating page (in Georgian). For taps and pipework around either kind of heater, the main plumber page is the place to start.
If you smell gas, do not touch switches or appliances. Leave the flat and call 112 from outside the building.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
Can you install a water heater I bought myself?
Yes, that is the usual arrangement. Send the model or a photo of the box before the visit so the plumber knows the connection sizes and brackets.
My safety valve drips every time the heater runs. Is it broken?
Probably not. Some dripping during heating is how the valve protects the tank. Make sure the drip has somewhere to go. If it runs constantly or drips when the heater is off, have it checked.
Can the heater go in the kitchen instead of the bathroom?
Often, yes, as long as the wall is strong enough, the pipes can reach and a suitable power line is available. Long pipe runs mean waiting longer for hot water at the far tap.
Why is the hot water rusty?
In old buildings rust can come from steel supply pipes, but if only the hot taps are affected, the tank is a likely source. A corroding tank or a worn-out anode is worth checking before it starts to leak.
Do I need an electrician as well?
If the heater has no dedicated line with its own breaker, yes. Mention it when you book so the water and electrical work can be scheduled sensibly.
What should I do if the building water was cut off?
Switch the heater off until the water is back. Then open a hot tap, let the tank fill until water runs steadily, and only then switch the power on again.
Can you remove the old heater as well?
Yes, taking down and disconnecting the old unit is part of a replacement. Getting rid of it afterwards is arranged separately, so tell us in advance if you need help with that.
Contact
Planning a new water heater?
Send a photo of the spot and the model you have in mind, and we will quote the installation.
Send a short description
Tell us the tank size, where it will hang and whether an old unit comes down first.
Next step
Ready for reliable hot water?
Send a photo of the wall and the heater, and we will come back with a price and a time.