What Are Tankless Water
Heaters?
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| Tankless water heaters, also
called instantaneous, continuous flow, inline,
flash, on-demand or instant-on water heaters,
are also available and gaining in popularity.
These water heaters instantly heat water as
it flows through the device, and do not retain
any water internally except for what is in the
heat exchanger coil. |
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Tankless heaters are
often installed throughout a household
at more than one point-of-use (POU),
far from the central water heater or
larger models may still be used to provide
all the hot water requirements for an
entire house. The main advantages of
tankless water heaters are a continuous
flow of hot water and energy savings
(as compared to a limited flow of continuously
heating hot water from conventional
tank water heaters). |
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How
tankless water heaters work |
When there is
a demand for hot water (e.g. a hot water tap
is opened for a sink, shower, tub, or washing
machine) the tankless water heater's water flow
turbine senses the flow and starts the heating
process. The water flow turbine sends a signal
to the control board which looks at multiple
factors: incoming water temperature, desired
water temperature as set on the temperature
controller, and the calculated difference between
the two temperatures.
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Depending
on the calculated incoming and desired
water temperatures, the
gas or electric flow into the burner assembly
is modulated and the electronic ignition
sequence begins. Water is heated to the
desired temperature as it circulates through
the copper heat exchanger providing continuous
hot water. When the hot water tap is turned
off, the tankless water heater shuts down
and is placed in a standby mode pending
the next call for hot water. |
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What is tankless water heater? See
video below! |
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For
Home, stores, business, warehouses,
patios, pool showers, RV, camping etc. |
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| Combination or combi boilers,
combine the central heating (CH) with (tankless)
domestic hot water (DHW) in one box. They
are not merely infinitely continuous water
heaters having the ability to heat a hydronic
heating system in a large house. When DHW
is run off, the combi stops pumping water
to the hydronic circuit and diverts all the
boiler's power to instantly heating DHW. Some
combis have small internal water storage vessels
combining the energy of the stored water and
the gas or oil burner to give faster DHW at
the taps or increase the DHW flowrate |
| Combi boilers are rated by
the DHW flowrate. The kW ratings for domestic
units are 24 kW to 54 kW, giving approximate
flowrates of 9 to 23 litres (2.4 to 6.1 US gal)
per minute. There are larger commercial units
available. High flowrate models will simultaneously
supply two showers. |
| A further advantage is that
more than one combi unit may be used to supply
separate heating zones, giving greater time
and temperature control, and multiple bathrooms.
An example is one combi supplying the downstairs
heating system and another the upstairs. One
unit may supply one bathroom and one another.
Having two units gives backup in case one combi
is down, provided the 2 systems are connected
with valves that are normally closed. |
| Installation cost is significantly
lower and less space is required as water tanks
and associated pipes and controls are not required.
Combi boilers are highly popular in Europe,
where in some countries market share is 70%.
Combination boilers have disadvantages. The
water flow rate is likely to be less than from
a storage cylinder, particularly in winter.
The power rating needs to be matched to heating
requirements; heating water 'on demand' improves
energy efficiency but limits the volume of water
available at any moment. The water supply pressure
must not be too low. It has been proposed that
a flow regulator valve can control the amount
of water used. Additionally, a combination boiler
has more moving parts that can break down, so
can be less reliable than a tank system. |
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| As the name implies, an
electric heating element is incorporated into
such shower head to heat the water as it flows.
Invented in Brazil in the 1930s and widely
used since the 40s, the electric shower is
a home appliance very commonly used in South
American countries due to the higher costs
with gas canalization. At one time, an electric
shower cost less than a hair dryer. Electric
Showers work like a coffee maker, but with
a larger water flow. When the water flows
inside, the pressure inflates a diaphragm
which closes the electrical contacts of the
heater coil with the live contacts, turning
on the device. Once the water is stopped,
the device turns off automatically. An ordinary
electric shower used to have three heat settings:
low (2.5 kW), high (5.5 kW) or cold (0 W)
to use when a central heater system is available
or in hot seasons.
| The power
consumption of electric showers in the
maximum heating level is about 5.5 kW
for 120 V and 7.5 kW for 220 V. The lower
costs with electric showers compared to
the higher costs with boilers is due to
the time of use: an electric shower uses
energy only during the bath, while a boiler
works many times a day to keep a larger
quantity of water hot for use throughout
the day. So electric showers can save
energy compared to gas central heaters.
A 20 minute bath by an electric shower
can cost about US$0.10, but the same bath
using water from a gas heater can cost
three times as much. This difference can
be larger where the electricity is cheaper
than the gas supply or in tropical countries
where the maximum power consupmtion is
required only during the cold seasons.
There is a wide range of electric showers
all with various amounts of heating controls.
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The heating element of an
electric shower is made from a coil made of
nickel or an alloy of nickel and chromium
or can even be made of sheathed heater element,
like the ones used in oil heaters, radiators
or irons - they provide more safety as there
is insulation between the electric parts and
the water. Due to electrical safety Standards,
modern electric showers are made of plastic
instead of the metallic casings like in the
past. As an electrical appliance which works
with higher electrical currents than a washer
or a dryer machine, the installation of electric
showers needs careful planning and must be
made directly from the electrical distribution
box, with exclusive 6 mm wires, electric connectors
for 50 A and a ground system. A poorly installed
system with old aluminium wires or bad connections
are very dangerous as the wires can overheat.
Some changes in the electrical public distribution
were important before a wide use of electric
showers at first. Electric public transformers
with higher KVA capacity are required due
to the increase of the electrical demand.
In countries where almost all houses use electric
showers like Brazil, an ordinary street transformer
per square have 112.5 to 150 kVA of capacity
and buildings must have their own transformers
to support the electrical domestic demand
without overloads in the electric distribution.
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Various
types and their advantages |
| Point-of-use tankless water
heaters are located right where the water
is being used, so the water is almost instantly
hot, which saves water. They also save even
more energy than centrally installed tankless
water heaters because no hot water is left
in the pipes after the water is shut off.
However, point-of-use tankless water heaters
are usually used in combination with a central
water heater since they are usually limited
to under 6 litres/minute (1.5 U.S. gallons/minute),
as the expense of buying a heater for every
kitchen, laundry room, bathroom, or sink can
outweigh the money saved in water and energy
bills. In addition, in the USA point of use
water heaters until recently were almost always
electrical[citation needed], and electricity
is often substantially more expensive than
natural gas or propane. Tankless heaters can
ideally be somewhat more efficient than storage
water heaters.
| In both kinds
of installation (centralized and POU)
the absence of a tank saves energy as
conventional water heaters have to reheat
the water in the tank as it cools off,
called standby loss. There is a misconception
that the energy lost by a tanked heater
stored inside a home merely helps to heat
the home. This is true of an electric
unit, but for a gas unit some of this
wasted energy leaves through the exhaust
vent. However, if the building needs to
be cooled to maintain normal temperatures
this results in a loss in efficiency.
With a central water heater of any type,
water is wasted waiting for water to heat
up because of the cold water in the pipes
between the faucet and the water heater.
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In both kinds of installation
(centralized and POU) the absence of a tank
saves energy as conventional water heaters
have to reheat the water in the tank as it
cools off, called standby loss. There is a
misconception that the energy lost by a tanked
heater stored inside a home merely helps to
heat the home. This is true of an electric
unit, but for a gas unit some of this wasted
energy leaves through the exhaust vent. However,
if the building needs to be cooled to maintain
normal temperatures this results in a loss
in efficiency. With a central water heater
of any type, water is wasted waiting for water
to heat up because of the cold water in the
pipes between the faucet and the water heater.
This water waste can be avoided
if a recirculating pump is installed, but
at the cost of electricity to run the pump
and wasted energy to heat the water circulation
through the pipes. Tankless water heaters
can be divided into two categories: "full
on/full off" and "modulated". Full on/full
off units do not have a variable power output
level; the unit is either fully on or completely
off. Modulated tankless water heaters base
the heat output on the flow of water running
through the unit. This is usually done through
the use of a flow sensor, modulating gas valve,
inlet water temperature sensor and an outlet
water temperature sensor-choke valve and means
that the occupants should receive the same
output temperature of water at differing velocities,
usually within a close range of ±2 °C. The
high-efficiency condensing combination boiler
provides both space heating and water heating,
an increasingly popular choice in UK houses.
In fact, combination boilers
now account for over half of all the new domestic
boilers installed in Britain. Under current
North American conditions, the most cost effective
configuration from an operating viewpoint
is usually to use a central tankless water
heater for most of the house, and install
a point of use tankless water heater at any
distant faucets or bathrooms. However, this
may vary according to how much electricity,
gas and water costs in the area, the layout
of the house, and how much hot water is used.
Only electric tankless water heaters were
available at first and they are still used
for almost all point of use heaters,
but natural gas and propane
heaters are now common. When consumers are
considering a whole house gas tankless unit,
they are advised to look at how the unit functions
when raising the water temperature by about
42 °C (75-77 °F). Thus, if they live in a
cold weather climate, they are advised to
look at the unit's capacity with 3-10 °C (38-50
°F) inlet water temperatures, and find a size
that produces approximately 15 litres/minute
(4 gpm) even in winter if they have a typical-sized
house and desire what is called a 2-appliance
heater. This same unit may produce 25-30 litres/minute
(6.3-6.9 gpm) in summer with higher inlet
temperatures, but there is greater interest
in year round production and usability.
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| Long term energy savings:
Although a tankless water heater might
cost more initially it may result in both
energy and cost savings in the long term.
As water is heated only when it is needed,
there is no storage of hot water. With
a tank, water is kept warm all day even
if it never gets used and heat loss through
the tank walls will result in a continual
energy drain. Even in homes or buildings
with a high demand for hot water, a tankless
water heater may provide some level of
savings. In a typical home these savings
are quite substantial. If instant hot
water at the taps at limited hours is
a priority, a recirculation system similar
to those in the tank-type systems can
be accommodated by using an aquastat and
timer in order to decrease the added heat
loss from the recirculation system. It
has to be said though that if the storage
tank is highly-insulated-a few tanks are
available with excellent levels such as
100 mm or more polyurethane foam-the savings
become minimal. For one consumer-grade
electric storage water heater, the surface
temperature was less than 1 °C higher
than the air temperature. |
| Unlimited
hot water: As
water is heated while passing through
the system an unlimited supply of hot
water is available with a tankless water
heater. Although flow rate will determine
the amount of hot water that can be generated
at one time it can be generated indefinitely.
However, this can also be a disadvantage
as running out of hot water self-limits
use while a tankless heater has no such
limit. |
| Less
physical space: Most tankless
water heaters can be mounted on
a wall or even internally in a building's
structure. This means less physical
space has to be dedicated to heating
water. Even systems that can't be
mounted on walls take up less space
than a tank-type water heater. |
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| Reduced risk of water
damage: No stored water means there
is no risk of water damage from a tank
failure or rupture, although the risk
of water damage from a pipe or fitting
failure remains. Improper piping in either
the hot or cold water lines to the tankless
water heater can result in water damage
though. |
| Temperature compensation
A temperature compensating valve tends
to eliminate the issue where the temperature
and pressure from tankless heaters decrease
during continuous use. Most new generation
tankless water heaters stabilize water
pressure and temperature by a bypass valve
and a mixing valve which is incorporated
in the unit. Modern Tankless are not inversely
proportional, because they will regulate
the amount of water that is created and
discharged, therefore stabilizing water
temperature by utilizing a flow control
valve. Flow speed is not the issue, but
change in temperature is the important
issue to address. The wider the temperature
rise, the less flow you receive from the
unit. The smaller the temperature rise,
the more flow you receive. The flow control
valve in conjunction with thermistors,
maintains a stable temperature throughout
the use of the unit. |
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Installing
a Tankless Water Heating System |
| Manufacturer's recommend
you have a qualified contractor install
your water heater. The tankless systems
require a lot of energy when they are
operating and most existing homes are
not capable of supporting them without
modifications and upgrades to their electrical
or gas systems. |
| Installation of a dedicated
circuit is a minimum requirement for electric
tankless systems. Heavier gauge wiring
for the circuit to the tankless heater
is also commonly recommended.
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| Modification to existing
gas venting systems is often necessary
to meet the demands of the gas heaters
used in tankless systems. |
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| Tips
& Warnings |
| Switching to tankless
water heating requires preparation on
your part. You need to evaluate how and
when your family uses hot water. Most
tankless water heater manufacturer's web
sites provide information on typical water
consumption that you can use to determine
specifically how you use hot water and
estimate your family's unique requirements.
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| While
tankless systems are becoming more
common, there are still many contractors
who aren't familiar with them and
their specialized installation requirements.
Be sure the contractor you choose
is manufacturer certified. |
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| If your water supply
is from a well (rather than a municipal
system) check your water flow rate to
ensure it can keep up with the ongoing
water demand |
| If the fact that you
can't run out of hot water means you will
take longer showers, you could end up
actually using more energy and not reaping
any of the benefits from switching to
a tankless system. |
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Selecting
a Tankless Water Heater |
| Before buying a Tankless
Water Heater, consider the following:
| Fuel Type |
| Location, Size and Demand |
| Application |
| Fuel
Type |
| The first thing that
you'll need to decide when selecting a
Tankless Water Heater is the fuel type.
You will need to select between an Electric
Tankless Water Heater (like Eemax Tankless
Water Heaters or Stiebel Eltron Tankless
Water Heaters) or a Gas-Fired Tankless
Water Heater (like Rheem Tankless Water
Heaters). |
| If
you plan to purchase an Electric
Tankless Water Heater, consider
the Electrical Requirements:
Voltage
Amperage
Circuit Breaker |
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| Voltage
Many retailers sell
units that will accommodate 110V, 120V,
208V, 220V, 240V, and 277V.
Amperage
Different Electric Tankless
Water Heaters will have various requirements
in amp draw. You will want to ensure
that you can support the electrical
demands of your Electric Tankless Water
Heater.
Circuit Breaker
You must ensure that
you have a circuit or circuits that
will support your Electric Tankless
Water Heater. It may be necessary to
put your Electric Tankless Water Heater
on its own circuit or circuits.
You should consult
with a qualified, licensed electrician
for more information. |
| If you plan to purchase
a Gas-Fired Tankless Water Heater, consider
the Gas-Type and Venting Requirements: |
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You
will first need to identify
whether your gas type is
Natural Gas or Propane.
It is imperitive that you
examine your current gas
line to ensure that it will
meet the requirments of
your new Gas-Fired Tankless
Water Heater.
The requirements
of the Tankless Water Heater
may exceed that of your
existing tank-style water
heater. Next, you will need
to consider venting requirements
for your specific installation
scenario. There are a few
important things to keep
in mind when purchasing
the gas venting accessories
for your Gas-Fired Tankless
Water Heater. |
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| Be sure that
you purchase Category III stainless
steel (UL1738 certified) venting
for your Gas-Fired Tankless Water
Heater. "Type B" venting accessories
are not acceptable. Also, be sure
to check local building code to
ensure that your specific needs
will be completely met.
Additionally,
many Tankless Water Heater manufacturers
offer gas venting "kits". It is
recommended that customers evaluate
the needs of their specific installation
to ensure that they will be getting
all of the necessary gas venting
accessories. Depending on where
you will be installing the Tankless
Water Heater, a pre-made kit will
probably not meet your needs.
Ensure that you measure out the
vent route and consider where
the discharge will go through
the wall or ceiling, consider
the necessary clearances, and
consider ample access to air for
combustion, then buy the appropriate
gas venting pieces. *Note: Gas-Fired
Tankless Water Heaters may still
require a minimal electrical connection.
Be sure to review installation
requirements for the units you
are considering for purchase.
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| Location,
Size, and Demand |
| When deciding which Tankless
Water Heater to purchase, you will also
need to consider where you will need hot
water. Are you looking for a unit that
will heat the water at one bathroom sink
(single point application), an entire
bathroom (multipoint application), or
an entire house, apartment, or condo (whole
house application)? It is important to
recognize the number of fixtures that
will require hot water. Each fixture will
have its own demands. The chart below
illustrates the typical flow rates (demand)
for some standard fixtures: |
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| The flow rate is
especially important, since Tankless
Water Heaters will generate a temperature
rise based on the flow rate demanded.
For example, a Stiebel
Eltron Tempra 12, running on 240 Volt
power, will raise the water temperature
by 54°F at 1.5 gpm, 36°F at 2.25 gpm,
and 27°F at 3.0 gpm, above the ambient
incoming water temperature, up to 125°F.
A larger unit, like
the Stiebel Eltron Tempra 36, running
on 240 Volt power, will raise the water
temperature by 92°F at 1.5 gpm, 92°F
at 2.25 gpm, and 82°F at 3.0 gpm, above
the ambient incoming water temperature,
up to 125°F. |
| Next, you should look
at your ambient incoming water temperature.
If you live in a cold climate, like New
York, your incoming water temperature
will likely be much lower than if you
live in a warm climate, like Florida.
Your best bet is to find out how much
temperature rise you will need in order
for your hot water to reach the desired
heat. If the ambient incoming water temperature
for your shower is 65°F, you are using
a 2.0 gpm shower, and you want to raise
that temperature to 115°F, you will want
to look for a Tankless Water Heater that
will provide at least a 50°F temperature
rise at 2.0 gpm (115°F - 65°F = 50°F).
However, if you anticipate additional
simultaneous demand, such as the hot water
from a sink being used while someone is
showering, you will need to add the sink's
gpm to the shower's gpm in order to determine
your overall gpm demand and then find
the temperature rise necessary to meet
your overall needs. |
| Application |
| You may have a specific
application in mind for your Tankless
Water Heater.Here are a few examples
of the different models and their functionality
for a specific application:
Electric Point of Use
Tankless Water Heaters
A single point application
is one where only one fixture will require
an Electric Tankless Water Heater. Here
are some examples of Electric Point
of Use Tankless Water Heaters:
Eemax Single Point
Electric Tankless Water Heaters
Stiebel Eltron Point
of Use Electric Tankless Water Heaters
Chronomite Instant-Flow SR Electric
Tankless Water Heaters Eemax Flow Controlled
The "Flow Controlled" range of water
heaters from Eemax are ideally suited
to serve two points, like two sinks,
in close proximity. Here is an example
of Flow Controlled Electric Tankless
Water Heaters: Eemax Flow Controlled
Electric Tankless Water Heaters
Thermostatic The Thermostatic
Tankless Water Heater
serves as a booster
for temperature loss from long pipe
runs, dishwashers and sanitation. Thermostatic
units are good for applications where
precise temperature control is essential;
such as schools, hospitals and laboratories.
Here are some examples of Thermostatic
Electric Tankless Water Heaters: Eemax
Thermostatic Electric Tankless Water
Heaters Stiebel Eltron DHC-E 8 Electric
Tankless Water Heater Stiebel Eltron
DHC-E 10 Electric Tankless Water Heater
Eemax Series Two
Eemax Series Two units
are ideally suited for residential showers,
entire bathrooms, smaller houses, condos,
summer cabins and apartments. They will
also accommodate industrial boosters,
higher flow rate applications such as
wash down stations and higher flow rate
accurate temperature control applications
such as photo labs. Here is an example
of Eemax Series Two Electric Tankless
Water Heaters:
Eemax Series Two Electric
Tankless Water Heaters Whole House Indoor
Use Larger Whole House units are designed
to serve an entire house, apartment,
condo, or cabin, where multiple points
of use will exist. Here are some examples
of Whole House Electric Tankless Water
Heaters for Indoor use: Eemax EX280T2T
Series Three Electric Tankless Water
Heater Stiebel
Eltron Tempra Series
Electric Tankless Water Heaters Rheem
Indoor Gas Tankless Water Heaters Whole
House Outdoor Use Larger Whole House
units are designed to serve an entire
house, apartment, condo, or cabin, where
multiple points of use will exist. Here
are some examples of Whole House Electric
Tankless Water Heaters for Outdoor use:
Rheem Outdoor Gas-Fired Tankless Water
Heaters |
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| What's
the biggest benefit of a tankless over
a tank type heater? |
| The time it takes
for hot water to arrive at the tap is
the same on both types. The best thing
about the hot water that comes from
a tankless model is that you will receive
an endless supply of hot water for as
long as you open a faucet. With traditional
tank type water heaters, you have hot
water until the hot water tank's supply
is depleted. Then you must wait for
the storage tank of cold water to re-heat
before you again have hot water.So...
If you are running out
of hot water with your current tank
type heater, and are thinking of purchasing
a tankless model, you may wish to conduct
a simple test by keeping track of the
amount of time from when you turn on
the hot water to the moment the hot
water runs out. Take the total capacity
of your tank-type heater. (This information
can usually be found on the information
stickers on the side of the tank.) Divide
the capacity of the tank type heater
(in gallons) by the number of minutes
that it takes to run out of hot water.
This is your peak usage of hot water
and this calculation should be the minimum
GPM that you need when selecting a tankless
heater.
To perform this test,
the home owner must decide which hot
water devices to run for this test as
the more valves open the higher the
total GPM will be. So, if you have two
showers and sometimes they are in use
when the hot water runs out, then this
would be the ones to use for the test.
For example: If your
test results in your 40 gallon heater
running out of hot water in 12.5 minutes.
Use the equation, G ÷ M = GPM, where
G is equal to the total Number of Gallons
of your tanked water heater and M is
equal to the total time the water was
running before it went cold. To be accurate
in your calculation it is recommended
that you wait an hour before running
your hot water, only to make sure that
your hot water heater is full of hot
water. 40 gallon water capacity divided
by 12.5 minutes = a flow rate of 3.2
gallons per minute. |
| Is
this water heater technology new? |
| No. In fact the technology
is now considered "mature". Mature means
that the device has been determined
to be developed to the point that it
is considered reliable and that drastic
changes to the components of the device
in the near future are unlikely. However:
If you think you know about tankless
heater technology or someone you know
is giving you advice about a tankless
heater, if your knowledge is ten years
or even five years old, you are probably
misinformed.
Even though they have
been around for a long time, today's
tankless heaters are not the same as
those from only a few years ago. All
manufacturers have made improvements
in this product line and these heaters
are now much more efficient, consume
far less energy and are much safer and
easier to operate. You are reading one
of the largest and most informative
unbiased databases on this technology
available anywhere. Do yourself a favor
and take the time to review everything
in this faqs page.
Even if you buy one
of our competitor's products, you will
be doing so as a wise and informed consumer
with the confidence necessary to make
an intelligent decision. Tankless water
heaters have been around for over 100
years. During World War II, conserving
water and energy became a serious concern
and the popularity of tankless heaters
increased ten-fold. Since that time
period, tankless hot water heaters have
become a standard fixture in homes and
businesses the world over. Adults in
Europe and Asia know of no other method
to heat water. Tank type heaters are
very old technology. Primitive cave-people
heated water in a clay pot over a fire
and a tank type water heater is actually
an improved version of this method.
Modern tankless models heat water in
the most efficient manner possible.
Most people use hot
water only in the morning and the evening.
The remainder of the time, the tank
model is slaving away cooking the tank
of water and keeping it at the correct
temperature setting so that the people
in the house can have hot water when
they need it. In the modern world, a
tankless heater provides hot water whenever
it is needed and no energy is wasted
by constantly heating water held in
a big tank. Energy costs are unlikely
to go down in the future.
It makes perfect sense
to change to a tankless heater. When
a new heater is required, that is the
perfect time to make the switch. It
is predicted that within a few years,
many USA states will require tankless
heaters in all new home construction. |
| Does
a tankless water heater have a pilot light? |
| Some do and some don't.
Every tankless water heater from EZtankless.com
has an electronic ignition. This means
you can save even more money when comparing
them to a tank type water heater. As there
is no open flame, you do not have to try
to re-ignite the pilot or even worry about
it. |
| My
water heater is almost worn out and it
is twenty years old. Recently it has been
malfunctioning and I am thinking about
getting a new tankless model, is it a
good idea to switch now? |
| We see no reason
to cling to the old inefficient heater
design. The USA is the last remaining
western culture on Earth using tank
type heaters. The rest of the world
has been using tankless heaters for
many years and know nothing but that
method.
It is time that we
learn from the rest of the world. We
must change our wasteful ways and this
is a step in the right direction. We
would never leave our car running for
days at a time just to keep the engine
warm in case we need to drive somewhere
or keep our oven on 24 hours a day just
to prepare food when we decide we are
hungry.. Why do we constantly heat a
large tank of hot water? If our society
replaced the tank type heaters with
tankless models, we would dramatically
reduce our nation's gas consumption.
When we upgrade to a tankless, we can
save a substantial amount on our energy
bill. |
| What
is the life expectancy of a Tankless Water
Heater? |
| Depending on your
usage, the type of installation, and
the quality of your water, they can
last from 15 to 25 years. With optimal
water quality and a quality installation
a tankless water heater should have
no problem lasting 20 years or more.
With periodic cleaning, and proper maintenance,
our tankless water heaters can last
significantly longer than a traditional
tank heater. This technology is reliable
as these heaters have been well developed
and tested in all climates for long
periods by millions of homeowners in
Europe and Asia.
Modern tankless heaters
are manufactured with the highest quality
standards and put through rigorous testing
and quality control. Before packaging
and shipment to our warehouse here in
the USA, all of our units have passed
several quality control test procedures. |
| I have
been told that tankless units are unreliable.
Will it break down frequently? |
| If someone you know is
giving you advice about a tankless heater,
if their knowledge is ten years or even
five years old, they are probably misinformed.
Reliability, safety and comfort are the
best words to describe the performance
of today's modern tankless water heater.
There have been rumors circulating in
the past, but the technology has advanced
dramatically in the past few years. |
| How
do your water heaters compare to other
models from other manufacturers? |
| Our heaters are built
by a leading manufacturer in this field.
They have been producing these for decades
and they build millions of them each
year. These units are used in all countries
in Europe and Asia as well as Australia,
South and Central America. Our models
are specifically designed to be used
with our USA A/C electrical current
and our natural and LP gas. (As well
as our electric models)
We are confident you
will like our quality water heater.
We have tested them here in our USA
Indiana warehouse and have actually
installed them in our own homes, and
the homes of friends, neighbors and
family. There are more expensive ones
on the market, and there are cheaper
ones. The construction and the quality
of the components that go inside is
what separates the good ones from the
bad ones. Like the old saying; (You
get what you pay for.) |
| What size tankless water
heater is best for my needs? |
| You must first determine
the needs of the home or business. These
needs must be compared to the GPM capacity
of the water heater being purchased.
How many people are showering and at
what time? Is there a specific time
when more people are typically bathing?
When is the washing machine, or dishwasher
in use? Are these machines needed at
the same time family members are bathing
or showering? (Most families are familiar
with using appliances that consume hot
water. Typically they do not operate
them in time periods when bathing and
showering are required.) Is there a
large hot tub, spa, or whirlpool?
Is it used in a time
period when the washing machine or dishwasher
is running? Remember, tankless water
heaters never run out of hot water.
What is important is the total gallons
per minute required during peak usage.
Finally, establish a reasonable "peak
demand" flow estimate in GPM. (Gallons
Per Minute). This is done by adding
up the flow rates of all hot water consuming
appliances, faucets and showerheads
that may be in use at one time.
NOTES: (Please keep
in mind that part of operating a more
efficient home is the sensible use of
energy and other natural resources.
No different than recycling paper, glass,
aluminum and plastic requires more effort
than simply throwing everything into
a trash bin, saving energy and natural
resources requires a change of habit
and honest economizing efforts on behalf
of all members of a family.
Do this and true energy
savings and satisfying environmental
results are easily seen by the residents
of the home. Does your home have low
flow water saver plumbing fixtures?
Water saving shower heads consume much
less than those of the past. Tankless
heaters can be used without modern faucets
and shower heads, but does this make
sense? When using water-saver plumbing
fixtures in combination with a tankless
water heater, a family can enjoy the
same comforts while consuming less energy
and water. Additionally, there is the
added benefit of saving money on utility
bills. |
| Will a tankless water
heater save us money on our utility bills?
If so, how much money will it save us? |
| Most people will
see an actual savings on the utility
bill. There are variables that may reduce
how much is saved. For instance, as
the user will never run out of hot water,
that person may take much longer showers.
This practice will probably cut into
the savings. The cost of electricity,
LP gas and natural gas varies widely
across the USA and this will affect
the amount of money saved. The higher
the cost for the energy used to heat
water, the quicker recovery of the initial
cost of installing a tankless versus
tank style water heater. Generally speaking,
most manufacturers claim as much as
25% to 50% savings, depending on what
type of energy the tankless water heater
uses. i.e. City gas, bottle gas (LP),
or electricity. Because of these variables,
we are reluctant to make statements
or promises on actual savings. Simple
common sense tells us that these modern
technologies will save energy and thusly
money. And of course, we are not wasting
energy which is good for our planet.
A reminder about direct-vent
technology: Remember that in addition
to the safety features, a modern direct-vent
tankless model does not use room air
for combustion, therefore it is not
extracting heated or air conditioned
air from your home. Buy using outside
air for combustion, these balanced dual-chamber
direct-vent models saving even more
energy. Older tankless heaters that
use room air for combustion are extracting
the heat from the home. In the past,
this factor was not usually taken into
consideration. If a person wouldn't
leave a window open in the winter, why
would they want a tankless heater to
be sucking the heat out of the home?
In fact, tank type heaters also extract
heat from the home. |
| Why does a tankless water
heater save money on utility bills and
what is the payback period? |
| Tank type water heaters
typically lose about 3% or 4% of their
heat every hour and they run 24/7. Tankless
water heaters heat water only when the
faucet is turned on.
With a tankless water
heater, there is no standby heat loss.
A tankless heater only uses energy when
it is making hot water that is being
used at the same time. The payback period
for a tankless water heater is typically
three to seven years depending on how
much hot water is used and the cost
of energy in the area where the unit
is installed. (The smaller the quantity
of hot water that is used, the faster
the payoff period will be realized.)
For a single person living alone who
is seldom at home and using hot water,
the energy bill reflects the low consumption
because tankless water heaters DO NOT
EXPERIENCE STANDBY HEAT LOSS. Additionally,
the user is contributing to protecting
the planet as well as the future of
fuel and fresh water supplies for us
all. |
| How much money does a
Tankless water Heater cost? |
| Tankless water heaters
vary in price and quality. There are
less expensive models for summer homes,
small apartments, and cabins. Deluxe
whole house models are more expensive
because they are made to heat water
for much larger consumption needs.
The installation costs
are not something that we can determine
as there are a number of installation
variations. However, most manufacturers
charge extra for the exhaust components.
Our heaters come with the basic exhaust/intake
components at no additional charge.
(This can save as much
as $250.00 or more)* Some installations
are simple and some are more complex.
We recommended that a person who is
contemplating a tankless heater first
speak to a contractor/plumber to assess
the potential costs for the proposed
installation. |
| I have
a fairly large home; do I need more
than one tankless water heater? |
| Our large model on-demand
tankless water heaters are designed
for an entire home. Our smaller units
can provide hot water for a small home,
or summer cabin with lower GPM needs.
If necessary, our heaters can be linked
together to provide higher GPM output
levels.
To answer your question
specifically, we must ask you: How many
gallons of hot water do you actually
need for your home? Here are some helpful
tips for you to consider:
1. How much hot water
(in GPM) do you use at one time? A standard
shower head, dishwasher, washing machine
is about 2.5 gallons per minute each.
(Low flow shower and faucet heads use
substantially less water. For example,
a low flow shower head may use only
1.5 GPM.) If you typically use all three
of these fixtures at the same time,
that would require approximately 4.5
to 7.5 gallons per minute. Bath tubs
are sometimes as high as six to eight
gallons per minute, and rain head showers
and body sprays definitely require more
hot water than a standard shower head.
So if your demand for hot water is higher
than the typical home you will need
a larger sized unit or another identical
unit connected as a pair.
2. Remember to pick
the right size unit for realistic situations
rather than for your current situation.
For example if you have three showers
in your home, but you only use one,
you might think the smallest unit is
plenty for your situation. But if you
have visiting guests for the holidays
or if you sell your home, the hot water
demand may be different and the heater
may be too small.
3. Here's the most
important tip to understand. Ultimately,
a tankless water heater's gallon per
minute (GPM) output depends on your
tap water's temperature. Simply put,
the colder the ground water temperature
the less output you will get from the
tankless heater. This is because the
colder tap water temperature requires
the heater to heat the water more than
if it was heating water that is warmer.
We recommend choosing your heater based
on your winter season's worst case scenario
tap water temperature. This way you
are covering for the lowest temperature
you will experience in your area (We
recommend that you consult your local
plumber or contractor as they will know
the ground water temperatures from prior
experience and will help you with the
calculations for final application sizing).
|
| Can I use my existing
venting for my tankless water heater?
If not, why not? |
| Generally speaking
the answer is always NO. Absolutely
not. Why? There are a few important
things to keep in mind when purchasing
the gas venting for your Gas-Fired Tankless
Water Heater.
(1) By code, tankless
water heaters must use Category III
stainless steel exhaust venting. Category
III venting is corrosion resistant and
has gas tight sealed joints. The venting
must be corrosion resistant because
a slightly acidic condensation is formed
during combustion. This condensation
can eat away at your current vent pipe's
galvanized metal and cause major damage
to your tankless water heater's internal
components. More importantly, the venting
must be gas tight to avoid carbon monoxide
leakage. They must be gas tight because
tankless heaters use a powered exhaust
fan to push the exhaust gasses out,
as opposed to tank water heaters which
use a natural updraft. Be absolutely
sure that you purchase Category III
stainless steel (UL1738 certified) venting
for your Gas-Fired Tankless Water Heater.
"Type B" venting accessories
are never acceptable. Also, be sure
to check local building codes to ensure
that you are in compliance. Additionally,
many Tankless Water Heater manufacturers
offer gas venting "kits". Many of the
modern tankless heaters use pipe specifically
designed for use with each manufacturer's
specific product. It is best to use
only the manufacturer's recommended
pipe. If their product uses special
pipe, they will offer this as well.
It is recommended that customers evaluate
the needs of their specific installation
to ensure that they will be getting
all of the necessary gas venting accessories.
Many tankless heaters have a maximum
allowable vent pipe length and number
of elbows (or bends), especially the
direct vent models. Depending on where
you will be installing the Tankless
Water Heater, a pre-made kit will probably
not meet your needs. Ensure that you
measure out the vent route and consider
where the discharge will go through
the wall or ceiling, consider the necessary
clearances, and consider ample access
to air for combustion. At that time,
buy the appropriate gas venting pieces.
Electrical Note: Gas-Fired Tankless
Water Heaters may still require an electrical
connection. Always review all installation
requirements on the heater you are considering. |
| Do I need to install
a water softener for my tankless unit
and how resistant is one of your tankless
water heaters to hard water and sediment? |
| No. It is not required
to install a water softener, but if
you do live in an area that has very
hard water it will eventually harm the
performance of your tankless water heater.
Something that we recommend that you
do is to add a water filter which reduces
scale which over long periods of time
can form inside the heater's internal
piping. A water softener system (non-reverse
osmosis type) works well and many homes
already have this.
Additionally, we recommend
that you do a routine flush maintenance
of your tankless heater. (frequency
depends on your water hardness level)
There are ways in which you can tell
if you have hard water. You may contact
your city's water department for their
water test report, test your water by
purchasing a water hardness kit (fairly
inexpensive), or by simply looking at
your water fixtures to see if you have
mineral build-up. The bottom line is
that hard water kills all water heaters.
We advise anyone that owns any water
heater to use a softener and/or filter
to prolong the life of any water heater.
Hard water prematurely damages and eventually
ruins water heaters and appliances. |
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