Save Money, Space And Worry With A Tankless Water Heater

The new kid on the block in water heaters is blowing the old tank models out the door. These new tankless water heaters have it all: design, efficiency and longevity. If it is time to replace your old water heater, you need to consider the benefits of upgrading to a new tankless variety before saddling your family with a tank again.

 

  • Save money. Everyone likes the idea of saving money on utility bills. Tankless water heaters save on energy by only heating water when you need it. Standard tank heaters constantly are heating the water stored, using energy 24/7 regardless whether anyone is using it or not.

 

  • Efficiency. Since these heaters do not store hot water but heat it when needed, there will be no more forced coldwater showers or laundry loads. Even with large families taking several showers, everyone gets to be warm!

 

  • Design. Without the large tank, these smaller heaters can fit almost anywhere and are often wall mounted. There are even models that can be installed outdoors. Free up that corner in your closet, garage or basement from the bulky old tank.

 

  • Worry. Most tankless water heaters are designed to last 20 years, outliving their bigger, energy-guzzling predecessors. No tank also means less chance of a major water leak and damages that are much too common in tank heaters. No worries there!

 

There really is no reason not to switch to a tankless design for your next water heater. With monthly savings, more hot water and increased space and efficiency, why would you choose anything else?

Tankless Water Heater Sizing

If you are replacing your storage type water heater with a tankless water heater (also called a demand water heater), you will need to make sure that you choose a water heater large enough to meet your demands.  At the same time, you don’t want to choose one that is unnecessarily large which would waste money and energy.

Storage type water heaters are sized based on their capacity and first hour rating which is the amount of hot water they can deliver in an hour.  Demand water heaters don’t have a tank and are sized based on their flow rate and rise in water temperature.

To choose an appropriately sized demand water heater, you will have to determine the maximum flow rate for all of the appliances and fixtures that you will be using at the same time and how much of an increase in the water temperature you will need.

For example, if you will never have more than one shower going and can remember not to run the dishwasher or clothes washer while you are in the shower, you can choose a smaller unit.  On the other hand, if you have a larger household where two people might be taking showers at the same time, or if you run the dishwater, clothes washer, bathtub or shower at the same time, you will need a larger capacity water heater.

Your plumber can help you determine the flow rate of the various fixtures and appliances in your home.  With that information, you can take into consideration your lifestyle and hot water usage patterns to determine the proper size tankless hot water heater.  The maximum flow rate for a typical tankless water heater is around five gallons per minute.  If your needs are greater than that, consider installing two tankless water heaters to handle the load.