|
Tankless
Water Heaters
Enjoy
an Unlimited Supply of Hot Water!
Save Money and Save Water!
Frequently
Asked Questions Return
to Previous Page
How do
Tankless Water Heaters work?
When the hot water faucet is
opened, the water will flow directly in the heater's water activated
control assembly. ENDLESS HOT WATER FOR AS LONG AS YOU WANT IT! Then
simply by turning the faucet to the off position, the flow will stop and
the burners will immediately shut down. This process of supplying hot
water as needed, results in dramatic energy savings. Energy usually lost
in the conventional tank water heater where water is heated only to cool.
A process that continues day and night unless the water is drawn. Of
course, if it is drawn, there is usually a long wait while the tank of
cold water is heated.
Back to top
How
can a Tankless Water heater heat water instantly? When
you open a faucet, the flow of the water triggers the heater to turn on.
Whether you use gas or electricity, the powerful gas burners or electrical
elements will turn on, rapidly heating the water as it passes through the
unit. The water is heated instantly, and the time it takes to obtain hot
water is directly related to the distance the hot water has to travel from
the water heater to where hot water is being used. The burners or elements
then shut down when you shut off the hot water. The energy that is
consumed is only for the hot water that is being used. Back
to top
What size is the tankless
water heaters? Most
of our units are the size of a briefcase. The tankless water heaters
take up considerably less space than conventional tank type water tanks
and saves valuable living space.
Back
to top How
much money can I save? Depending
on which model of tankless water heater you purchase, and what size
storage tank you have now, and if it runs on gas or electricity, you could
save anywhere from 5% to 69% off your hot water heating bill. How?
Most homes use hot water for a cumulative total of about one hour per day,
yet they typically keep 40 or 50 gallons (oftentimes more) of water hot 24
hours a day. Having a system that eliminates the storage and heats water
only as you use it can dramatically reduce your energy consumption.
Back to top
What
is a point of use tankless water heater? Point-of-use
water heaters are usually used for one of two reasons. One is to supply
hot water to a remote location that is not served by a larger water
heater. The other is to eliminate the wait time for hot water you may have
at a particular faucet. Both offer the advantage of not having to wait for
hot water. You can
install a point-of-use water heater right at the source, e.g., under a
sink. Therefore, when you turn on the faucet you have hot water instantly
available to you. This both eliminates your wait for the hot water and
saves water, our most valuable resource, from being wasted down the drain
as you wait for hot water to arrive.
Where
is the best place to install a Tankless?
The possibilities are many. Most any place
that can be vented and otherwise meet the local code requirements. On the
wall in the laundry area, in second floor area near the bathrooms, or the
kitchen wall, or a multitude of approved areas where you could never put a
tank with all that space guzzling bulk and weight.
Back to top
Are there any special
plumbing or electrical installation requirements? See
installation guide: Stiebel Eltron
(pdf
file) Adobe Acrobat required. Don't
have Acrobat Reader?
Click on this button 
Free! Back to top Will one unit
be sufficient for my home? If
you will expect 2 or 3 possible faucets to operate simultaneously ( a
shower, load of dishes, and hands being washed) then you must select a
unit that provides a flow of three or more gallons of 140 degree water per
minute (assuming 60% hot water mixed with cold). One is usually
efficient enough for a average size home. Its not unusual for two people to be showering at the same time, or the clothes or dish-washer to be in operation while
someone is in the shower. If your incoming water temperature is warmer than in most
areas, typically you would not be able to run two showers at the same time in a colder climate.
Back to top
How do I tell what the
ambient water is? (incoming water to my home)
You will
need a meat thermometer or candy thermometer or any thermometer that will
measure down to zero degrees Fahrenheit. Make sure you are not
running any appliances such as dishwasher or clothes washer. Go to
your kitchen sink and turn on the the cold water and let it run about a
minute. Hold the end of the thermometer into the cold water for another
minute. This will tell you what the ambient temperature of the water
coming into your house is. In the northern climates of the US, it is
normal for the ambient temperature of the water to be between 42 and 54
degrees all year long. A larger unit or more than one unit may need
to be installed in your home. In the lower southern states or
coastal states it can be as much as 70 degrees. So a smaller unit might do
the job for you.
Back to top
How
many units will I need for my home?
Depends
on whether you want the whole house or just a sink at a time and how you will be using the units.
Back to top
We have
"Hard Water," will that corrode the unit like it does the tank
types?
Since there is no standing water from which
the dissolved solids can precipitate and the water is only being heated
while its moving rapidly through the unit, the corrosion factor is
significantly reduced. But, here's the good news; when a conventional tank
water heater becomes corroded and eventually begins to leak, it is
discarded and contributes to the area landfills. However, if a tankless
does scale to the point of affecting its operating efficiency' it is a
simple procedure to de-lime the unit and return it to full service.
Of course, you can prevent any problems
with scale by having a water softener on the unit. This also prevents your
household pipes and any other appliances from getting clogged with scale.
Back to top
Which is better, electric
or gas tankless water heaters?
Electric or gas? Which is better? In
reality, there is no single answer to this question. What is better for
one household, might not be the best for another. The decision to select
an electric or gas tankless water heater should be made with the
homeowner's or business' individual circumstances in mind. The following
factors all play a role in choosing what type of tankless water heater is
best for your needs:
- the availability of a convenient source
of natural gas or propane and/or an adequate electrical supply to
support another high-output appliance.
- The relative cost of installation
- The difference in cost between an
appropriately-sized electric and gas tankless water heater
- Water usage habits and needs
- Homeowner/ user preference
- The differential between electric costs
and gas costs in your area, and your personal outlook for changes in
such costs in the future.
- Desired installation location
Efficiency / Cost:
While gas tankless water heaters are
certainly more efficient than their tank cousins, their efficiency usually
peaks at 80-85%. Even though natural gas is generally a cheaper input fuel
than electricity per BTU of output power, this benefit is generally
outweighed by the higher efficiency of the electric unit, longer service
life, and cheaper installation. On top of that, electric tankless water
heaters cost less than most tankless gas models. Moreover, gas prices tend
to fluctuate more dramatically then electricity prices and most economists
agree that in general, gas prices are expected to rise significantly in
coming years whereas in most areas, electricity prices should be
relatively stable.
Installation:
Tankless gas water heaters have complex
venting and combustion air supply requirements, especially when installed
in a confined space. When side wall venting is required, it can get even
more complex. Due to their high gas consumption, existing ventilation
systems are rarely adequate. The bottom line, is that these requirements
can make installation very expensive. Electric tankless water heaters, on
the other hand, are not only smaller and more suited to installation in
confined spaces, but they do not require any venting and minimal
installation clearances. They can be installed in a closet, under a sink,
in a crawl space, or a wide range of other areas where a traditional tank
or gas tankless cannot.
Back to top
Choose
from Gas
or Electric...
|
