Considering a Tankless Water Heater?

No matter what time of year, everyone enjoys a nice hot shower or bath. But, if there is a line for the bathroom, it could ruin your plans to relax if there’s not enough hot water for everyone. Times like this will ease your mind knowing you installed a tankless water heater.

A tankless water heater heats the water as you need it instead of continually heating water stored in a tank. Tankless water heaters have been the norm in Europe and Japan for quite some time, and haven’t gained popularity until recently in the United States – mostly because of the “going-green” movement. You can save a substantial amount of money each year on your electric bills while conserving natural gas. Tankless water heaters tend to last about 5-10 years longer than a tank heater and take up less space and provide you with an unlimited amount of hot water. On the downside, tankless water heater systems can cost up to three times as much as a tank heater and requires costly upgrades to your natural gas line and pricey venting system.

One thing to consider when switching from a traditional water heater system to a tankless is price. Should you just wait until your current water heater’s life is over to switch? This will depend on a couple of things.

What to consider before you switch:

– Flow Rate – The amount of water you will need to have heated at one time

– Temperature Rise – This is the difference between your groundwater temperature and the desired output temperature.

(The Federal Energy Policy Act of 1992 set flow limits at 2.2 gallons per minute [GPM] at 60 pounds per square inch [PSI] for household fixtures (Source: US Dept. of Energy). Some people also use aerators to further limit the flow of water. Tankless manufacturers size their units on temperature rise needed for a given flow)

To calculate your flow rate, add up the GPM for the household water fixtures you’ll need at one time:

– Lavatory/Bathroom Faucets – Low flow faucets use 0.5-1.5 GPM. Standard post-1992 faucets/fixtures are set to 2.2 GPM. Faucets before 1992 fall between 3.0 and 5.0 GPM.

– Kitchen Faucet – Pre-1992 faucets/fixtures use between 3.0 – 7.0 GPM. The post-1992 standard remains 2.2 GPM, and kitchen faucets don’t use aerators, so there are no low-flow numbers.

– Shower – Low flow rate is between 1.0 – 2.0 GPM. The 1992 standard remains 2.2 GPM. Pre-1992 heads fall between 4.0 – 8.0 GPM.

Now figure out your temperature rise by calculating the difference between the temperature of your groundwater and what you’d like the end result to be. For instance, if you have a groundwater temperature of 70 degrees and you like your showers to be a pleasant 110 degrees, that’s a rise of 40 degrees. Your ground water temperature is roughly the same as your average yearly air temperature.

Once you have your temperature rise and know your flow rates, then you know what size and what kind of water heater will work best for your needs. It’s important to remember this calculation that you’ll be measuring the amount of hot water you’ll need at one time. Tankless systems never run out of hot water, but if you want to turn on every fixture in your house at the same time, the hot water will be split among them. So, estimate the number of fixtures you think you’d need at one time — chances are it won’t be every fixture.

Let’s say you live in an older home that has been partially remodeled. You estimate that you’ll need to heat water for your kitchen faucet, one bathroom faucet and two shower heads at one time. One of the shower heads is newer and meets the 1992 standard, while the other is older and has a flow rate of roughly 5.0. The rest of your fixtures also meet the 2.2 standard. Add 2.2 + 2.2 + 2.2 and 5.0 for a total flow rate of 11.6. If you live in Southern Florida, your groundwater temperature is roughly 72 degrees and you may like your showers at 100 degrees. This would mean you should look for a tankless system that can heat 11.6 GPM at a rise of 28 degrees.

Gas and propane powered heaters typically provide more juice than electric models and are generally used for whole-house systems. Electric models are more common in point-of-use scenarios, although sometimes people prefer to use two electric water heaters in parallel instead of one larger gas powered unit.

Benefits and Drawbacks of Going Tankless

If you’re considering making the switch to a tankless water heater, you should carefully weigh the pros and cons first.

Benefits:

• Most tankless units come with a federal tax rebate
• They never run out of hot water
• They last five to ten years long than tank heaters
• They’re more efficient with no standby heat loss
• They take up less space and can even be installed on walls or outdoors with anti-freeze kit
• Smaller units can be installed under cabinets or in a closet, closer to the point of use
• They only need enough power to heat the amount necessary at any given moment
• You can shave as much as 20 percent from your water heating bill
• Electric models don’t produce greenhouse gases
• Most units are operated by remote control and have up to four separate settings available
• There’s no possibility of flooding due to a ruptured tank

Drawbacks:

• They cost up to three times as much as a tank water heater
• Your hot water output is split among all your household fixtures
• You may need to add a larger natural gas line to supply the unit with enough fuel
• Venting gas and propane units requires expensive stainless steel tubing
• Electric models may require an additional circuit
• Gas powered units produce greenhouse gases
• Gas units require the additional expense of an annual servicing
• Electric models require a lot of energy
• They need a minimum flow rate of .5 GPM in order to activate the heat exchanger
• Lag time can require you to run your water in order to get to the hot water, increasing water waste

Other Considerations:

• Water heating accounts for about 20 percent of your home energy budget
• A whole-house electric model costs $500 – $700
• A whole-house gas model costs $1,000 – $2,000
• Electric models are generally cheaper to install than gas
• Natural gas is less expensive now, but expected to surpass electricity in the coming years
• A standard bathtub holds about 35 gallons, soaking tubs hold between 45-80 gallons

If it’s time to get a new water heater and you want to know if switching to tankless unit will save you money in the long run, compare the yellow “Energy Guide” stickers on your current heater and tankless model that best suits your needs. This sticker will give you a good idea of what you can expect. Then weigh in all the expense factors that come with going tankless, including venting costs and gas line or electricity upgrades. Once you know the total costs involved, compare this cost of a new tank model and then figure out your energy costs for each. The amount of time it will take to make back your money with your monthly savings is called the payback period. You should also consider that a storage tank heater will need to be replaced again in about ten years — you’ll get roughly 15-20 years of use from your tankless model.

If you are interested in a FREE ONSITE ESTIMATE on a tankless gas water heater or a standard electric water heater, call us today at 843.236.7142

Also, visit our website at www.trustfourstar.com

 

 

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Article credits: A Discovery Company w/ Marshall Brian & Sara Elliott