| Most of us have grown up with a standard tank | | | | gallons per minute to ¾ gallons per minute. |
| type water heater. As such we are used to the | | | | So you can't get just a trickle of hot water. |
| way our plumbing system works. Switching to a | | | | Most circulating systems don't pump at a high |
| tankless unit will have an affect on the way your | | | | enough flow rate to turn on the tankless water |
| system works. | | | | heaters. If they do, they will void or restrict most |
| With a tank type heater, when you turn on a hot | | | | warranties, because they will cause frequent |
| water faucet, the hot water, typically 140 | | | | on-off cycles for the heater. |
| degrees, immediately begins flowing through the | | | | Changes in your water temperature from winter |
| pipe to get to your faucet. As the water travels | | | | to summer will impact the tankless heater. The |
| through the cold pipe, it cools off until the piping | | | | tank type heater always heats your water to the |
| material warms up. That is why your hot water | | | | same temperature. The tankless units increase |
| doesn't instantly go from cold to hot; it has to | | | | the temperature a certain number of degrees |
| warm up the pipes first. | | | | with a given flow rate. |
| Many homes have hot water circulating systems | | | | For example, if your incoming water temperature |
| that circulate the hot water through the pipes to | | | | in the summer is 60 degrees, and your heater |
| obtain instant hot water at every sink. Circulating | | | | raises the temperature 80 degrees at a flow of 1 |
| systems can save a lot of water. They are | | | | gallon per minute, you have a hot water |
| wasteful of energy though, since the water | | | | temperature of 140 degrees. If your incoming |
| heater will fire up more often to replace the heat | | | | water drops to 50 degrees in the winter, your |
| being lost through the piping which acts like a big | | | | top temperature will drop to 130 degrees. And |
| radiator even if the pipes are well insulated. | | | | don't forget, as you increase the flow rate the |
| There are also pumping systems that pump the | | | | temperature rise will drop. |
| hot water to the fixture from the heater only | | | | To fully heat the hot water, the cold water |
| when you want to use hot water and you don't | | | | entering the water heater must pass all the way |
| run any water down the drain. You still save the | | | | through the water heater. This means that it will |
| water and time, but you don't waste water. | | | | take longer to get your hot water than with a |
| Tankless Systems | | | | tank type heater, and you will run more water |
| Tankless heaters are being promoted as providing | | | | down the drain. |
| endless hot water and as being energy saving | | | | The water conservation issue can be resolved |
| over traditional water heaters. While both of | | | | with a "demand" type hot water system. Demand |
| these facts are true, there are other things to | | | | hot water pumps pump the hot water from the |
| consider. | | | | heater to the fixture without running water down |
| If you are considering replacing your tank type | | | | the drain. The pump only runs for a short time, |
| water heater with a tankless unit, and you have a | | | | usually less than a minute, and thus only |
| typical house, make sure you get one large | | | | consumes about $2.00 per year in electricity costs |
| enough to do the job. Since you are heating | | | | for a typical family. A demand pump will get your |
| water as you use it, you must heat it much more | | | | hot water to your fixture about twice as fast as |
| quickly than a tank type heater so you need to | | | | normal and you won't waste any water. Demand |
| add heat much more quickly. | | | | pumps can be found for less than $200.00 and |
| For a gas type heater this means you will be | | | | are very easy to install. |
| using a lot more gas volume/ minute than with a | | | | Tankless water heaters can save you a modest |
| tank type heater. Your exhaust flue will need to | | | | amount of energy, typically around $8.00 - $10.00 |
| be much larger and the gas line might need to be | | | | a month. Since tankless units are more expensive |
| larger. For electric units you might have to have | | | | than tank type water heaters, and more |
| special wiring put in to handle the high amperage | | | | expensive to install, that savings may not be so |
| loads created by a large electric tankless heater. | | | | great. They can also provide you with endless |
| With a tank type water heater you can set the | | | | supply of hot water. However, forget getting a |
| flow rate to anything you want from full-on to | | | | trickle of hot water, be prepared to wait a little |
| just a trickle. With a tankless water heater there | | | | longer, and adjust to having the temperature |
| is a minimum flow rate required to turn the | | | | vary with the flow rate. |
| heater on. Typically it ranges from about ½ | | | | |