| Hot water heating accounts for about 20% (or | | | | 25 years ago but have been used in Europe for |
| more) of the average North American household's | | | | the last 50 years. |
| annual energy costs. With energy prices rising day | | | | Unlike "conventional" tank water heaters, tankless |
| by day it is becoming important to take a closer | | | | water heaters heat water only as it is used, or |
| look at where the money is going. | | | | "on demand". Opening a hot water faucet ignites |
| The average yearly cost for a conventional gas | | | | the powerful burners and the computer monitors |
| or electric storage hot water heater is | | | | the water temperature and adjusts the burners |
| approximately $500 for a 1300sq.ft., 4 member, | | | | according to the need. High demand, high heat. |
| family home. It decreases or increases depending | | | | Low demand, low heat. |
| on how many people live in the house and on | | | | Because the efficiency rate of tankless water |
| their particular water usage habits. | | | | heaters is about 20% higher, averaging around |
| Conventional hot water heaters store water and | | | | 90% and reaching up to 96% and there is no |
| maintain the water temperature to the | | | | stand by losses, savings on your energy bills are |
| temperature setting on the tank - usually | | | | evident. |
| between 120° and 140° F. That means | | | | Some models even have the capacity to heat the |
| keeping water hot even when you do not need it | | | | house at the same time. With these tankless |
| - while you are at work; while you are sleeping; | | | | water heaters, which are connected either to |
| while you are away on holidays. | | | | radiant floor heat or to a heating coil in your |
| These "standby" losses represent 15% to 25% of | | | | furnace (air handler), you can bring high efficiency |
| a household's annual water heating costs. | | | | space heating capacities to every home. |
| Another thing that annoys all of us, is waiting for | | | | Just imagine a contraption the size of your kitchen |
| the water to heat up because someone took a | | | | cabinet, heating your home and giving you an |
| bath before us. The storage tank water heaters | | | | endless supply of potable hot water. You do not |
| only have a limited amount of hot water. After | | | | need a separate furnace and a separate hot |
| that is gone you have to wait for the tank to get | | | | water heater. |
| heated again. | | | | Some models can be mounted on the exterior of |
| Throughout the rest of the world, where energy | | | | a home, freeing up valuable floor and closet space |
| costs have consistently been higher than in North | | | | on the inside. The unit can be placed in a recessed |
| America, different methods of heating water are | | | | box, flush-mounted and painted or textured to |
| common.tankless water heaters | | | | match the exterior of the home. |
| No bigger than a kitchen cabbinet, Luna Baxi | | | | Tankless water heaters can also be used for |
| tankless water heater saves space, heats the | | | | supplementary heat, such as a booster to a solar |
| house and produces an endless supply of hot | | | | hot water system, or snow melting systems, or |
| water. | | | | to meet all your hot water needs. |
| Enter Tankless Hot Water Heaters. They began | | | | The major players include: Takagi, Rheem, Noritz, |
| appearing in the United States and Canada about | | | | Rinnai and up and coming Luna Baxi. |