Tankless or Demand-Type Water Heaters - Department of Energy
Tankless or Demand-Type Water Heaters - Department of Energy
Tankless water heaters, also known as demand-type or instantaneous water heaters, provide hot water only as it is needed. They don't produce the standby energy losses associated with storage water heaters, which can save money.
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Here you'll find basic information about how they work, whether a tankless water heater might be right for your home, and what criteria to use when selecting the right model.
How Tankless Water Heaters Work
Tankless water heaters heat water instantaneously without the use of a storage tank. When a hot water faucet is turned on, cold water flows through a heat exchanger in the unit, and either a natural gas burner or an electric element heats the water.
As a result, tankless water heaters deliver a constant supply of hot water. You don't need to wait for a storage tank to fill up with enough hot water. However, a tankless water heater's output limits the flow rate.
Typically, tankless water heaters provide hot water at a rate of 2–5 gallons (7.6–15.2 liters) per minute. Gas-fired tankless water heaters produce higher flow rates than electric ones.
Sometimes, however, even the largest, gas-fired model cannot supply enough hot water for simultaneous, multiple uses in large households. For example, taking a shower and running the dishwasher at the same time can stretch a tankless water heater to its limit.
Advantages and Disadvantages of Tankless Water Heaters
For homes that use 41 gallons or less of hot water daily, demand water heaters can be 24%–34% more energy efficient than conventional storage tank water heaters. They can be 8%–14% more energy efficient for homes that use a lot of hot water -- around 86 gallons per day. In some cases you may be able to achieve even greater energy savings if you install a demand water heater at each hot water outlet.
The initial cost of a tankless water heater is greater than that of a conventional storage water heater, but tankless water heaters will typically last longer and have lower operating and energy costs, which could offset their higher purchase price. Most tankless water heaters have a life expectancy of more than 20 years. They also have easily replaceable parts that may extend their life by many more years. In contrast, storage water heaters last 10–15 years.
Tankless water heaters avoid the standby heat losses associated with storage water heaters. However, although gas-fired tankless water heaters tend to have higher flow rates than electric ones, they can waste energy if they have a pilot light. This can sometimes offset the elimination of standby energy losses when compared to a storage water heater. In a gas-fired storage water heater, the pilot light heats the water in the tank so the energy isn't wasted.
The cost of operating a pilot light in a tankless water heater varies from model to model. Review the manufacturer's literature to determine how much gas the pilot light uses for the model you're considering. Look for models that have an intermittent ignition device (IID) instead of a standing pilot light. This device resembles the spark ignition device on some natural gas furnaces and kitchen ranges and ovens.
Installing and Maintaining a Tankless Water Heater
Proper installation and maintenance of your demand water heater can optimize its energy efficiency.
Proper installation depends on many factors. These factors include fuel type, climate, local building code requirements, and safety issues, especially concerning the combustion of gas-fired water heaters. Therefore, it's best to have a qualified plumbing and heating contractor install your demand water heater. Do the following when selecting a contractor:
- Request cost estimates in writing
- Ask for references
- Check the company with your local Better Business Bureau
- See if the company will obtain a local permit if necessary and understands local building codes.
If you're determined to install your water heater yourself, first consult the manufacturer. Manufacturers usually have the necessary installation and instruction manuals. Also, contact your city or town for information about obtaining a permit, if necessary, and about local water heater installation codes.
Periodic water heater maintenance can significantly extend your water heater's life and minimize loss of efficiency. Read your owner's manual for specific maintenance recommendations.
Improving Energy Efficiency
After your demand water heater is properly installed and maintained, try some additional energy-saving options to help lower your water heating bills. Some energy-saving devices and systems are more cost-effective to install with the water heater.
Are you interested in learning more about instant hot water heaters for showers? Contact us today to secure an expert consultation!
Simplify, Save…then take a HOT Shower - EcoSmart
Simplify, Save…then take a HOT Shower
As a homeowner, the investments you make in your house are important. Preceding the ‘To Do List’ is often the challenge of being able to make well-informed decisions about the technology, hardware, fixtures, and appliances you will need to purchase. Repairing or replacing plumbing, heating, and electrical structures in a house can be a homeowner’s most significant, and sometimes daunting, task.
Electric tankless water heaters are designed to save money, energy, water, and space. More specifically, point-of-use electric tankless water heaters are an economical solution to many hot water issues faced by homeowners. Point-of-use tankless heaters quickly provide hot water at the fixture (sink, shower, tub, etc.). These heaters are a beneficial addition to any home as they provide endless hot water while saving space, water, and energy.
Simplify with point-of-use water heating
Point-of-use tankless water heaters immediately provide an endless flow of hot water on demand. Homeowners benefit from point-of-use tankless water heating as this efficient delivery of hot water saves valuable time (no more waiting for hot water to arrive) and valuable water resources (no longer watching all that water run down the drain).
Point-of-use heaters are installed as close as possible to the faucet or appliance that requires hot water. The heater supplies exactly the volume and temperature of water that is needed. While it may sound foreign to install a water heater at its point-of-use, electric tankless water heaters are very compact when compared to traditional tank water heaters. This allows homeowners to put a unit directly beneath the sink that it feeds—saving ample space throughout the house.
Point-of-use heaters save a considerable amount of energy as well. Rather than heating water 24/7/365 like a traditional tank water heater, tankless point-of-use units only heat water when a faucet or shower is turned on. This way, energy is used to heat water only when it is needed, eliminating the thousands of hours of stand-by heat losses.
Save at the sink
The Environmental Protection Agency estimates the average home faucet uses about 2 gallons of water per minute. If you’re doing the cooking, the dishes, or washing your hands and leave that water running waiting for it to be the temperature you need, water waste rises. Maintaining a consistent supply of hot water at the sinks, and using this hot water only when it is needed, is a critical way to improve the efficiency and sustainability of your home.
Point-of-use heaters won’t turn the tap off for you, but as soon as you do, these heaters will ensure no more energy is wasted at the sink. Hands down, today’s units heat up faster than traditional models and deliver hot water to faucets much quicker than tank water heating systems.
About that HOT shower
When was the last time you turned on your shower and waited for the water to transition from cold water to hot? We have all been there. This wait can be quite frustrating! The further the distance between your shower and your traditional tank heater, the more water will be wasted! As the California Energy Commission explains: since the s, the distance from the heater to the furthest hot water fixture has increased from 30 to 80 feet. This means it can take up to three times longer for you to get hot water from a traditional heater!
Point-of-use water heaters supply a steady stream of hot water for showers instantly. How? When the heater is installed close to the shower, the time lag— and the water wasted is eliminated. The result is time, money, water, and energy saved. Not to mention the overall improved experience and comfort level of your home.
Meeting your expectations
Be it families, couples, or individuals, every homeowner is different. Yet, despite these differences, the desire for consistent hot water is the same. Every homeowner relies on hot water throughout the day. Access to this hot water is key to supporting the many different activities that are carried out within the home. When the demand for heated water increases, it is important for homeowners to feel confident that their heater is the right solution to do the job.
Electric tankless water heaters are recognized throughout industry as a reliable source of endless hot water. Point-of-use units are specifically designed to address the growing demand for hot water in household applications. Delivering hot water throughout the home and where heated water is most important, point-of-use units are ideal for showers and sinks. Aside from the convenience of compact size and simple installation, point-of-use heaters provide the added value of saving homeowners space, water, and energy.
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