You may have seen or heard of a tankless water heater. They are becoming more and more popular and are installed more frequently in new homes. Here is our list of questions we get asked most, to help you make a decision when deciding whether a tankless water heater is right for you!
Do I have endless hot water with a tankless water heater?
Yes you do have an endless supply of hot water, but it is limited to a specific flow rate – varying from each manufacturer. Navien’s tankless model NPE-240A will raise water temperature 67*Farenheit @ 5.6 Gallons per minute. Depending on the fixtures you have in your home, you may be able to run two showers at a time, but not likely. Some people assume every hot faucet can and should be able to produce hot water until the end of time with a tankless heater.
Are tankless water heaters more efficient?
Yes, they are energy efficient with much higher energy factors than natural draft or power vented water heaters. They do not utilize a standing pilot that is constantly consuming gas.
When do you recommend a tankless water heater?
The two biggest considerations with tankless heaters are:
1. They are space savers, great for cabins, apartments or shops.
2. Large households – teenagers showering too darn long and mom can’t take a bath, get the chequebook out dad!
How much money will I save with a tankless water heater? What are the savings on my gas bill?
We believe the periodic maintenance you will have to perform on your tankless water heater will offset any cost saving that you would incur. These are complex units with much more going on than your typical water heater. They do need to be cleaned regularly and they have more mechanical components that will eventually end up failing, etc.
How much does a tankless water heater cost to install?
Depending on the installation, the price can fluctuate drastically. There is a lot to consider when replacing an atmospheric water heater to a tankless water heater. Here are some points that affect our installation cost:
- The venting can change in size depending on the developed length. How far does it have to run and where are we running it? What size can we use?
- Is the gas line sized correctly?
- How are we draining the condensate?
- Is there electrical near by?
- Does the home have a recirc line?
These factors affect overall cost, but a rough idea is $3700-$4300 depending on the installation. We always come and look at the job before we give a solid price.
Not running out of hot water is sometimes the only concern to some customers, so a tankless water heater may be the right choice for you! We sure hope this answers some if not all of your questions!