You will never take another cold shower or bath! With a tankless gas water heater providing an endless supply of hot water, you can literally spend hours in your shower or bath.
Tisdale Plumbing can recommend and install a tankless water heater to fit your needs. We work with manufacturers such as Nortiz, Paloma, Rinniai, PowerStar and Bosch to provide you with the most cost effective and efficient heater to fit your needs.
Benefits of a tankless water heater:
- Continuous hot water
- Heats water only when needed
- Electronic ignition – no standing pilot
- Digital thermostats allows precise temperature control and diagnostics
- Remote control allows convenient interaction
- Compact saving space
- Efficient and cost effective
Throw away your water heater tank and shave ten to twenty percent off your water heating bill. That savings results from elimination of standby losses — energy lost from warmed water sitting in a tank. And, since water heating accounts for about 14 percent of the average U.S. household energy budget, this can be a significant loss.
Tankless water heaters provide hot water at a preset temperature when needed without storage, thereby reducing or eliminating standby losses. Tankless water heaters can be used for supplementary heat, such as a booster to a solar hot water system, or to meet all hot water needs.
Tankless water heaters have an electric, gas, or propane heating device that is activated by the flow of water. Once activated, the heater provides a constant supply of hot water. The maximum flow rate at a desired temperature will be determined by the capacity of the heater. Gas tankless water heaters typically have larger capacities than electric tankless water heaters.
Large units intended for whole house water heating are located centrally in the house while, in point-of-use applications, the water heater usually sits in a closet or under a sink.
Tankless water heaters are rated by the maximum flow rate at which a desired temperature rise is met. Special features may allow the user to set the delivery temperature. Efficiency is higher than an equivalent tank type water heater because standby losses are virtually eliminated. Electric tankless water heaters require a relatively high electric power draw because water must be heated quickly to the desired temperature. Residential gas models are available that can heat more than five gallons per minute by 60°F, generally more than enough for two showers to be run simultaneously. Whole house electric units typically have a capacity closer to three gallons per minute.
U.S.Code Acceptance
Tankless water heaters can be used to replace tank systems almost anywhere. Code restrictions concerning use of a T&P valve may apply in some areas. Venting, airflow and spacing requirements that might limit the location of the tankless water heater will be dependent on the manufacturer’s installation requirements and should be followed precisely.
Operational Cost
Electric tankless water heaters generally cost 10-20% ($40 – $80/yr) less to operate than comparable tank-type water heaters. Gas savings may be about 20 -40% ($50-$100/yr). Equipment life may be longer than tank-type heaters because they are less subject to corrosion. Expected life of tankless water heaters is 20 years, compared with between 10 and 15 years for tank-type water heaters.
Initial Cost
The installation costs of tankless water heaters are from 2 – 4 times higher than tank-type water heaters. For gas tankless hot water heaters, the same gas supply line and/or venting may need to be sized larger than for a typical gas tank. Electric tankless water heaters draw more power and will require multiple circuits and/or heavier cable, which will increase installation costs. Water connections for both are comparable or identical to those used on tank-type water heaters. In some cases, the temperature and pressure (T&P) valve necessary for tank systems may not be required for a tankless heater. (Check with your local code official)
Gas and electric whole-house tankless water heaters are more expensive than typical tank systems except when comparing to high efficiency tank systems. In these cases, the high efficiency tanks may be close in cost to the tankless systems.
Tankless water heaters range in price from $200 for a small under-sink unit up to $1200 for a gas-fired unit that delivers 5 gallons per minute. Typically, the more hot water the unit produces, the more it will cost.
Installation
The installation of tankless water heaters is very similar to their tank-type counterparts. Water, gas, and electrical connections are nearly identical to tank-type units. Multiple circuits and heavier wire may be necessary for electrical models due to the higher instantaneous current draw. Physically, the units are usually hung on the wall.
For point of use units, they are often installed under sinks, in closets, or in other locations where they can be accessed. Typically electrical units are used for these installations, and given their smaller size, can often operate off of a standard outlet. In this case, the plumbing must be designed and installed with the hot water line for the room separated from the whole-house hot water system.
Benefits/Costs
Tankless water heaters are compact in size and virtually eliminate standby losses. They can provide warm water at remote points of use and less water is wasted while waiting for warm water to reach a remote faucet. A tankless water heater can provide unlimited hot water as long as it is operating within its capacity.
Equipment life may be longer than tank-type heaters because less subject to corrosion. Expected life of tankless water heaters is 20 years, compared with between 10 and 15 years for tank-type water heaters.
Tankless water heaters range in price from $200 for a small under-sink unit up to $1200 for a gas-fired unit that delivers 5 gallons per minute. Typically, the more hot water the unit produces, the higher it will cost.
In most cases, electric tankless water heaters will cost more to operate than gas tankless water heaters.
