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Pro and con for tankless water heater

Spend $1000+ to save $1-8 a month
Maintenance heavy
Expensive parts
Expensive repairs
                                                            See chart as pdf
Type of heater Saves energy Unlimited  hot water?  Easy to convert  Water pressure Particulate in water Life Expectancy Can be integrated
with solar, geothermal, heat-pump or other energy source
 Temperature adjustment
Whole house tankless electric

No savings

Can cost more.

 Hard for electricity to heat water as water rushes past in pipe. See image

How to wire tankless electric
-Yes-
When unit not undersized with optimal conditions

-Not consistent with saving energy or water

- No hot water in power outage
No, 
- Requires 90-120 Amps

- Typical home electric service is 150-200 Amps (check main breaker to see amps of  your service)
- Upgrade service panel to convert to tankless electric.

-Homeowner install not recommended
1/2-3/4 gal per minute water flow before heater turns on

Low pressure causes tankless to shut off elements
High tech sensors will clog and fail in 2 years without softener
Read .pdf

Susceptible to lime build-up.
De-lime each year
Claims of longer life not backed by warranty.

Possibly no warranty without service technician trained by specific manufacturer.

Require surge protector
No
-Cannot store heat from other source

Cannot heat and store water during off peak

-Always demand
fossil fuel
-Temperature adjustment with dip switches.
Read Page 4

Adjusting temperature can shut down elements if water cannot heat fast enough.
Whole house tankless gas
Saves $1-$8  per month
See hidden costs
-Yes- When unit not undersized with optimal conditions

-Not consistent with saving energy or water

- No hot water in power outage
No,
Requires 1-1/4" gas pipe
Requires air intake pipe
Requires stainless-steel flue
Requires 110V electric line 
Requires professional installation
Located farther from faucets

-Homeowner install not recommended
1/2-3/4 gal per minute water flow before heater turns on

Low pressure causes tankless to shut off burner
High tech sensors will clog and fail in 2 years without softener
Read .pdf

Susceptible to lime build-up.
De-lime each year

Claims of longer life not backed by warranty.

No warranty without plumber trained by specific manufacturer.

Not protected by FVIR

Require surge protector
No
-Cannot store heat from other source

-Always demand
fossil fuel
-Temperature adjustment with dip switches.
Read Page 4

Adjusting temperature can shut down burner if air, fuel and vent don't match.
Regular electric water heater

  
You can save 4-9% operating cost by insulating tank
See how
Can heat and store water during off-peak

-Heats 21 Gal per hour
See chart

- Stored hot water available any time.
Regular electric water heater can be installed by homeowner Hot water available with any flow or pressure

Allows water conservation
Regular flushing maintains tank
See how

'Self-cleaning' tanks available

Corrosion-fighting anode rod inside each unit
6-12+ years
-No extended warranty without professional installation.

-Homeowner can diagnose and repair same day using locally-available interchangeable parts
Yes

-With minor pipe changes, storage water heaters store heat gathered from other sources
See options
-Simple to adjust temperature. Read
Regular gas water heater
You can save 3-5% operating cost by lowering thermostat 10ºF
See how
-Heats 40-60 Gal per hour
See chart

- Stored hot water available any time
Regular gas water heater can be installed by homeowner
How to install gas water heater
Hot water available with any flow or pressure

Allows water conservation
Regular flushing and clean burner maintains tank
See how

'Self-cleaning' tanks available

Corrosion-fighting anode rod inside each unit
6-12+ years
No extended warranty without professional installation.

Homeowner can usually diagnose and repair using locally available parts

Protected by FVIR
Yes

-With minor pipe changes, storage water heaters store heat gathered from other sources
See options
-Simple to adjust temperature. Read
See chart as pdf
> Tankless problems are difficult to diagnose
> Tankless cannot be repaired by homeowner
> Delays waiting for tankless manufacturer means homeowner has no hot water

compare tankless
clogged sensor
Pressure sensor fails after 2 years
Tankless cannot be exposed more than 11 grains hard water
Tankless are not made in your town and cannot be repaired by homeowner

Why spend a $1000 to save $1 - $8 a month?
Read Bradford White side-by-side test results
Read 9+ ways to save more with regular storage-type heater
How to install tank-type gas water heater
Troubleshoot Rheem Tankless water heater
Troubleshoot Bosch Tankless water heater
Hidden cost of tankless
Bobby Dollar
Bobby Dollar says:
Check it out ... before you buy
Before buying a tankless:
1 Ask questions: tankless require maintenance and are expensive to operate
2. Read warranty instead of promo literature
3. Look at parts sheet and ask how expensive future problems will be
4. Tankless heaters require softener & filter: sediment and lime will clog parts
5. Check water pressure > low pressure will cause tankless to stop heating
6. Check community conservation plans > tankless heaters require high water flow
7. The promise of unlimited hot water is not consistent with energy savings
8. Add up BTUs of your gas appliances to see if gas meter is large enough
9. Are there service manuals and maintenance steps available?
10. Is there a qualified service technician for your brand nearby?
Read very long list of things to know before buying tankless
How to wire Tankless electric water heater
Intermatic IG1240RC3 All tankless have circuit board
Gas and electric require surge protection

How to wire whole-house surge protector


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How to wire tankless electric


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