Hidden
costs:
> Hot water takes just as long to reach faucet > tankless
is
not 'instant' unless located under sink or next to bathroom
> Tankless warranty does not match 20-year promotion claims
> check warranty papers, since repairs can leave you without hot
water until parts arrive
> Savings does not match promotion claims >
exception: household with reduced consumption, and
with bath/kitchen located near tankless unit will realize more savings
than home with multiple tankless units blazing each time a bath is
run.
> Promise of unlimited hot water not consistent with energy
savings.
> Tankless consume more energy per gallon of
water heated than storage-type heater. Read manual that shows
tankless-gas
require
larger gas line and larger exhaust.
>
Tankless are prone to
lime build-up
in heat exchanger. Tankless must be de-limed each year, adding
long-term expense.
> Softener and filter required, adding long term
expense.
> More than 11 grains hard water reduces tankless
efficiency in 2 years.
De-liming each 9 months can help, but pressure
regulators clog causing failure to heat. Constant maintenance
eliminates savings.
>With correct water softener, Tankless maintain 79% efficiency,
but de-liming recommended each year.
Read maintenance steps in manual. In
comparison, Gas storage heaters maintain 69% efficiency with softened
water, and burner can be maintained by homeowner Read PDF pg2-8. Electric storage
heaters are 99% efficient with
hard water or soft water, and can be maintained by homeowner without
expense
of softener or technician. Read
research pdf Additional reading: anode rod
>
Tankless units are not made in your town. They are high tech gadgets
requiring precision engineering. Heat exchanger is special metal
alloy and expensive to replace, especially if improper
installation
causes dripping condensation that corrodes exchanger.
> No hot water during power loss > no power to
electronics, no hot water. Both gas and electric
tankless units require 120V for electronics inside unit. By comparison,
storage tanks hold heated water for several hours in a power outage.
> Minimum 1/2 to 2/3 gallon water flow before tankless turns on.
Faucet located far away might not
activate heater immediately. Consumer might wait longer for hot water
to arrive. Hot water may not arrive. Ask questions.
> Water flow requirements for tankless are not consistent with
water conservation.
>
Low water
pressure causes tankless computer to shut down burner. Homes
with
water wells & homes in MUD & PUD districts with low
water pressure are not
suitable for
tankless. Check pressure over full day. Check
tankless spec sheet.
Additional
in-line
pressure tank required. Turning up well pressure shortens life of well
parts and uses more water.
> Larger re-circulation pump is needed > not consistent
with energy savings.
>
Tankless problems are difficult to diagnose. Causes can be from a
number of combined internal and external factors. No hot water during
delay.
Tankless problems vary from brand to brand. Keep manufacturer
website and trouble
page in your records.
>
Homeowner dependent on professional service. Repairs are not done
by low-cost handyman. All costs are energy.
>
Parts not interchangeable between brands. Parts not
available at
home center. Parts may not be available on weekend. If tankless unit
lasts 20 years as claimed, who will carry parts in year 15? Ask
questions.
>
Homeowner cannot install tankless without risk. Each brand has
installation protocol
that must be followed for warranty to take effect.
Warranty could be void
unless installed by person
trained by manufacturer. Read the warranty. Homeowner installed tankless needs repair.
>
Before buying tankless, add up total BTU of existing gas appliances and
heating, and then add BTUs for tankless. Check that gas meter is large
enough to supply needed gas. Undersized gas line or gas meter will
cause tankless and other gas appliances to malfunction.
> Oversized tankless units sometimes installed
to meet peak demand. Oversizing eliminates all savings.
> Incoming cold water during winter might not heat without
oversized unit or additional tempering tank. See tempering tank
> Look at temperature setting for unit before buying. Use
cooking thermometer to check water temperature at your home now. Read
tankless manual to see how to adjust temperature. If adjustment is not
simple do-it-yourself, then that can add a service call.
> Gas: Converting to tankless-gas is 3x more
expensive. Larger gas
line is required. Larger vent. Need for more combustion air draws air
from outside through cracks and works against HVAC. Read
installation spec
sheet & ask questions.
>
Electric: Converting to tankless-electric can require additional 90-120
Amps. Check amp requirement of unit. Check main breaker to see total
amps matches requirement. New
breaker panel and service may be necessary. Read tankless spec sheet
& ask questions.
>
Tankless use more energy per minute than storage-type heaters. The
promise of unlimited hot water is not consistent with promise of energy
savings.
> Outdoor tankless units have internal heater to keep unit from
freezing
in
winter, which adds standby cost similar to storage-type heaters. Check
spec sheet. Will your outdoor unit freeze in power outage?
> Each gas burning appliance sends heat up vent stack.
This is wasted
energy. Heat exchanger can recapture some heat. If tankless
vent is slowed by heat exchanger, combustion will
slow, causing computer to turn off unit. In comparison, new
high-efficiency gas
storage heaters recapture large percentage of vented heat. Compare
innovations and ask questions. Read about water heating innovations.
> Each gas burning appliance draws air from outside. Tankless
burn more fuel per minute and require more air. Unit located
in house might require
drafty location like garage. Drafty locations
have colder incoming water in winter. Tankless may not heat water in
winter. Add tempering tank
>
Tankless cannot store heat gathered from other sources.
In comparison,
storage-type
heaters can store heat gathered from heat-pump-exchanger,
solar-heating, geothermal, drain water recovery & wood stove.
>
Future planning: Storage-type heaters can be adapted to meet future
needs: For
example: low-flow water systems that conserve water; integration with
solar;
integration with heat-exchangers. Tankless are limited to hydrocarbon
fuel and high water
flow.
>
Recapturing CO2 from gas appliances at each home is not likely
> converting to electric water
heat could be
the
future, since CO2 from electric generation can be centrally recaptured
at power plant when technology discovers method.
> Your storage tank works fine. It is easy to
fix and replace. It is cheaper over the long term. There are many ways
to reduce costs and save with storage-type
heaters. Read
Sources:
see links bottom of page
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