Pro and con for tankless water heater
A promoter's dream:
Spend $1000 to save $1-8 a month
Spend $1000 to save $1-8 a month
Pro and con for tankless water heaterA promoter's dream:
Spend $1000 to save $1-8 a month |
|
| 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 |
| Whole
house tankless electric |
No savings Can cost more. Hard for electricity to heat water as water rushes past in pipe. See image |
-Yes- When unit not undersized - 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. |
1/2-3/4 gal per minute water flow before
heater turns on Low pressure causes tankless to shut off burner |
High tech sensors can clog Succeptable to lime build-up |
Claims of longer life not backed by
warranty. No warranty without plumber trained by specific manufacturer. |
No -Cannot store heat from other source -Always demand fossil fuel |
| Whole house tankless gas | Yes /$1-$8 month energy savings see hidden costs |
-Yes- When unit not undersized - 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 |
1/2-3/4 gal per minute water flow before
heater turns on Low pressure causes tankless to shut off burner |
High tech sensors can clog Succeptable to lime build-up |
Claims of longer life not backed by
warranty. No warranty without plumber trained by specific manufacturer. |
No -Cannot store heat from other source -Always demand fossil fuel |
| Regular electric water heater | Save 3-5%
operating cost by lowering thermostat 10º
|
-Revovery 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 |
Sediment build-up can be drained '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 interchangable parts |
Yes -With minor pipe changes, storage water heaters store heat gathered from other sources |
| Regular gas water heater | Save additional 4-9% operating cost by insulating tank | -Recovery 41 Gal per hour see chart - Stored hot water available any time |
Regular gas water heater can usually be installed by homeowner | Hot water available with any flow or pressure Allows water conservation |
Sediment build-up can be drained '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 |
Yes -With minor pipe changes, storage water heaters store heat gathered from other sources |
 > Tankless cannot be repaired by homeowner > Delays waiting for tankless manufacturer means homeowner has no hot 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 ConsumerReports.org side-by-side test results Read Common problems with tankless water heaters Read 9+ ways to save more with regular storage-type heater Read Hidden costs of tankless |
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| Read more: Tankless turns-on after toilet is flushed Difficult to diagnose noise in tankless 1-year-old tankless is blowing breaker |
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| E-mail: info@waterheatertimer.org |
