Water Heater Wednesday: Tankless Water Heaters
Last week on Water Heater Wednesday we talked about the benefits of tankless water heaters and how they can save you money. Today we’re going to talk about selecting a tankless water heater.
There are several things to consider when thinking about purchasing a tankless water heater for your home- fuel type, demand, and purpose.
Fuel Type
Tankless water heaters can be electric or gas. If you’re going to purchase an electric tankless water heater, you have to consider voltage, amperage, and your circuit breaker.
- Voltage- Most units sold will accomodate 110V, 208V, 220V, and 277V.
- Amperage- Different units will have different requirements. Make sure you can support the electrical demands of the unit you choose.
- Circuit breaker- Make sure you have a circuit that will support an electric water heater. You may have to put your water heater on its own circuit.
If you’re going to purchase a gas tankless water heater , there are also a couple of things to consider.
- Gas type- You need to determine if your gas type is natural or propane. Make sure you have thoroughly checked out your current gas line to determine whether or not it meets the requirements of the new water heater you plan on buying. The requirements of your new gas tankless water heater may exceed those of your old water heater.
- Venting requirements- Venting is very important and these requirements should not be overlooked. Make sure to purchase Category III stainless stell (UL1738 certified) venting for your new gas tankless water heater. Type B venting accessories are not ok! Its also a good idea to check out your local building code for any specific needs. Some tankless water heater manufacturers sell gas venting kits. While these kits are handy, make sure you’ve checked out the specific installation requirements for the tankless unit you’ve purchased to ensure that kit will meet all your needs. There are many things to consider when installing a gas tankless water heater such as the vent route, where the discharge will go, access to air for combustion, etc.
Demand
When you’re choosing a tankless water heater, its a good idea to think about how many fixtures you’re trying to heat water for. Are you looking for a unit to heat water for just one sink? A whole bathroom? An apartment? A whole house? You may need to do some research on the typical flow rates for all the fixtures you are going to be heating water for.
Purpose
When shopping for a tankless water heater, you may have a specific purpose or need in mind. Here are some examples of the most common purposes and which model may work best.
- Single Point Application- This is when only one fixture (one sink, one shower, a washing machine, etc.) will need to have water heated by the tankless water heater.
- Thermostatic- A thermostatic tankless water heater boosts the temperature of the water if it has cooled off due to a long pipe run or for sanitation purposes. These units are great if precise temperature control is needed.
- Whole House Use- Large tankless water heaters are designed to heat water for whole houses where many fixtures will need hot water.
Join us next Wednesday for our final installation of our mini series on tankless water heaters!
