A tankless water heater is perhaps the newest “must-have” of plumbing. Many homeowners have their own reasons for wanting to install one. Whatever the reasons, there are many considerations a person needs to make before undertaking the expense of installing a tankless water heater. In this article, we discuss what you need to know before purchasing a tankless heater for your home.
Benefits
In our previous article, “Tankless Water Heaters; Are There Benefits?” we discussed the befits of a Tankless Water Heater. You can read the article here. Some of the benefits we discussed are as follows:
- Takes Up Less Space
- Consistent Hot Water
- Lower Energy Bill
- Long Life Expectancy
Size Matters
The size of the tankless water heater matters when determining if it will be efficient. Installing the wrong size heater will prevent you from getting the enjoyment and use you are looking for. If you install a heater that is too small for your home usage needs, then it will not be able to provide for the demands you will place on it. On the other hand, if you buy a heater that is too large for your home usage needs, then you will not realize the cost savings you were looking for to begin with.
How To Determine The Proper Size?
Traditional water tanks are measured by gallons. This, however, means nothing when dealing with tankless water heaters. The best way to measure tankless water heaters is through the gallons per minute (GPM) it provides. The other measuring unit to take into consideration is the British Thermal Unit (BTU) which determines efficiency. Based on the household’s GPM and BTU will determine the best tankless water heater to purchase.
What is BTU?
BTU, or a British Thermal Unit, is a unit of heat. It represents the amount of energy it takes to raise the temperature of water by one degree. The higher the BTU rate, the higher the GPM that can be heated. This is also known as water flow. Tankless water heaters have flow rates of 1.2 to 6 GPM. Average household tankless water heaters are around 4 GPM.
How Hot Can You Handle It?
Depending on how hot a person wishes their water to get is also a factor that should be considered when buying a tankless water heater. The best way to make this determination is to gauge the current temperature from when you take a shower and then buy a tankless water heater that should have no problem heating the water to that temperature.
Warranties
Tankless water heaters save most people money in the long term. With that said, however, given the initial installation costs and the expected long-life of the tankless water heater, you will want to make sure that it has warrants to protect your investment.
Electric or Gas?
Depending on how your house receives power will impact the type of tankless water heater to buy. If your home connects to an electric grid, then the best tankless water heater to buy is an electric one. If your home is powered through gas, then you will want to invest in a heater that can operate from gas.
Maintenance
Although tankless water heaters require little maintenance, there is still some maintenance that needs to be completed. One thing to consider is whether you can handle the maintenance yourself or whether you will need a professional and there is access to a professional to handle the maintenance.
Contact Conyers Plumbing
If you are in the market to purchase and install tankless water heaters, contact the professionals at Conyers Plumbing. We not only have access to many brands and models, but we will assist you in determining your water heater needs and ensure that you install the proper tankless water heater that will not only meet your needs but also fit your budget.
