5 Tips for Getting the Most Out of Your Tankless Water Heater – Sobieski Services | DE, NJ, PA, MD

5 Tips for Getting the Most Out of Your Tankless Water Heater

A tankless water heater eliminates the big disadvantage of conventional water heaters: the tank. Storing heated water in a tank for later use has always been a major efficiency and performance downside. No matter how well the tank is insulated, water cools over time and energy is wasted re-heating the same water all over again. Then, when the tank empties under peak demand, someone takes a cold shower while another tank is heating. A tankless water heater delivers hot water on demand. There’s no stored water to cool down or run out, because water is heated only as you need it. Tankless units can save nearly 20 percent of water heating costs in the average home. And nobody gets a cold shower.

For optimum tankless performance and efficiency, here are five tips:

  • Make sure the unit is properly sized. Your contractor can make an accurate calculation based on household hot water usage. You’ll want a heater that can maintain at least a 70-degree temperature rise above the incoming supply water during peak demand.
  • Have the flow rate in your home measured. A tankless heater requires a specific minimum volume of water flowing through it at all times to avoid overheating. Make sure household water lines can meet that demand.
  • Call your local professional plumbing contractor for installation. Tankless heaters are complex and installation involves high temperature gas fittings and critical plumbing connections. It’s not a job for do-it-yourselfers or the local handyman.
  • To reduce water waste, consider installing dedicated point-of-use heaters at high-demand fixtures such as a bathroom or kitchens. Reducing the span of plumbing between the heater and the outlet cuts water waste during the short delay for the heater to reach maximum temperature.
  • Vent correctly. Like any gas-fired appliance, a tankless heater should have sealed combustion and direct vent to the exterior to prevent hazardous backdrafting of combustion fumes.

Contact Sobieski Services for experienced information about tankless water heater sales and installation. Our goal is to help educate our customers in Delaware, Pennsylvania, Maryland and New Jersey about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC and plumbing systems).

Image Credit: Leo Reynolds

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