Congratulations on making the decision to install a tankless water heater in your home. You’ve made a great choice! You and your family will love the convenience of your new water heater. Whether you decided upon these is because of the endless supply of hot water, the quickly delivered hot water, or the energy savings, you will certainly be pleased with this upgrade.
Here are four tips that can help you make this an easier decision.
TIP 1: ELECTRIC OR GAS
The first, and probably easiest, decision you will make is whether you need an electric or a gas. They can be run by electric, natural gas, or propane. It all depends on what you have in your home.
I say this is easiest part of choosing one of these is because you will certainly know if your home is gas or electric. However, if you’re in the middle of a new home build, discuss these options with your general contractor. He can offer you guidance on what is available in your community.
TIP 2: A SHIFT IN THINKING
The second tip is a shift in your own thinking. With a tank-style water heater, you purchase a unit based on the overall capacity of the tank. This is because a hot water tank heats the water inside the tank, keeping it hot at all times until you turn on the water at the tap.
On the other hand,these units heat water only when you tell it to. The water passes through a heating element which rapidly heats the water when you turn the water on at the tap. Therefore, you don’t need to worry about a “tank size.”
TIP 3: DECIDE HOW MANY DEVICES YOU WILL RUN AT ONE TIME
Next, think about how many devices you will run at one time. Because the water is not stored in a tank, you need to select a unit that will heat water quickly enough to run all of these at once.
Here’s a quick example. You might want to run the dishwasher and take a shower at the same time. For easy math, let’s assume the dishwasher uses 1.5 gallons per minute and the shower takes 3 gallons per minute. This means you need to find one that will heat 4.5 gallons of water per minute.
However, if it’s possible that someone else in the household would want to run another hot water faucet at 1.5 gallons per minute, increase that to a unit that can heat 6 gallons of hot water every minute.
Similarly to a hot water tank, a larger family will demand a larger unit. The calculations may differ, but that’s still the bottom line.
TIP 4: TAKE A LIST OF QUESTIONS WITH YOU
Tip four is so simple that some people forget about it! One of the easiest ways to gather good information on how to select one of these is to think of all the question your family has. Write them all down on paper or note them on notepad of your cell phone. When you go out shopping for your new water heater, take these questions with you.
One question you must add to your list is how much experience the vendor has with thes units. Not only selling them, but also installation and support. If they want to sell you a unit without additional customer service, move on to the next provider.
This is not a DIY project you should pick up at the home improvement center. This installation requires specialized venting. It is crucial that you protect your investment by hiring a professional, experienced installer to complete this project for you.
In summary, doing your homework before making this significant investment is a great idea. You’re on the right track by reading information to make an informed decision. These units are an investment of money. The reward you will reap is the convenience of endless hot water and savings on your energy bill.
Please remember to contact a qualified installer if you need additional assistance on determining which unit will work best for your home. A good, professional installer will always be glad to offer advice.
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