Turn up the Heat with a Tankless Water Heater

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Not only do tankless water heaters take up little space, but they are more energy efficient than standard storage tank units.  Gas tankless water heaters cut water heating expenses by 30% because these models only heat water on an as-needed basis.  Conventional storage tank types consume energy round the clock to keep water in the tank hot.  Plus, with gas tankless units, you’ll never run out of hot water.

Another benefit of gas tankless water heaters is the longer lifespan (about 20 years) compared to tank-type water heaters.  Whether you’re building new or planning an upgrade in existing construction, gas tankless water heaters are an efficient way to heat your home’s water. 

When determining the size of the unit that’ll work best, consider the hot water demands for your household in terms of how many gallons per minute (GPM) you expect to use at any given time.  The more likely you are to have the shower, dishwasher and clothes washer going at once, the larger the GPM you will need.  You can minimize this by easily installing low-flow showerheads and water-conserving aerators on faucets.  You can save even more energy and water by replacing dishwashers and clothes washers with Energy Star models when it’s time.

Find Energy Star qualified gas and propane tankless models here.  Federal tax credits of $300 are available for Energy Star gas tankless water heaters.  You can also find rebates in your area by checking off the box marked Whole-Home Gas Tankless under the Residential Water Heaters heading here.

Tag(s): Energy, Kitchens And Baths, Money Saving, Water

Comments

3 Responses to “Turn up the Heat with a Tankless Water Heater”

  1. Good tankless water heater analogy on July 21st, 2009 10:20 am

    Joyce,

    You mentioned the utility cost savings with using a tankless water heater — how tankless units only heat water on an as-needed basis. To illustrate this point, I recently saw a TV commercial for (Rheem?) tankless water heaters:

    In the spot, the camera shows a woman walking through her home while getting ready to leave for work. Every electronic & appliance she passes in her home is either turned on or is running unattended: blenders are mixing, alarms are blaring, gas stoves burning, lawnmowers running amuck, etc…

    Then a voiceover says something to the effect of, “If you never turned anything off, it would be just as wasteful as leaving your old hot water heater running endlessly.” Then it closed with an ominous shot of a tankless water heater flickering like an old time furnace.

    Unfortunately I couldn’t find the commercial on Youtube, but I did find a site that sells them online.

    Cheers-

  2. P B on July 26th, 2009 8:10 pm

    Note that tankless water heaters may be a good alternative for businesses as well as homes. Pubs, Restaurants, Hotels, Motels, and more, all use TWH’s for the very large cost savings, being able to expense or depreciate the up-front costs. So if you have an in-home business, or you just want to make points with your boss by cutting expenses, keep that in mind.

  3. Genergize on August 10th, 2009 12:49 am

    Hey this looks familiar! In japan, this is what they use, mostly because of its space saving features but also because it is much more efficient! I have used it and it works great. You can even adjust the temp, for hotter or less hot water. I totally recommend it to all! Thanks for the post!

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