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Because of their ability to heat water on
demand, save homeowners on their energy cost, and overall
improved efficiency, "tankless" water heaters have become
extremely popular.
Tankless water heaters, only heat water when
it is needed instead of constantly circulating cold water
through a series of heated coils in order to keep the water
hot. These systems are more expensive than conventional tank
water heater, however, the majority of homeowners regain
this initial cost through the energy efficiency savings they
receive.
In addition to being energy efficient, tankless water
heaters also never run out of water. This is because
tankless systems do not store hot water. However, there is
one very minor drawback to this never-ending supply of hot
water, which is that the flow rate is limited. This means
that if you use more hot water than the heater can properly
heat, the water you will receive will be cold. Therefore, do
not expect hot water if you have two people taking bathing,
while the washer is running along with the dishwasher.
Conventional water heaters provide water at a set
temperature because these systems store the water. Tankless
water heaters however, heat water, as it is needed. When the
hot water faucet is opened, the flow of water turns on the
heating element, which heats the water as it runs through
copper tubes. The temperature of the incoming water, however
can vary between winter and summer, especially if the unite
is mounted on the exterior of your home. The water capacity
of the tankless water heater is measured by how much the
water has to be increased in temperature by gallons per
minute or gpm.
Though tankless systems are available in both electric and
gas, the gas system tend to better handle the heat output
and required response time. Gas tankless hot water heaters
must be properly vented. Therefore, when replacing a
conventional electric hot water heater, it may be necessary
to add a power vent, if there isn’t an existing roof vent.
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