Electric Tankless Water Heater Facts
Homes without a gas line or propane tank can also enjoy the advantages of on-demand hot water by installing tankless units powered by electricity. These units, which heat water with thick copper rods, are quieter and about a third smaller than gas or propane tankless heaters. And because they dont need vents, they can be installed almost anywhere, including under sinks and in small closets.
One drawback to electric units is its limited output, which tops out at 36 kilowatts, or about 123,000 Btus. That may be enough to supply a whole house in areas with warm groundwater, but in colder climes theyre better suited to point-of-use service, where the demand for hot water doesnt get too high. Whichever type you choose, it will need sufficient amperage at the main panel and heavy-gauge wires.
Also, electric heaters last only about half as long as gas units: Typical warranties are three to five years. Once the heating elements fry, it usually costs about as much to replace the entire heater as it does to swap in new elements.
Renting A Gas Hot Water Tank
If you want to rent a new natural gas water heater and already have a rental tank, contact your current service provider. You may currently be under contract and subject to cancellation fees.
If you own or rent an electric, oil or propane water heater and would like to switch to a natural gas model, confirm that you already have natural gas service and then contact a HVAC Contractor.
How Does A Tankless Water Heater Work
Thanks to: Phillip Maxwell, Residential Product Manager, Rheem Eric Manzano, Product Training Supervisor, Noritz Joe Holliday Senior Director, Product and Business Development, Rinnai Fred Molina, Water Heater Products Manager, Bosch Thermotechnology
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Benefits Of A Natural Gas Tankless Water Heater
In case the idea of constantly heating water in a tank sitting in the basement sounds wasteful and inefficient to you, then a natural gas water heater might be the right option for you.
The best natural gas water heaters have always been full of promises. By heating the water only when you require it, the suitcase-sized water heaters could potentially save the homeowners a lot of energy as well as storage space.
In addition, the endless hot water supplies mean no more cold showers in your home. Here are the benefits of a natural gas tankless heater:
Calculating Annual Operating Cost
Before you can choose and compare the costs of various models, you need to determine the correct size water heater for your home. If you haven’t done this already, see sizing a new water heater. To estimate the annual operating cost of a storage, demand , or heat pump water heater, you need to know the following about the model:
- Fuel type and cost
Then, use the following calculations:
For gas and oil water heaters
You need to know the unit cost of fuel by Btu or therm.
365 days a year X 0.4105 therms/day ÷ EF X Fuel Cost = estimated annual cost of operation
Example: A natural gas water heater with an EF of .58 and a fuel cost of $0.00000109/therm
365 X .4105/.58 X $1.09 = $282
For electric water heaters, including heat pump units
You need to know or convert the unit cost of electricity by kilowatt-hour .
365 days/year x 12.03 kWh/day ÷ EF x Fuel Cost = annual cost of operation
Example: A heat pump water heater with an EF of .0 and an electricity cost of $0.1301/kWh
365 X 12.03 ÷ 4.0 X $0.1301 = $143
The energy usage per day in the above equations is based on the DOE test procedure for hot water heaters, which assumes an incoming water temperature of 58°F, hot water temperature of 135°F, and total hot water production of 64.3 gallons per day, which is the average usage for a household size of three people.
Comparing Costs and Determining Payback
| Models |
|---|
| $600/$45 per year = 13.3 years |
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Tankless Water Heater Venting
Old tank-type gas water heaters commonly funnel their fumes into chimneys, but thats no place to vent a tankless gas heater. It must be connected to dedicated vent pipes that exit through a roof or an outside wall. Richard Trethewey
Looking for help with repairs around your home? A home warranty may help. Check out these in-depth guides from the This Old House Reviews Team:
What Size Tankless Water Heater Do I Need
Heres how the pros make sure your heater delivers enough hot water.
It takes a big burst of BTUs for a tankless heater to turn cold water into hot water in just a few seconds. But if a heaters Btu output cant keep up with demand, it will cut back the flow, or, worse case, deliver lukewarm water.
To determine whether a heater will be able to meet a households needs, a plumber looks at three factors:
- The temperature of the water coming into the heater
- The peak demand for hot water in gallons per minute
- The heaters efficiency, as indicated by its Uniform Energy Factor, found in the product specs.
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Sizing A Solar Water Heating System
Sizing your solar water heating system basically involves determining the total collector area and the storage volume you’ll need to meet 90%100% of your household’s hot water needs during the summer. Solar system contractors use worksheets and computer programs to help determine system requirements and collector sizing.
Determining Energy Efficiency Of Storage Demand And Heat Pump Water Heaters
Use the energy factor to determine the energy efficiency of a storage, tankless or demand-type water heater, or heat pump water heater.
The energy factor indicates a water heater’s overall energy efficiency based on the amount of hot water produced per unit of fuel consumed over a typical day. This includes the following:
- Recovery efficiency how efficiently the heat from the energy source is transferred to the water
- Standby losses the percentage of heat loss per hour from the stored water compared to the heat content of the water
- Cycling losses the loss of heat as the water circulates through a water heater tank, and/or inlet and outlet pipes.
The higher the energy factor, the more efficient the water heater. However, higher energy factor values don’t always mean lower annual operating costs, especially when you compare fuel sources.
Product literature from a manufacturer usually provides a water heater model’s energy factor. Don’t choose a water heater model based solely on its energy factor. When selecting a water heater, it’s also important to consider size and first hour rating, fuel type, and overall cost.
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Q How Do I Choose A Water Heater Capacity
To evaluate the water heater capacity, you need to follow some steps. First, you need to determine the daily usage. If the daily usage is low, then you can select the gas tankless water heater that delivers the hot water at the rate of 5-6 GPM. Your water requirement is low, but you need to run multiple showers and faucets simultaneously than you need the water heater that delivers the hot water at the rate of 8-10 GPM.
What Is A Gas Tankless Water Heater
In simple terms, the gas tankless water heater does not have a tank to store hot water. This water heater supplies hot water on demand and it uses natural gas as its fuel source. Gas tankless water heaters take up less space because it does not need any storage.
They directly heat the hot water when cold water travels through the pipe by burning the gas inside the chamber. This saves your space of storage and also supplies constant hot water.
The gas tankless water heater has a slightly higher price than the tank water heater, but their life expectancy is double, and they are more efficient than the tank water heater.
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Types Of Water Heaters
It’s a good idea to know the different types of water heaters available before you purchase one:
- Conventional storage water heaters offer a ready reservoir of hot water which is adequate for everyday use. However, there are some instances, such as when more than one use for hot water is occurring or when there are guests in the home, increasing the requirements for hot water.
- Tankless or demand-type water heaters heat water directly without the use of a storage tank. This type of water heater is designed to provide an adequate supply of hot water without running out when adequately sized.
- Heat pump water heaters move heat from one place to another instead of generating heat directly for providing hot water, resulting in high efficiencies and significant cost savings.
- Solar water heaters use the sun’s heat to provide hot water and also save money on energy bills.
- Tankless coil and indirect water heaters use a home’s space heating system to heat water.
Rheem Tankless Water Heater Indoor Direct Vent Rtgh
Allow me to shift your attention to this simplest but advanced model that has really made its mark to impress us.
Were talking about rheem RTGH-95DVLN.
Priced at the higher end of the market, the Rheem RTGH-95DVLN allows you to enjoy the convenience and comfort of continuous hot water on demand. It is great for homes with busy members and homes with luxury bathrooms or simply have a higher than average need for hot water.
For those of our readers who do not know, Rheem is a globally renowned brand name for exceeding the rigorous industry standards for cooling and heating products. It has earned a high level of recognition for reliable and durable water heaters.
Its worth noting that all the Rheem products are subject to frequent tests. So, they have certification of various third-party testing labs and Government. It ensures all the Rheem water heaters meet rising quality standards.
RTGH-95DVLN can produce 9.5 gallons of water per minute this unit provides sufficient heated water for a large home.
It comes with a maximum factory preset temperature of 120-degree F and can be raised to 140-degree F with a manual override.
For an indoor-only no-tank natural gas water heating system, the Rheem RTGH-95DVLN is a very energy efficient device at 94%. The stainless-steel casing contributes to its high energy efficiency as well.
You can evaluate much of this units efficiency and safety through its intelligent electronic controls.
Why is it special?
Pros
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How Does A Gas Tankless Water Heater Work
Like the tank water heater, it does not store the water in the tank. When you turn the tap of hot water on, the cold water travels through the unit via the pipe. The water heater hits the water by a gas burner and it will adjust the flames to maintain the proper temperature throughout the process.
The gas tankless water heater constantly supplies hot water, but it has an output limit.
Best Tankless Natural Gas Water Heaters Of 2022
Say goodbye to those bulky, costly, and wasteful tank-type water heaters!
Install a high-efficiency natural gas-fired tankless water heating system and enjoy hot water on demand.
The tankless variation will deliver you hot water when you need it, without an energy-consuming storage tank. Its also space-saving and lasts much longer than any conventional tanked ones. Whats more, its cost-effective. For these reasons, this variation is quickly taking the nation by storm.
Sounds impressive, right?
But which are the best tankless natural gas water heaters to get in 2022?
Here are our experts review and buying guide. Weve listed down 8 top-rated models currently available on the market.
If you plan to purchase one and interest in knowing why we consider these 8 models worthy contenders, keep on reading our tankless natural gas water heater review.
What’s in this Guide?
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Best Tankless Natural Gas Water Heater In 2022
After 80+ hours of research and testing, were comfortable recommending the following 8 models.
Weve carried out our own test under different environments, climates, and altitudes. In addition to that, we also have considered the convenience, performance and owner satisfaction of these products.
The following is a detailed review of our recommended top 8 models with their pros and cons.
Check this out!
Hope, youll be able to find your pick here.
Replaceable Parts And Easy Maintenance
Finally, tankless water heaters are designed to last and be repaired. Though the initial installation cost may be higher than a tank-style water heater, tankless water heaters generally last 20 to 30 years and nearly every part can be replaced to ensure a unit lasts longer. Tank-style water heaters often need to be fully replaced for minor issues.
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Energy Efficiency Size And Noise
Once you have determined the necessary BTU output and flow rates for your home, the next step to determining the best tankless water heater for your needs will come down to the energy efficiency, the size of the water heater and the noise level. Generally for a water heater to be more energy efficient , it needs to be larger and/or louder.
When selecting a water heater, you can usually prioritize two of these options. For example, if you have very little space, selecting a small, energy-efficient water heater may mean you have to go with a noisier model.
Difference Between Tankless And Tank Water Heater
Tankless water heaters supply the hot water on demand whereas a tank water heater stores the hot water in the storage tank and supplies it whenever someone turns on the faucet or any other water-related appliances.
The tankless water heater is compact in design, lightweight, and takes up less place. On the other hand, the tank water heater needs a storage area to store the water.
The tank water heater burns the flames when the water in the storage cools down whether you need hot water or not. This increases the electricity bill that you havent consumed. But a tankless water heater heats the water on demand, so the unit will start working when you turn on the faucet or any other water appliances.
The life of a tank water heater is 8-10 years, and the life of a tankless water heater is between 15 to 20 years. The tankless water heaters are more efficient than the conventional type of water heater.
Features come with a price tag. The cost of a tankless water heater is twice the price of a tank water heater.
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Ez Ultra He Natural Gas Condensing Tankless Water Heater
Ultra HE is one of the newest models of EZ that you would love to have. It offers almost all the features that you may expect from a tankless variation. It eliminates significant amount of stand-by energy loss of your homes, which will save you money and precious energy.
You can rely on it for hot water!
It is an ultra-low energy profile option for small to mid-sized homes. It can serve two outlets simultaneously.
With a 3.4 GPM flow rate, it can produce adequate water for a single shower and a single kitchen sink at a 45-degree temperature rise.
Conveniently, it can function at water pressure as low as 8 psi and 0.6GPM flow rate. This low water pressure ignition makes it perfect for people living at high altitudes. ItsIts also helpful for those users using well water with the older or less powerful pumping system.
Are you ready for the best part?
The easy to understand advanced technology LCD control panel is a useful feature of EZ ultra HE. It allows you to adjust water flow and temperatures easily. Plus, it features various temperature settings that are helpful to choose the right one for your needs.
Additionally, it has two direct vent chamber exhausts. It allows for the most flexible installations. You will only need to drill one hole in your wall. It can be vented vertically or horizontally using 2 Solid Core Schedule 40 PVC/CPVC.
With this appliance, youll enjoy the powerful performance, thanks to its condensing technology and recirculation settings.
Pros
Cons