Tankless hot water heaters

[Jeff Clark]

Anyone have any experience with tankless hot water heaters? I'm in the planning stages for a new house and I'm thinking of using a couple of these. They aren't widely used in this part of the country. Can anyone suggest a particular brand to look at or stay away from? Paul Harvey has been advertising one from a company called Rinnai. Anyone know about this brand?

The trend in new home construction around here is to put the heater in the attic and I really don't want to do that. The tank I have in my house now recently sprung a leak and I don't want to deal with that (with or without a pan). Is there a equation to determine how many of these things are needed based on the demand? Sorry for all the questions, but I'm not real knowledgable about these.

 

[Dan_69GTX]

It has been a while since I've used them.



I've been contemplating using them in the next house we build, but only for a place that is used infrequently or is along way from the hot water tank.



The are great - when they fit your needs. You need to figure out max hot water flow you will need at one time. You need to vent all the them. Will you be able to recover your costs?



Here is a link to a place that sells them:

http://www.lehmans.com/shopping/sea...e15=0&attribute16=0&RS=1&keyword=water+heater

 

[Jeff Clark]

Originally posted by Dan_69GTX

Will you be able to recover your costs?

That, I don't know. It seems a waste to have a tank of hot water sitting there all the time when it's rarely needed. My current water heater is electric and I want to use gas in the new house. I would think the savings in gas bills alone would make it worth going tankless.

 

[DHRA]

Give Dieter a call

http://www.keltech-inc.com/



He is a fellow CTD owner and peddles these great inventions also!

 

[catoiler]

I got a bosch and the thing is great!The only problem is with some of the water saver showerheads they don't flow enough water to keep the heater going. Drilled out the restrictor and no more problem!The savings over the tank kind for me was enough to go with the tankless. Gas bills during winter went from $110. 00 to about $78. 00 a month.

 

[HoleshotHolset]

Jeff Clark said: "The trend in new home construction around here is to put the heater in the attic and I really don't want to do that. "



WHY would anyone want a water heater in the attic? I'm used to houses with basements - all the mechanicals belong in the basement, IMHO.



Matt

 

[bmoeller]

HTH

http://www.michaelholigan.com/depar...308&mscssid=7JUA3E7W28BR8MF3B5R010DPEQL4ELEC#



http://www.thisoldhouse.com/toh/sea...r+heaters&Search.x=0&Search.y=0&Search=Search

 

[CTait]

If you have a electric water heater try wiring in a timer that shuts it off when you are done in the evening and starts it up one hour before the first shower in the morning. I used the on demand type heaters when I lived in Japan. The reason I don't use one now is that I could not use a solar panel or my wood stove water jacket heater without a tank.

 

[crabman]

JC,

I have had one for over 2 years and will never go back to a tank HWH. I have a Takagi, not saying they are the best or worse, but have had no problems so far.

The inlet and outlet pipes must be 3/4" for it to work correctly. You will be surprised at how small (dimensions 24. 5" x 16. 5" x 8. 3", weight 60 lbs) they are and easy to install. I mounted mine high on the wall and vented it out the existing vent hole. The tankless model I bought has a 4" exhaust vent and most tank models have 3' exhaust vents. The water temp. is 140*F, so you have to be careful. :--) I can take a shower and run the washing machine at the same time without any change in water temp.

My neighbor liked mine so well that he installed one also. He purchased his off Ebay. It pays to shop around and get the best product for your money.

Good luck!

crabman

 

[Jeff Clark]

Originally posted by HoleshotHolset

WHY would anyone want a water heater in the attic? I'm used to houses with basements - all the mechanicals belong in the basement, IMHO.



Matt

We don't have basements in Texas. Builders used to put hot water heaters at ground level, usually in the garage or laundry room, sometimes in a hallway closet. Now they tend to hide them by placing them in the attic. I would need at least 2 250 gal tanks for this new house and that takes up a good amount of space, that's why I want the tankless.

 

[HoleshotHolset]

No basements in Texas? Wow - that's definitely not what I'm used to. I'd rather loose closet space than have a water heater in my attic... The damage it could do if it leaks would be pretty bad.



You need 500 gallons of hot water in your new place? Sounds like your new place has some serious ft²... !



Tankless is (without a doubt) the way to go.



Matt

 

[Jeff Clark]

4700 sqft air conditioned space, 2500 sqft garage space. I'm trying to think how big the heater is that I have now, and I think it more like 125 or 150. I'll need at least two of those, so 300 is probably more realistic. It's only my wife and I and it may stay that way, but it would be silly to build a house that size with only one small water heater.

 

[Dan_69GTX]

Do you realize that a 150 gallon water heater will weigh approx 1350lbs??



water is 8. 34 lbs per gallon.



Dan

 

[Jeff Clark]

Originally posted by Dan_69GTX

Do you realize that a 150 gallon water heater will weigh approx 1350lbs??

Yes.



I just looked. The tank I have is 80 gallon. I was trying to estimate off the top of my head. I was a little off.



We're geting away from my original question. I'm 99% certain I'm going to use tankless. I want to know which particular brands to look at or stay away from.

 

[HoleshotHolset]

Jeff said: "4700 sqft air conditioned space, 2500 sqft garage space. "



Did 'yall hit the lottery or something?! Crikey - that's a whole lot of house for 2 people!



More power to you if you can do it. I'd love a garage that big... you're going to have lifts in it, right?



Matt

 

[JR2]

I don't know much about on demand water heaters, but I know Rinnai makes very good gas air heaters. I have been shopping for new gas heaters for my house and I was told I could buy anything I want and have it repaired once a year, or buy a Rinnai and forget about it. I may look at the tankless H20 heaters now too.



I don't think you need as much hot water as you think you do, my buddy owned a 4 plex and it had two 100 gallon heaters and no one complained at all. I can not think of any use for 300 gallons of hot H20 in a day.

 

[Jeff Clark]

No lotterty, just sucessful at a couple business ventures.



I've heard the commercials for Rinnai, but I don't know much about them. I also checked into Keltech.

 

[HoleshotHolset]

Jeff: That's good to hear, man. I wish you and your wife continued success and happiness in your new place.



Matt - future small business owner.

 

[Jeff Clark]

Thanks Matt.