Tankless hot water heaters [Archive]

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Sad Eyed Lady

1-20-13, 11:53am

You guys are who I turn to for your thoughts and opinions. Our hot water heater is going out, (before shower is over water is lukewarm at best), so we know the days are numbered. This water heater has been in our house since it was built 16 or 17 years ago. DH came across something online about tank-less hot water heaters. If you know anything about them or have had first hand experience I would love to have your opinion. Thanks as always!

ToomuchStuff

1-20-13, 12:23pm

I wondered about it a couple of years ago, and was told, that I would have to update the gas pipe size to the water heater. That would not be a minor undertaking in my home.

Tussiemussies

1-20-13, 2:35pm

We would like to have one of these but our house runs on oil, wonder if we can do it that way, although in this house the hot water seems plentiful...

bUU

1-20-13, 3:22pm

I wondered about it a couple of years ago, and was told, that I would have to update the gas pipe size to the water heater. That would not be a minor undertaking in my home.
Ditto here. Quite disappointed.

Gardenarian

1-22-13, 8:50pm

How do you currently heat your water? I have been looking into getting a tankless heater for my cabin, and the big cost is for the installation. (for a simple installation figure about 3 times the cost of the heater itself.)

In addition to update gas pipe you might need to relocate the heater for venting.

I've heard mixed reviews on them - apparently there is a learning curve, especially in the shower. the heaters are set to a particular temperature and it can be tricky getting it right.

freein05

1-22-13, 9:16pm

We put an electric tankless water heater in our cabin which is now our home about 7 years ago. We really like it. We live in the Sierra's and the water coming into our home is real cold. With the tank water heater you could only get 2 showers and the water was cold. Now we have endless hot water.

My son and I installed it. I think an electric is easier than a gas to install. We did have to have an electrician install a larger electric box. A gas tankless is more efficient than an electric.

redfox

1-23-13, 1:43am

I used a tankless system when I lived in Guatemala in 1985. It was a firebox in the shower, with the cold water running through it. We built a small fire with scrap paper & small pieces of wood we bought at the market. I loved it! Taking a shower next to a metal box with a live fire in it is an unparalleled experience...

We've researched more modern versions, and if we could afford it, we'd install them. They are über efficient & take up little space. It just makes so much sense to have on-demand hot water.

Rosemary

1-23-13, 8:50am

I have liked ones I've used that are installed at point-of-use. However, when we stayed at a friend's where one was installed for a somewhat longer distance (still not whole-house), it was extremely difficult to regulate the temperature, and I would not go that route in my own house.

Gregg

1-23-13, 10:22am

We're renovating an older house right now and will be installing a tankless (electric) water heater in the next few days. They are more economical because you don't have 40 or more gallons of water you are always keeping hot just to be ready for use because the water is heated on demand. As they get more efficient and cheaper the days of giant tanks of hot water in the basement are numbered.

pcooley

1-23-13, 10:38am

When we replaced our hot water heater a little over a year ago, we put in a condensing hot water heater (http://www.energystar.gov/index.cfm?fuseaction=find_a_product.showProductGro up&pgw_code=WHC). We were going through a non-profit lending agency here in Santa Fe, Homewise, and the contractor who works with the borrowers said that people he knew who installed tankless water heaters had trouble with mineral deposits building up in the small pipes in the tankless heaters. He said they had to be cleaned frequently. He had not heard of the condensing hot water heaters. They are relatively new. It was expensive, and it just barely fit into the space our old one occupied, and the plumber didn't know what he was doing, so I had to fix the tubes that drained the condensate after he was finished, but in the end we were happy, and it works great. I don't know how much energy it is saving, because my wife insisted that we turn the temperature of the water up when the new heater went in, and since the water stays hot now, people are taking longer showers, and both my kids are moving into their teen years, so there are more frequent showers. With our new high efficiency furnace, and the condensing water heater, our highest natural gas bill this winter was around $50. (Over Christmas, it stayed below freezing during the day here for a couple of weeks).

freein05

1-23-13, 2:43pm

Greg be careful on the make you but we first bought an US made one from some company in Florida. It would not keep a steady temperature. You would be taking a shower and the water would get ice cold all of a sudden. The make we replaced it with is a Stiebel. It is a German made water heater. We have had it over 8 years and have not had any problems with it. We also do not have any problems with the water being cooler in long runs of pipe.

Another plus is we gained storage area. The tankless water heater hangs on the wall. It is only about 12 X 12 inches square and about 3 inches thick.

Gardenarian

1-23-13, 7:01pm

So Greg and freein05 - how much did it cost to install?
I'd really like to put electric in much cabin. The old propane heater is kind of scary, and I'd like to turn the room the water heater is in into a bunkroom.

freein05

1-23-13, 9:17pm

It was a long time ago and I think the heater was around $300. Our cabin only had a 100 amp service panel. That had to be upgraded to 200 amp panel. I hired the panel upgrade and my son and I put in new wiring and breakers for the heater and installed it. My son and I have a little electrical background.

ToomuchStuff

1-24-13, 2:21pm

ToomuchStuff

1-31-13, 11:07pm

Gregg, brand and model? (wondering about specs of an electric)
What did it run you for the unit?
TTT

larknm

2-1-13, 3:09pm

We have a gas one in our cabin in the mountains outside of Santa Fe. We were told not to do it, that the water here has too much sediment in it, is way too hard. They were wrong, so far. It's been about 7 years and works great, much better than our traditional water heater in Santa Fe. I would never trade. I spent a summer in Germany in 1960 and the family I lived with had one and I'd wanted one ever since. Plus, the size is great.