Tankless Water Heater

Tankless Water Heater Operation The tankless water heater works by heating water as it is called fro by the user. It does not operate in the same way as traditional hot water heaters that require storage tank.
For this reason there is no heat loss. Heat loss is the heat energy you lose when heating water and then storing it in a tank. This tankless water heater is thus much more energy efficient. Cold water is taken into the unit and is heated by a heating element. The heating unit can be electric resistance heating coils or a gas burner requiring natural gas or propane. There are three variables that have to be considered in sizing the unit. The volume of water the user will require, the temperature of the water entering the system, and the desired temperature of the hot water to the user. Those three factors determine the type, size and flow rate of tankless water heaters. There are two basic types of tankless water heaters, Point of Use and Whole House. Point of Use Tankless Water Heater The point of use tankless water heater is relatively small and will usually fit inside a sink cabinet or in a closet. They are typically dedicated use heaters meaning the unit serves one sink, faucet or shower. Point of use tankless water heaters are typically less expensive than whole house units. Whole House Tankless Water Heater Whole house units mean that they have higher flow rate capability and can supply more than one fixture at a time. The number and type of units served is important. Some shower heads can use six times more water than a bathroom sink. The size and number of whole house tankless water heaters you require will be determined by flow rate. Flow rate is determined by the number and types of fixtures. You may need more than one whole house tankless water heater for multiple shower usage. These can be hooked up in parallel to meet higher hot water demands. Whole house units are typically much more expensive than point of use units. Determining Desired Temperature Rise The difference between the the temperature of the hot water leaving the heater and the cold water entering the unit is called the temperature rise. If you want a shower up to 110°F and you live in south Florida with groundwater at 72°F, then you need a 38°F temperature rise (110-72=38). A tankless water heater is sized by rating its temperature rise at a given GPM. So that could be rated at a 38°F Temperature Rise at 2.0 GPM. If less water may be required, this same unit might also provide a 65°F Temperature Rise at 1.0 GPM. The lower the flow demanded by the unit, the more the water can be heated.