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        New Message Board Archives >> 2007 General Board Posts >> ?? re Tankless Hot Water Heaters
        
(Message started by: Grandma_Sweet_Boy on Dec 5^th, 2007, 6:12pm)

Title: ?? re Tankless Hot Water Heaters
Post by Grandma_Sweet_Boy on Dec 5^th, 2007, 6:12pm

Anybody got one? Anybody know much about them? We're doing some research now but would like to know if any of you have one and what the experience has been like?

thanks
Carol

Title: Re: ?? re Tankless Hot Water Heaters
Post by LeLimey on Dec 5^th, 2007, 6:18pm

I don't have one now sadly but I had one in my last house and it was bloody brilliant. If I could switch again I would tomorrow. It sound smore expensive when you think about hot water continuously but then again - how often do you actually drain the tank? You pay to heat all that water for no good reason.

I'd recommend it in a heartbeat and I'd switch back even faster! :)

Title: Re: ?? re Tankless Hot Water Heaters
Post by BarbaraD on Dec 5^th, 2007, 6:22pm

They're wonderful.... I'm saving my pennies right now to get propane and get one. They save energy and you always have HOT water.

I did research on them about two years ago, but when we moved up here we went all electric - now we wish we hadn't. But that's going to change as soon as I get the money to change it. Propane is just so damn high right now and is expensive to get sat up.

My brother-in-law has been installing them several years and has them in his house and says that's the only way to go.. (he's a plumber). They don't take up room in the house and you have instant hot water when you need it.

Go for it!!!

Hugs BD

Title: Re: ?? re Tankless Hot Water Heaters
Post by Sean_C on Dec 5^th, 2007, 6:38pm

We have one in our house, we haven't run out of hot water since 1995 ;)

Highly recommended here.

Sean.......................

edit: Its an on demand hot water, it makes it as you call for it. Ours is hot water by oil, very cheap to operate too.

Title: Re: ?? re Tankless Hot Water Heaters
Post by midwestbeth on Dec 5^th, 2007, 6:44pm

on 12/05/07 at 18:22:28, BarbaraD wrote:

Propane is just so damn high right now

Almost $1000.00 to fill my tank :-/. But we went to heat pumps a couple years ago, so I save on at least one tank a year.

The gas tankless water heaters are nice. I have an electric one at my office for the kitchen and bathroom. I would not recommend an electric one for a residence.

Beth

Title: Re: ?? re Tankless Hot Water Heaters
Post by Grandma_Sweet_Boy on Dec 5^th, 2007, 7:38pm

on 12/05/07 at 18:44:46, midwestbeth wrote:

Some very interesting replies here which is making us lean more and more towards this method.

We can choose between natural gas and electric so Beth your comment makes me wonder - is it more expensive or just not as quick to give hot water? As much as I've read on this subject, on a variety of web sites, I'm beginning to believe I must be thick headed as some of it isn't getting through my skull. You guys, however, are helping it all to make sense!

Thanks.

Title: Re: ?? re Tankless Hot Water Heaters
Post by Ray on Dec 5^th, 2007, 7:58pm

I've used the "on demand" hot water heaters in Europe, when I lived in The Netherlands, from 89-90. These were fired by gas. I found that they were very good, but the pressure was lower than with a domestic hot water heater. It never ran out of hot water though, and I'm sure it saved energy!

With regards,

Ray

Title: Re: ?? re Tankless Hot Water Heaters
Post by barry_sword on Dec 5^th, 2007, 8:13pm

Hmmmm! Isn't it funny how one is retiring and right away looking into a better hot water system for the house. I think someone is going to be spending a lot of extra time in a hot bathtub reading a book and taking life easy. [smiley=laugh.gif] [smiley=laugh.gif]

Barry ;;D

Title: Re: ?? re Tankless Hot Water Heaters
Post by Grandma_Sweet_Boy on Dec 5^th, 2007, 9:00pm

on 12/05/07 at 20:13:15, barry_sword wrote:

Damn straight I am!!!! ;;D

Title: Re: ?? re Tankless Hot Water Heaters
Post by midwestbeth on Dec 6^th, 2007, 12:12am

on 12/05/07 at 19:38:32, Grandma_Sweet_Boy wrote:

Tankless electric is not as quick to give hot water and can't keep up the damand. For hot water heaters, gas is the only way I would go.

Beth

Title: Re: ?? re Tankless Hot Water Heaters
Post by MJ on Dec 6^th, 2007, 2:16am

Funny I should log in here today and saw this.

Tankless is a great way to go wether its LP, nat gas or electric. The only thing better is geosource, heat recovery or solar but hard to justify those costs in the small scale replacement markets.

My company a commercial/industrial contractor has sold and installed these heaters by the hundreds.
I am actually just reviewing an estimate for 48 electric unit installations in a chain of C-stores. We also use them in radiant heat applications with great success. We have them in schools, hospitals, hotels, office buildings, process systems, etc.. where operating cost efficiencies on a larger scale really show up.

Check with your power or gas company as many offer substantial rebate programs for installing these systems.

Its important to size them correctly or you wont be happy.

I actually like the electric units best for efficiency if you have the available power. Payback in operating costs is fairly rapid maybe 2 to 3 years if you use a lot of hot water.

Heres a mfg site for the electric units we sell with infinately adjustable temperatures. I happen to believe this is the best El unit available
http://www.seisco.com/pages/cost-com-introA.html

another general info site;
http://toolbase.org/TechInventory/techDetails.aspx?ContentDetailID=599

Not trying to sell a thing here this for info only.

Title: Re: ?? re Tankless Hot Water Heaters
Post by Bob P on Dec 6^th, 2007, 7:02am

We're designing the retirement house right now. It'll have a Takagi T-H1 propane tankless for radiant floor heat and domestic hot water. 95% thermal efficiency.

We've had an outside mounted unit at the University for years and it's never been a problem.

Electric resistance heat, in any form, is the least efficient fuel source.

Also going to throw in a Vermont Castings fireplace. Should be able to heat the house, 2300 sq. ft. for 12 hours with one log.

Saturday's forecast for my property is a high of 30F and a low of 6F.

Title: Re: ?? re Tankless Hot Water Heaters
Post by Kirk on Dec 6^th, 2007, 7:44am

I had a Paloma Propane tankless water heater in the house. And two electric ones on the boat. They work great. Just make sure you get the right capacity for your application.
[smiley=smokin.gif]

Title: Re: ?? re Tankless Hot Water Heaters
Post by jimmers on Dec 6^th, 2007, 8:05am

Yep, I've been investigating these. I will install one when my other tank goes bad which shouldn't be to long now.

I know to make sure to get the right one for the application because after all,

Size does matter! ;;D

Jimmers

Title: Re: ?? re Tankless Hot Water Heaters
Post by brewcrew on Dec 6^th, 2007, 8:08am

on 12/06/07 at 08:05:14, jimmers wrote:

I know to make sure to get the right one for the application because after all,

Size does matter! ;;D

So, you'll be getting a bunsen burner? A Bic? ;)

Title: Re: ?? re Tankless Hot Water Heaters
Post by jimmers on Dec 6^th, 2007, 9:33am

A flint! :D

Title: Re: ?? re Tankless Hot Water Heaters
Post by Bob P on Dec 6^th, 2007, 12:20pm

And if you put one in before the end of the year, you get a $300 tax credit.

Title: Re: ?? re Tankless Hot Water Heaters
Post by DennisM1045 on Dec 6^th, 2007, 12:30pm

5 years ago we put in a 75gal nat gas hot water heater. The bathroom sees 5-8 showers a day between 5:00am and 8:00am + 5 days of laundry + dishes. I didn't think a tankless model could keep up.

My teenagers run the hot water like its their job :o
If they go over 25 minutes I have a ball valve on the hot water line ;;D

-Dennis-

Title: Re: ?? re Tankless Hot Water Heaters
Post by Bob P on Dec 6^th, 2007, 12:42pm

The biggest Takagi unit will give 10.6 gallons per minute. Enough to run 3 to 4 showers at the same time and you can manifold multiple units together to ge even high flows.

Bottom line benifits are:
more efficient
less floor space (actually none because they are wall hung)
tax credit

Geeze - I should be a salesman for them.

Title: Re: ?? re Tankless Hot Water Heaters
Post by Mosaicwench on Dec 6^th, 2007, 1:21pm

on 12/05/07 at 18:18:45, LeLimey wrote:

It sound smore expensive when you think about hot water continuously but then again - how often do you actually drain the tank?

Wait til the kids hit the teenage stage - I think we drain it several times a day . . . .

I've always wanted a tankless since it takes two minutes of running the water to get it hot enough for the shower. That seems like savings right there.

Title: Re: ?? re Tankless Hot Water Heaters
Post by Sandy_C on Dec 6^th, 2007, 1:22pm

Our house was originally build in the early 70's and was all electric, with baseboard heaters in every room. About a year before we bought the house, the previous owner had installed propane gas heat, with a humongus ugly white tank sitting in the middle of the front yard. House also had a woodburning fireplace that, if you were prepared to die in a house fire, go ahead and light it.

When we bought the house, the first thing we did was call the propane company, had them bury the white monstrosity in the yard, and run gas lines to the fireplace so we could install gas logs. We now heat the house with propane through the furnace and the fireplace, and still have electric baseboards in the bedrooms and bathrooms as backup.

The house has two 50 gal hot water tanks, still on electric. I don't think the one in the garage works at all, and I think it goes only to one bathroom at the front of the house, and a "utility room" sink, that used to be the original laundry area. I can get hot water (eventually) in the utility room sink, but none, nada in that bathroom.

The second tank covers the kitchen, new laundry area, which we built, and two more bathrooms. We recently had to have one of the heating elements replaced in this tank, so it's on it's last leg. It's a 50 gal, and we always have hot water, but I'm afraid that since we moved the laundry area to this tank, maybe it's being "overworked".

So probably, within the next year, we will be replacing both tanks, and definitely are going the tankless route, heated by propane. My questions will be, do we still need to get two tankless units, or can we get one unit that will cover the needs of the whole house, or should one unit even be considered at all?

There only two of us in the house, except when the kids come to visit. But, for resale, it's a 4 bedroom, 3 bathroom 3100 sq. ft. house, so we have to make sure on sizing of the units to cover the entire house.

Advice?

Sandy

Title: Re: ?? re Tankless Hot Water Heaters
Post by Mosaicwench on Dec 6^th, 2007, 1:24pm

on 12/06/07 at 02:16:19, MJ wrote:

Tankless is a great way to go wether its LP, nat gas or electric. The only thing better is geosource, heat recovery or solar but hard to justify those costs in the small scale replacement markets.

We have friends who recently built a geo-thermal home. All their heat and cooling comes from the geothermal field around their home. It's ingenious and so energy efficient! They have hot water on demand because the system takes the hot water out of the same system that keeps their house warm.

It's brilliant!

Title: Re: ?? re Tankless Hot Water Heaters
Post by Melissa on Dec 6^th, 2007, 1:24pm

on 12/06/07 at 12:42:39, Bob P wrote:

Geeze - I should be a salesman for them.

Oh I dunno, I think you should give them away for free.

I'll be your first recipient. ;;D

Title: Re: ?? re Tankless Hot Water Heaters
Post by Bob P on Dec 6^th, 2007, 1:35pm

Mel - I said the units were wall hung not well hung!

BTW - If you don't have a recirulating water system and you have to run the faucet for minutes to get the hot water there, may look at this little ditty:

http://www.chilipepperapp.com/

Title: Re: ?? re Tankless Hot Water Heaters
Post by echo on Dec 6^th, 2007, 4:54pm

The campus where I work probably has a thousand of them. Instant hot water - I like it. Concidering putting one in one of our bathrooms at home where we have to run so much water waiting for it to get hot.

Title: Re: ?? re Tankless Hot Water Heaters
Post by Grandma_Sweet_Boy on Dec 6^th, 2007, 5:25pm

Thanks so much to all of you for the helpful information.

Now we just have to go out and see about this but we now go a whole lot better armed than we were yesterday at this time.

No better place for answers than the CH information highway.

Carol

Title: Re: ?? re Tankless Hot Water Heaters
Post by Charlie on Dec 6^th, 2007, 7:46pm

Got a monster gas water heater. I also have a gas dryer. Not sure how effective the drier is. I need new stuff....someday.

Nice thread kids.

Charlie