How to Optimize the Performance of Your Home’s Tankless Water Heater

Tankless water heaters offer a way to heat the water in your home without using as much energy as a tank water heater. A tankless water heater uses up to 19 percent less energy than a tank heater. It also takes up less space.  But the real reason most people invest in a tankless water heater is; when properly sized and installed, they offer an almost continuous source of hot water the a doesn’t run out like conventional storage water heats

The only real problems people have with tankless heaters is experiencing a slight delay in getting hot water to the tap, changes in temperature when using hot water, and waiting for the hot water to arrive. Those problems can be managed by optimizing the performance of your home’s tankless water heater.

Tips for Optimizing Your Tankless Water Heater

• Size the water heater properly. Tankless heaters are rated by flow rate and temperature rise. The flow rate is the maximum flow of water you will need to serve all the outlets in your home. The temperature rise is how many degrees the water heater will need to raise the cold water temperature to get to an appropriate hot water temperature. Your heater should handle at least a 70-degree rise.
• Be realistic. Tankless water heaters require a minimum flow of water through the system to avoid overheating. Some people do not like to run the faucet at full flow for washing hands or dishes. However, it is necessary if you want hot water. Also, remember, you are not going to have hot water the moment you turn on the faucet. The system still has to clear cool water out of the pipes. Plus a certain amount of water has to run through the water heater to trigger the heating process. A point-of-use water heater can help both of these issues.
• Get an experienced contractor to handle the sizing and installation of your tankless water heater. He has the knowledge to select a heater that will meet your household needs. That person also has the expertise to install it properly, including adding proper ventilation for the heating element and making sure that the gas piping is adequate to support the operation of the tankless heater…

Each of these tips will help you optimize the performance of tankless water heaters. For more information on home comfort, contact us here at P K Wadsworth Heating & Cooling.