The tankless water heater reviews on this site are designed to assist you in choosing the best tankless water heater for your needs. Because of the huge array of tankless models on the market, and the many biased and confusing marketing claims, it is often not easy for buyers to make clear choices. We hope that our articles and reviews will provide you with the guidance that you are seeking.
Tankless water heaters (also called “on demand” or “instant” hot water heaters), have gained in popularity over the past few years because of their ability to deliver an endless supply of instant hot water. They also offer the additional advantages of being highly efficient, compact in size and very durable.
If you are looking for a whole house tankless water heater, you should first decide whether a gas or an electric model will best suit your needs. If you compare tankless water heater prices, you will find that for units of the same capacity, the prices of both types of tankless water heater are very similar.
Before you buy a whole house tankless water heater, it is very important to size your water heater correctly. To do this you will need to know your hot water demand at peak usage times, as well as your average winter ground water temperature. Your plumber can assist you in this regard
Gas tankless water heater models come in higher capacities than electric units, and are the best models for larger homes.
Rinnai and Rheem tankless water heater models are among the best whole house gas tankless water heater units on the market. Other high quality gas models are made by Noritz, Takagi, Bosch, Paloma and Bradford White. Many of these units have commercial grade heat exchangers, are ASME certified and have low NOx and carbon dioxide emissions.
Who makes the very best gas tankless water heater? The majority of tankless water heaters reviews have given Navien America their highest rating. The best standard tankless gas water heater models have an efficiency of about 83%. There are, however, gas condensing tankless water heaters that have efficiencies of well over 90%. These units do not waste the heat in the exhaust gases, but use it instead to heat the water. Utilizing the latest advances in tankless technology, Navien has created high capacity condensing tankless water heater models that have an efficiency of 98%. Noritz, Takagi and Bosch make condensing water heaters that are not too far behind. By replacing your tank water heater with a Navien Tankless Water Heater one of these models you can lower your water heating bills by 40%.
When purchasing a whole house gas tankless water heater you should choose one that is Energy Star certified. You will then be eligible for a 30% tankless water heater tax credit for energy efficiency. This credit is applied to both the purchase price and the installation cost. You may also be eligible for additional rebates from your gas utility company.
Whole house gas tankless water heaters are available in both indoor and outdoor, propane (LP gas) and natural gas models. Indoor units offer direct vent or power vent exhaust systems to suit different water heater locations. Some direct vent models have concentric venting ducts, which vent exhaust gases and bring in air from the outside, through two concentric channels in a single duct. Outdoor tankless water heater models are all weather units that can be mounted on an exterior wall of your house and serve the water fixtures inside. They have a vent on the front of the unit, and have no other venting requirements.
Tankless electric models are less powerful than the gas tankless units, and they are only suitable for large homes in warm climates. If you have a large, or sometimes even a medium size home, in an area which has cold winters, you may not be able to find an electric model that will be able to handle your hot water demand during the winter months. If this is your situation, and you don’t have gas lines, you may need to purchase two electric units and install them in parallel so that they work in tandem.
The best electric whole house tankless water heater models are manufactured by Stiebel Eltron, Bosch, and Eemax. Very popular models are Stiebel Eltron’s Tempra Series and the PowerStar models made by Bosch, such as the PowerStarAE125. The tankless water heater reviews on this site describe the features of these models. Before choosing a tankless electric water heater, make sure that it has the capacity to handle your hot water demand during peak usage periods. Unlike gas models, electric tankless water heater units are not eligible for a tankless water heater tax credit.
If you wish to replace your old gas storage tank unit with a gas tankless water heater, you will have to upgrade your ½ inch gas lines to ¾ inch lines, and you will need to install stainless steel venting. Depending on the size and the layout of your home, this upgrade may not be economical. If this is the case, it would be best to install an electric tankless system. You will need to upgrade to a 240V, 200 amp electric service, but the electric tankless water heater installation upgrade will be much cheaper than replacing gas lines and venting systems. Before you purchase a tankless water heater it is important to consult with your plumber to get an estimate of the installation cost. For a rough idea of the costs, you should visit the manufacturer’s website or look at specialized gas or electric tankless water heater reviews that describe the installation requirements and costs for the models you are interested in.
Because of their compact size, electric tankless units can easily be installed under a sink. Low capacity electric models are therefore widely used as a point-of-use water heater that serves one or two sinks in residential and commercial bathrooms. Over the years, Titan tankless water heater models have proven to be some of the most reliable point-of-use, under sink water heaters.
PrecisionTemp manufactures the best RV tankless water heater models. Their RV-500 model can be used in RV coaches, trailers and fifth wheels. They also make a space heating tankless water heater for RV’s, as well as a marine tankless water heater.
There are also several portable propane tankless water heater models that are designed for use as a portable camping shower or as an outdoor shower for an outdoor shower enclosure in a garden or beside a pool or sauna. Some of the best known models are the Coleman portable water heater, the Eccotemp outdoor models and the Zodi camping shower.
To be make certain that the model that you have chosen is the best tankless water heater brand in your price range, you should always read consumer tankless hot water heater reviews. From the experiences of other consumers you can quickly identify models that have problems and determine which manufacturers offer the best service.
