Archive for January, 2009

Tankless Electric Water Heater

Tuesday, January 20th, 2009 at 8:21 pm  
Leave your comment

The next time you take a hot shower you might want to think about the alternative to the stored water heating tank that is currently being used in your home. While these tank water heaters were once the best technology available, many people are realizing that a tankless electric water heater provides enormous benefits and makes a smarter choice for most households.

  • More Affordable

A big benefit of the tankless electric hot water heater is the total cost. The initial purchase price is generally lower than for most other types of water heater. The installation costs for an electric model are considerably less than for a gas unit. The main reason is that no venting is necessary for an electrical unit as there are no fumes to remove. This means that installation is easier and faster. The monthly operating cost is also going to be cheaper for most people because the price they pay for electricity is less than the price of gas.

  • Longevity

When you buy an electric tankless water heater, you are also making a long-term investment. A big problem with stored water heaters or tank water heaters as they are also known, is that the unused water stays inside the tank. Because that water sits there sometimes for long periods, corrosion is more likely to occur and this reduces the life span for these hot water tanks. Typically, hot water storage tanks only last around 10 years or so. An electric tankless hot water heater however, can last twice as long.

  • Improved Energy Efficiency

With the greater emphasis on protecting the environment and conserving utilities, choosing energy efficient appliances has become important to many consumers. When you purchase a tankless water heater electric model, you will save money and be a little “green” thanks to their increased energy efficiency. For one thing, no venting is needed. The venting for other types of water heater can cause up to 20% of the energy they use to be wasted. Heating water that is not going to be used can also increase waste. The water stored in the tank is often heated hotter than necessary to make up for the heat that will be lost as the water is piped to the point where it is being used.

  • Space Saving

Another benefit of buying a 120 volt AC tankless water heater (or 220/240 volt for European and other countries) is that the units take up less room. That might be a great help to you if your available space for a water heater is limited, which is the case in many apartments and small homes. Even if you have a nice size utility closet, having a smaller water heater can be useful because you can use the extra space for storage. And what modern family doesn’t need more storage?

  • Natural Gas No Longer Practical

Another good reason to switch to an electric water heater is that natural gas is not going to be a viable option much longer. As alternative and more environmentally friendly methods of producing electricity become widespread, electricity will become even more the preferred choice for these purposes. Switching now just makes good sense. Think what you will save.

© 2009 www.TanklessHotWaterHeater.biz

Tankless Water Heater

Saturday, January 17th, 2009 at 11:11 am  
Leave your comment

Even though traditional storage water heaters have been the household standard for almost 100 years, the tankless home water heater (a relative new kid on the block) promises a much more efficient way to provide hot water without the waste of having to "store" hot water, or the problems of having to run out of hot water as is true of traditional storage water heaters.

Here are some advantages of the tankless water heater as compared to the traditional storage water heater:

  • Tankless hot water heaters don't store hot water

With traditional water heaters, stored water doesn't just have to be heated, but it has to be continually reheated. Radiant heat loss translates to a 20 to 40% energy loss versus the tank less water heater's "on-demand" hot water function.

  • Tankless hot water heaters don't run out of hot water

Tankless water heaters provide a ready "on-demand" how water supply by heating water nearly instantaneously when it's needed, instead of storing it. By contrast, traditional hot water heaters store hot water, so when you run out, you have to wait for more water to heat up.

  • Tankless hot water heaters don't overheat water

Because traditional water heaters have to be set pretty high in temperature (about 130°) to account for radiant heat loss, you waste energy and also risk injury to small children in the way of scalding. Tankless water heaters let you set the temperature much lower, close to the actual temperature you want to use the water at. This not only reduces scalding, but it saves energy.

  • Tankless hot water heaters don't have the same problems with mineral deposits

Tankless water heaters don't store water, so even if you've got hard water in your area, a tankless water heater will have far less mineral buildup, which also means that it will be more efficient and suffer less damage, such as leaks or ruptures caused by the mineral deposits.

  • Tankless hot water heaters don't have the same problems with bacterial growth

Traditional water heaters encourage bacterial growth such as legionnaires disease; by contrast, because tankless hot water heaters don't store water, they don't encourage bacterial growth, as do traditional storage tanks.

  • Tankless hot water heaters have a longer life

Most conventional water heaters last from six to 12 years; they suffer problems such as rust and mineral buildup as previously discussed. By contrast, tankless water heaters are not continually exposed to water and therefore can last more than 20 years.

  • Tankless hot water heaters take up much less space

Tankless water heaters take up much less space (about the size of a briefcase for an electric unit) as compared to a conventional storage tank. This also makes them much easier to dispose of once they do need replacement as compared to a traditional storage tank, which takes up a lot of landfill space and is expensive to recycle.

© 2009 www.TanklessHotWaterHeater.biz