Tankless hot water heaters?

Question

Does anyone have a propane tankless hot water heater?

Do you like it?

Does it heat up as much water as you need to fill the washer or bathtub?

Could you tell me the pros and cons of them?

Answer 1

Pro's- more efficient

Con's- repairs are more costly, harder to clean and maintain, cost more to buy and install, has some installation restrictions.

Answer 2

They are great and come with different flow rates. On average they will last for twenty years or more.

You can buy gas or electric ones. This link explains it all...

Answer 3

I have found a page that has a good line up of tankless hot water heater brands and some discussion on pros and cons:

http://www.concretecottage.com/tankless-...

It seems that there are more mfg. of gas fired ones than electric, and the gas fuel ones require specialized venting, that can be problematic for many people. I have read a lot of opinions on epinions, etc...and remember that in places like Latin America they have been using the electric ones a LOT for the last 30 years...usually at point of use, like small one in each bathroom, etc...

Answer 4

I've had two different ones in my house over the last few years: a smaller one before a remodel and a larger one after a remodel (natural gas).

The concept is great: a limitless supply of hot water and it's cheaper to operate than a tank water heater. But, if you don't get one that's big enough, you'll hate it.

The first one I had was a 3.1 gallon-per-minute (GPM) model with a pilot light ignition. I found that the small flowrate of the 3.1 GPM unit was annoying sometimes, because you can only get so much hot water at a time.

When you set the temperature to, say, 120 degrees, the rated GPM is for a 55-degree temperature increase. So, the rated GPM only flows when the incoming cold water is 65 degrees or higher. If the incoming temp is lower, a restrictor valve in the unit slows down the flowrate to keep the water in the heat exchanger longer to reach the desired temperature. So, in winter when the water is really cold, we could only operate one hot water load at a time (couldn't take a shower and wash the dishes at the same time, for example).

The new one I got is 6.9 GPM with electric ignition and it's awesome. I can take a shower, wash the dishes, and even run the washing machine all at the same time with no noticeable reduction in hot water flow. It also takes up very little room (they truly are the size of carry-on luggage) and can be mounted up on a wall, leaving all that extra space that the water tank took up.

One thing to consider, though, is that by code you're supposed to have 3/4-inch water lines going to/from it and supply it with a 3/4-inch gas line. If it's electric start, you also need to have an electrical outlet somewhere in the water heater closet. They're also pretty expensive. The new 6.9 GPM unit I got was about $1100 delivered (got it on eBay). It also needed about $250 in ductwork and extra parts, including labor. Since I was having the house remodeled, I had new gas and water lines run throughout the house, and had an outlet run to the water heater closet. So, I don't know how much it would have cost to install those individually if I had just gone out and bought the water heater.

If you get one that's a good size unit, and the initial cost of maybe $1500 - $2000 installed doesn't bother you, go for it. You'll love it.