I used point of use tankless hot water heaters many years ago in
Vienna, Austria. What I suggested your friends do with their whole
house tankless hot water heater, lowering the hot water temperature
and mixing in less cold water, involves the same principle of
controlling the temperature of the hot water produced by the hot water
heater. Some tankless water heaters have optional remote controls that
make it possible to adjust the hot water temperature without going
down to the basement.
Gerardo is right that the most efficient tankless hot water
installation is point of use, but the cost of running gas pipe to all
locations might be pretty steep, and there might be a negative impact
on air quality (point of use water heaters may not have exterior
venting for products of combustion).
Elliot
On 06 May 2009, at 2:53 PM, Gerardo Razumney wrote:
I grew up in an apartment with a tankless heater. If the heaters
now are similar to that one, you adjust the temperature using a
control at the heater, rather than by mixing hot and cold water, as
you do when you have a hot water tank. If you try to mix, the
heater turns off because the flow of water through it is too low.
This makes it rather impractical to put a tankless heater in the
basement -- it has to be close to the point of use. In addition,
the point in using a tankless heater is to minimize losses, and if
the heater is as far away from the point of use as in the case of a
hot water tank you have not gain anything.
Gerardo Razumney
On Wed, May 6, 2009 at 10:00 AM, <naomif...@verizon.net> wrote:
Elliot,
What kind of tankless did you get? We were considering one but
friends that installed a whole house tankless talked us out of it
after recounting all the problems they are having with theirs.
(Their issues relate to the gpm (gallons per minute) water flow.
Either their usage is not enough to trip the heater into action
(say, washing your hands in warm water) or it's not stong enough to
keep it heating (say, taking a cool shower in the summer). They have
been surprised a number of times with cold blasts in the shower.)
Thanks!
Naomi
On May 5, 2009, Elliot M. Stern <emst...@verizon.net> wrote:
Elisabeth,
I don't know the details of the legislation for the federal credit
that apply to tankless water heaters installed in 2009, but you should
find out if you have to subtract the state credit from the federal
credit, or if you can combine them.
I installed a tankless water heater in January 2007. Because the tank
water heater I replaced was located near the common wall of our
semidetached house, and the tankless water heater is located on the
alley wall, I reduced the hot water line run by some 20'. This means I
get hot water sooner than I did before, and that I have to flush out
less cold water in the pipes to get it. I also expect that the
tankless water heater will last a lot longer than a tank water heater,
and that it may be possible to repair it rather than replace it, if it
breaks down. Finally, I have the comfort of knowing that there is no
tank to rupture and flood the basement.
Elliot
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Elliot M. Stern
552 South 48th Street
Philadelphia, PA 19143-2029
United States of America
telephone: 215-747-6204
mobile: 267-240-8418
emst...@verizon.net
