Electric Tankless Water Heater Facts

Electric tankless water heaters have advantages but they are not for everyone. They come in two sizes primarily: 80-amp and 120-amp. Enough to heat no more than 5 gallons per minute, in the best of conditions, and probably no more than 1-2 gpm in winter months.

Even this level of hot water output requires a high electrical draw that can be too much for a home’s breaker panel. With any tankless heater there are special needs. For an electrical tankless heater it may mean that your house’s electrical panel needs upgrading.

In general, it can be said that electric tankless models are better suited for smaller houses in the southern part of the US. Some sites have maps that detail this.

So a checklist should look something like this:
Know your family’s hot water needs in gpm
Know the minimum outdoor water temperature
Know the capacity of your breaker panel
Visit seller’s and shopper’s sites to find comments from consumers
Compare capacity and requirements
Compare utility rates in your area

You may want to consider the possibility of making this a DIY project. With the help of good how-to source and the manufacturer’s guidebook, which you can download before you buy, you should have a good idea about how to go about it.

Manufacturers of tankless water heaters
Bosch -both
Rinnai - gas
Rheem - gas
Takagi - gas
American
Powerstar (Bosch)
Norwitz - gas
Titan only 3-year warranty
Seisco - electric

Since tankless heaters are not strictly a plumbing job, many in the profession are reluctant to take on the work. Some manufacturers recommend that their products be installed by a technician, which narrows your choice to larger plumbing companies, some home remodelers and home improvement centers.

If you are interested in this as a DIY weekend project, look to Bosch model heaters.

If you would like to know more about this, visit this site for information about how to install a tankless water heater.