Thursday, October 01, 2009
by Charles Weasner and Steve Redmond
They say that hot water heaters are good for approximately 10 years then you're living on borrowed time. Since mine is fast approaching the borrowed time era i've been contemplating if a tankless water heater makes sense for me. I found this article on it.
Is Water from a Tankless Hot Water Heater Hot Enough?
Ask Danny, Green Home, Plumbing by Danny Lipford
I would like to put in a tankless hot water heater, but I’m concerned that the water will not get hot enough. Is that a problem?” -Gail
Hi Gail,
Tankless water heaters can get the water plenty hot enough. Depending on the brand and model, most tankless water heaters have a temperature setting that is adjustable between 100° to 140° (most tank water heaters are set around 120°).
In order to make sure the water will be hot enough, it’s important that a tankless water heater is sized based on your climate and hot water needs.
- Size tankless water heater for usage: The amount of water being used can affect the temperature of the hot water if the unit is too small for the amount of flow it’s being asked to produce. A unit that is too small for the amount of hot water it is asked to provide may work fine when only one shower is running, but the temperature could drop when another hot water tap is opened at the same time.
- Size tankless water heater to the water supply temperature: Tankless water heaters are rated based on the rise in water temperature they produce. The colder the temperature of the water supply coming in, the lower the maximum temperature of the heater. So if you live in a cold climate, like Alaska, you’ll need a larger tankless water heater than someone living in a warm climate, like Florida
What do you think? Are you considering going Tankless?