[OKC] [ok-sus] tankless water heaters, efficient but not necessarily economical

[Shauna Lawyer Struby]

>From Consumer Reports . this article is also listed on their Greener Choices
Web site ::: http://www.greenerchoices.org/home.cfm ::: a good source of
information on a wide range of sustainable topics, including several
articles related to water heaters, and much of it is free info. 

 

Tankless water heaters

They're efficient but not necessarily economical

Posted: September 2008 - Consumer Reports Magazine issue: October 2008

 

Heating water accounts for up to 30 percent of the average home's energy
budget. Some makers of gas-fired tankless water heaters claim their products
can cut your energy costs up to half over regular storage heaters. So is it
time to switch?

Probably not. Gas tankless water heaters, which use high-powered burners to
quickly heat water as it runs through a heat exchanger, were 22 percent more
energy efficient on average than the gas-fired storage-tank models in our
tests. That translates into a savings of around $70 to $80 per year, based
on 2008 national energy costs. But because they cost much more than storage
water heaters, it can take up to 22 years to break even-longer than the
20-year life of many models. Moreover, our online poll of 1,200 readers
revealed wide variations in installation costs, energy savings, and
satisfaction.

With the help of an outside lab, we pitted Takagi and Noritz gas-fired
tankless water heaters against three storage water heaters. We didn't test
electric tankless heaters because many can't deliver hot water fast enough
to replace a conventional water heater if ground-water is cold. Even in
areas with warm groundwater, most homeowners would need to upgrade their
electrical service to power a whole-house tankless model.

Our tests simulated daily use of 76 to 78 gallons of hot water. That's the
equivalent of taking three showers, washing one laun-dry load, running the
dishwasher once (six cycles), and turning on the faucet nine times, for a
total of 19 draws. While that's considered heavy use compared with the
standard Department of Energy test, we think it more accurately represents
an average family's habits. We also ran more than 45,000 gallons of very
hard water through a tanked model and a Rinnai tankless model to simulate
about 11 years of regular use.

 

Other highlights from the article: 

 

.         Inconsistent water temperatures were a common complaint among poll
respondents

.         Tankless water heaters don't always deliver hot water
instantaneously

.         Tankless models' electric controls mean you'll also lose hot water
during a power outage

.         Up-front costs are high

.         Tankless units might need more care

.         Efficient storage models are pricey

 

Full article here :::
http://www.consumerreports.org/cro/appliances/heating-cooling-and-air/water-
heaters/tankless-water-heaters/overview/tankless-water-heaters-ov.htm 

 

From: Kristen McCormick [mailto:kamccormick25 at yahoo.com] 
Sent: Monday, February 08, 2010 8:24 PM
To: Sustainability Issues in Oklahoma
Subject: Re: [ok-sus] tankless water heaters

 

In response to the tankless water heaters; I have one and my parents have
one.  We both love them especially when the family comes over and we can run
the dishwasher and someone can take a shower at the same time.

My mom says she saves money on her gas and electric bill.  I definitely save
on my gas bill, except when I go into meditation mode and stay in the shower
to long because there is endless hotwater.  Mine requires a tiny bit of
eletricity, but I love that i can adjust the water thermostat.  However my
pilot light is an electric ignition, so in a black out, I am not sure where
that will leave us.  

Overall, I am very pleased and it does save on my gas bill.  I just have ot
set a timer when I get in the shower or else what I save on gas, goes out
the window when my water bill arrives.  My mom loves hers because it does
save on gas and power, and the chores that she would have to get done
regardless she can do all at once instead of waiting for the hot water
heater to catch up which is a huge drain on the utilities.  I would say the
biggest challenge is remembering that while the hot water may seem endless,
water itself should be conserved.

 


 

 

  _____  

From: "oklaterry at cox.net" <oklaterry at cox.net>
To: Sustainability Issues in Oklahoma <ok-sus at lists.oksustainability.org>
Sent: Sat, February 6, 2010 4:25:05 PM
Subject: [ok-sus] tankless water heaters

Sustainers,
  Has anyone  used a tankless water heater system in their homes?  Do they
last?  Do they really save on the power bill?  The government is now
offering a tax credit for new purchases and I am interested IF they really
do save energy as promised.
  Thanks for sharing your experience.
Terry Weygandt
---- tom temple <youcantgettherefromhere at juno.com> wrote: 
> Friends,
> 
> I wold be interested in hearing from people who are actually using
> composting toilets and greywater systems, particularly anyone who has
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> 
> Thanks,
> 
> Tom Temple 
> ____________________________________________________________
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