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Tankless
Water Heaters
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an Unlimited Supply of Hot Water!
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Gas vs. Electric
Tankless Water Heater
| Appliance |
What is
the GPM usage? |
| Bathroom Faucet |
1.0 |
| Bath Tub |
4.0 to 5.0 |
| Shower |
2.5 |
| Multi Shower Heads |
2.5 to 12 |
| Kitchen Sink |
1.5 |
| Dishwasher |
1.5 |
| Washing Machine |
2.0 |
Water Usage:
Do you need to run 2 showers at the
same time or maybe a shower and a couple sinks? You
may install a demand water heater centrally or at the point of
use, depending on the amount of hot water required. For example,
you can use a small electric unit as a booster for a remote
bathroom or laundry. These are usually installed in a closet or
underneath a sink.
List the number of hot water devices
you expect to have open at any one time, and add up their flow
rates. This is the desired flow rate for the demand water
heater.
Electric vs. Gas
Efficiency:
Keep in mind that this difference is
the reason that tank heaters run out of water quicker from colder
incoming water in the winter than the rest of the year. With the
tankless you won’t run out but you may be limited to how many
hot water uses you may perform at the same time.
A tankless gas water heater having
an efficiency rating (EF) of 82% would have to be rated at least
for 116,000 Btu per hour and an electric at 95,500 Btu’s per
hour or 28kW. This difference in Btu rating may be confusing but
gas is rated at the heat output of the burner, whereas; the
electric, for the heat that is going directly into the water.
REMEMBER, the energy (and cost) required for a family of two to
heat the water they actually use is less than the energy wasted by
a 40-gallon gas tank storage heater in just reheating the same
water. This is energy expended before the first drop of hot water
is used.
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