Most American household spend 25% of each energy dollar producing domestic hot water. Nationwide more residential energy is consumed by domestic hot water than on anything but heating and air conditioning. Read on to consider some things before you buy.

You could save up to 60% on your monthly water heating costs by installing a tankless water heater in your home. A tankless water heater is a demand-type unit. This means that it operates ONLY when hot water is drawn in your home.Before buying a Tankless Water Heater, consider the following:

Fuel Type, Location and Size and Demand Application

1. Fuel Type

The first thing that you will need to decide when selecting a Tankless Water Heater is the fuel type. You will need to select between an Electric Tankless Water Heater or a Gas-Fired Tankless Water Heater.

If you plan to purchase an Electric Tankless Water Heater, consider the Electrical Requirements:

Voltage, Amperage,Circuit Breaker

Voltage
Many retailers sell units that will accommodate various voltages, be sure to pick one that your electrical system can accommodate or you will be paying for electrical work.

Amperage
Different Electric Tankless Water Heaters will have various requirements in amp draw. You will want to ensure that you can support the electrical demands of your Electric Tankless Water Heater.

Circuit Breaker
You must ensure that you have a circuit or circuits that will support your Electric Tankless Water Heater. It may be necessary to put your Electric Tankless Water Heater on its own circuit or circuits.

Gas Heaters
You will first need to identify whether your gas type is Natural Gas or Propane. It is imperative that you examine your current gas line to ensure that it will meet the requirements of your new Gas-Fired Tankless Water Heater. The requirements of the Tankless Water Heater may exceed that of your existing tank water heater.

Depending on where you will be installing the Tankless Water Heater, a kit will probably not meet your needs to provide adequate venting. Ensure that you measure out the vent route and consider where the discharge will go through the wall or ceiling, consider the necessary clearances, and consider ample access to air for combustion, then buy the appropriate gas venting pieces.

2. Location, Size, and Demand

When deciding which Tankless Water Heater to purchase, you will also need to consider where you will need hot water. Are you looking for a unit that will heat the water at one bathroom sink, an entire bathroom, or an entire house, apartment, or condo? It is important to recognize the number of fixtures that will require hot water.

3. Application

Although gas-fired demand water heaters tend to have higher flow rates than electric ones, they can waste energy if they have a constantly burning pilot light. This can offset some of the energy savings. Moreover, much of the heat produced by the pilot light of a tank-type model heats the water in the tank, a savings that is just lost with the instantaneous units.

Tankless water heaters are more efficient than tank water heaters, but reviews say they take some getting used to. If you want to switch to a more efficient tankless water heater, be aware that you may need some time to adjust, since water delivery is different than with a tank water heater. Since tankless systems do not start heating water until you turn on the tap, there is a delay before the water runs hot.

Flow rate of hot water from a tankless system is greatly affected by the temperature of your groundwater. The warmer your groundwater, the better the flow rate. Homes in colder climates will need a larger system to get an adequate hot water flow rate. The average groundwater temperature in the U.S. is about 50 degrees Fahrenheit. Most people like shower temperatures of between 105 degrees and 120 degrees, so your groundwater temperature would need to be raised by 60 to 75 degrees.

One other consideration is in areas with hard water; the water heaters are prone to lime up and seriously harm their efficiency. So over time, there efficiency my dwindle as the deposits build up within the unit. You can check online for reviews of tankless water heater systems, and then decide if it is the right fit for you.

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