High Capacity Tankless Hot Water Heater

How To Find A High Capacity Tankless Water Heater

Are you looking for an efficient approach to heating water? Are you ready for the luxury of a tankless hot water heater that can supply unlimited hot water? What you are looking for is a high capacity tankless water heater.

Think of it as a low stress way to upgrade an existing home and the perfect solution for second homes and get away retreats.

Math Time
Finding the heater that works for you means taking a few measurements. The capacity, or flow volume depends on these figures. Even though you have unlimited hot water there is a catch. That catch is the principle on which tankless water heaters work. Each model is rated in terms of gallons per minute.

As an example: a shower with a water saver head uses about 1-½ gallons per minute. A clothes washer uses about 2 gallons per minute. If you take a tankless model that is rated at 5 gallons per minute you could assume that it would be adequate, but that would be wrong. The 5 gallons per minute is only attainable if the heater has to heat water about 40 F degrees, which is probably doable during summer months, depending on where you live.

If in the dead of winter, when ground temperature has dropped to 40 F degrees - meaning heating the water 75 F degrees for a good shower - the heater’s output will probably be about 1-½ gallons per minute. This is probably not what you were expecting.

This is why measurements are important. It’s easy to do; all it takes is a bucket, a watch and a digital thermometer. The three things you need are ground water temperature during the coldest season. If you are doing it in August, you probably need to subtract 25 F degrees from your findings. Use the bucket and watch to calculate how many gallons per minute you could be using during peak times.

The next thing you need is a chart that plots these two numbers. Bosch has one on their site and probably all manufacturers do, as way of helping fix your need.

In fact site searching is a good way to get info on specific models.

If your number comes up to 7 gallons per minute, or higher, you probably should look at gas models, which have higher capacity. They can be found from 8, up 48 gallons per minute.

Installed In Pairs
Gas tankless hot water heaters are sometimes installed in pairs, as another way to achieve high capacity. Two units, in separate parts of the house, as zone style water heating system is another way to get the capacity needed, especially in larger or spread out homes.

It’s good to keep in mind that gas tankless heaters usually require a special gas line and venting. Installations like this can be expensive. Get multiple estimates from experienced firms. Talk to your home improvement center rep. Look at Amazon and price search sites like Nextag to find customer comments. All this can be helpful in making the right choice.

A continuous supply of hot water makes a tankless water heater a useful product in today's home. Add to that the convenience of easy installation (for some models) and a longer lifespan, and you have convenience, affordability and eco-friendly service. Find out more about these tankless hot water heaters.

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