WOODFIN DELIVERS HOT WATER ON DEMAND WITH TANKLESS WATER HEATERS
Woodfin knows that every household marches to its own rhythm, and when it comes to hot water, you need to understand your consumption patterns. Many households - and many businesses - never experience heavy water-heating loads like those that occur when the shower, dishwasher and washing machine need to run at the same time. These properties with lower concurrent water-heating needs are perfectly suited for tankless water heaters.
Tankless systems (also known as on demand or instantaneous water heaters) heat water only when it is needed, and so use less energy than storage tank systems. Another benefit of on demand water heaters is that there is none of the heat loss that occurs in stored hot water systems.
High-efficiency tankless heaters can offer up to 40 percent savings on your home's water heating costs. Talk to the hot water experts at Woodfin to find the right hot water system for your lifestyle.
Rinnai makes the #1 - selling tankless water heater brand in the country, and Woodfin is proud to be one of the company's leading distributors. Several Rinnai Water Heaters are eligible for tax credits under the 2009 Stimulus Plan. Every Rinnai unit provides endless hot water, lowers greenhouse gas emissions, and comes with an industry-leading 12-year Heat Exchange warranty. For more information on Rinnai tankless water heaters visit www.rinnai.us.
"The Ultimate in Energy Efficiency with Hi-Tech Comfort", the Navien Condensing 98 percent Tankless Water Heater boasts the industry's highest energy efficiency rating and industry's best Heat Exchanger Warranty, 15 years! The Navien is an on-demand water heater, which means with a recirculation system you get instant hot water the moment you turn on the faucet. Conventional tank-type water heaters eventually run out of water, but because Navien's units only supply water when needed, running out of hot water is never an issue. In addition, Navien utilizes "condensing technology". Its stainless-steel condensing heat exchanger is able to recover the condensation that would otherwise be lost. Plus, a Navien condensing water heater significantly decreases the emission of harmful greenhouse gases into the atmosphere. For more information, visit www.navienamerica.com.
- Consider your water distribution system. If the hot water uses in your home are relatively close together, with short hot water lines between them, a tankless system may work well for you. In many U.S. homes, water uses are widely spaced at opposite ends of the house. If this is the case in your home, a single tankless system with long distances between the system and the point-of-use can increase frustration, because each time you turn off the water, the next time you use the water again it will restart with a "slug" of cold water. This can be eliminated by adding a recirculation loop to provide constant hot water closer to the point of use. The advantage is nearly no wait time for hot water. The disadvantage is, depending on your home installation and operating costs could be higher. Your Home Team comfort advisor can help you find out!
- Contact a Home Team representative to find out if your gas supply is adequate and proper venting is feasible.
- Finally, residential wiring generally will not support a tankless electric water heater with large enough capacity to serve multiple uses. If you rely on electricity to heat your water, an electric tankless system is unlikely to meet your needs. However, an electric unit may be appropriate for small applications, such as a remote vanity or half-bath.
- Gas tankless water heaters save a lot of energy, especially gas ones. Each year you can save up to 25 percent of energy in comparison with storage style water heaters. The reason for such economy is quite self-explicit: tankless gas water heaters use fuel only when hot water is needed.
- Tankless water heaters are compact in size and virtually eliminate standby losses - energy wasted when hot water cools down in long pipes or while it's sitting in the storage tank.
- High efficiency is a typical advantage of tankless gas water heaters. ENERGY STAR® states that tankless heating systems have energy factor up to .95, while the top efficient tank water heaters have only .67.
- By providing warm water immediately where it's used, tankless water heaters waste less water. People don't need to let the water run as they wait for warm water to reach a remote faucet. A tankless water heater can provide unlimited hot water as long as it is operating within its capacity.
- The compact size of tankless gas water heaters makes them easy to install, and they occupy less space.
- Equipment life may be longer than tank-type heaters because they are less subject to corrosion. Expected life of tankless water heaters is 20 years, compared to 10 to 15 years for tank-type water heaters.
- Tankless water heaters range in price from a couple hundred dollars for a small under-sink unit up to a few thousand dollars for a gas-fired unit that delivers 6+ gallons per minute. Typically, the more hot water the unit produces, the higher the cost.
- Tankless water heaters usually cannot supply enough hot water for simultaneous uses such as multiple showers and laundry.
- Tankless gas water heaters are, unfortunately, more expensive than conventional water heaters.
- High gas pressure is required to keep tankless gas water heaters working effectively. The thing is that in some places gas pressure might be low, that is why you need to check in advance.
- Maintenance is to be performed once a year according to the manuals and instructions. It is important not to forget about it.
- Electric units will draw more instantaneous power than tank-type water heaters. If electric rates include a demand charge, operation may be expensive.
- Electric tankless water heaters require a relatively high electric power draw because water must be heated quickly to the desired temperature. Make sure your wiring is up to the demand.
- In most cases, electric tankless water heaters will cost more to operate than gas tankless water heaters.
- Tankless gas water heaters require a direct vent or conventional flue. If a gas-powered unit has a pilot light, it can waste a lot of energy.
