Tankless On-demand Water Heaters
All solar hot water systems require a backup for days when sufficient solar energy is not available. One of the most cost effective solutions is an on-demand tankless hot water heater. Most homes in the US have a large water tank that is heated all day, despite the fact most hot water is consumed within a few short time frames. In business applications keeping a water tank hot all weekend when the office is closed is a waste of money.
An on-demand unit can instantaneously provide hot water to your entire house right as you need it, without the cost of continuously heating a large storage tank of hot water. They have thermal efficiency ratings as high as 95%, and with no pilot light you save an additional 48 gallons of fuel per year. When you turn on the hot water faucet the flow triggers the burner, which rapidly heats the water as it passes. When the flow stops, the burner turns off. With a tankless on-demand water heater there are no worries about running out of hot water because there is no tank to become empty.
The on-demand systems we sell are solar compatible and can handle the incoming warm water provided by your solar system or normal cold tap water. Because of their mulit-stage burners less fuel is used when the incoming water is warm. This saves even more fuel.
Tankless water heaters are small and self-contained. Normally they will be installed in the same area your existing tank is located. The units we normally sell are designed to provide hot water for all existing needs throughout your home. We also install small point of use units for specially applications.
There are many types of “electronic ignition” and almost all work well and have a long lifespan. While units with pilot lights can be less expensive to buy, your costs over the life of the item are much higher. In fact, by the end of the first year your savings are normally “burned up".
There are also mini units, commonly referred to as “point of use” heaters. They are designed to provide hot water to 1-2 faucets, such as just one bathroom. These would not normally be used as part of a solar backup system. But they are a cost effective way to supply hot water to a single area.
Compared to an electric water heater, on-demand will save 25% or more (avg. use of 40 gallons per day). Replacing your current water heater with an on-demand unit today can save you money immediately as well as become your first step towards installing a solar system.
Call us for more information about determining is a tankless unit is the right choice for your application