Selecting a Whole House Tankless Water Heater for Your Home

Installing a whole house tankless water heater in your home is a great way to supply your home with unlimited hot water on demand. However, before you install a tankless water heater, you have to choose a model. There are several options on the market, so it can be a little confusing trying to decide which model will work for your needs. Here are a few things to keep in mind when selecting a whole house tankless water heater.

• Temperature rise- Before you can decide which tankless water heater model will work for you, you’ll need to know the average temperature of the incoming water to your house, so you’ll know the necessary temperature rise to heat the water to your preference. For instance, if your incoming temperature is 50°F and you want the water to be 120°F, then the rise will be 70°F. Knowing the temperature rise will help you determine the water flow rate you’ll need.

• Water flow rate- All faucets and appliances like dishwashers have an average flow rate. You’ll need to decide how many faucets or appliances you’ll need to supply with hot water at one time to determine the necessary flow rate. For example, if you want to run the dishwasher while taking a shower, you would need to add the two flow rates together to get your maximum flow rate.

• Energy source- When selecting a whole house tankless water heater, you’ll need to decide which energy source will be supplying your water heater. Most brands carry models that run off of electricity, natural gas or propane. Natural gas and propane are the most energy efficient options, since a whole house tankless water heater can use a lot of electricity to run.

• Indoor or outdoor model- Once you know the size of the whole house tankless water heater you need, you’ll need to decide whether you want to install an indoor or outdoor tankless water heater. The benefit of installing an outdoor model is that it doesn’t require a vent, which can cut down on installation costs.

These are just a few of the things you’ll need to consider when selecting a whole house tankless water heater for you home. If you already know the brand you want to buy but don’t know the model that will work for you, you may be able to call the company’s customer support for help choosing a specific model.