Rheem Tankless Water Heaters

Rheem tankless water heaters may be the answer for you if you have a natural gas or propane power source, and you are looking to upgrade from that old tank style water heater.

While Rheem is mainly known for their heating and air conditioning units, they have been in the water heater business for many years. Their tankless line is based on gas power, and they make units that are both natural gas and propane powered. According to Rheem, these units will save homeowners 40% less than an electrical tankless water heater, and about 30% less than a standard natural gas water heating unit. References and sources for those numbers were not provided on the Rheem website.

Rheem tankless heaters can usually be installed wherever your old water heater was, provided there is enough combustion air flow available. So there generally won't be any problem placing a Rheem water heater in your basement, attic, garage, or even a utility closet or room. These units are smaller than regular water heaters, so you will realize some space savings as well.

Rheem tankless heaters are more efficient because they do not have to operate all the time in order to keep the water warm. Consider how your current water heater always has to turn on to keep the water warm, it doesn't matter if your at work, gone for the day, or even away from the house on vacation, the water heater still keeps working. On the other hand, a Rheem tankless heater only turns on when you ask for hot water via your shower, dishwasher, or sink.

The energy efficiency rating on Rheem tankless hot water heaters is also very good. Energy Factor, or EF as it is called, measures how efficient different appliances are. The full line of Rheem heaters sport EF ratings over .80. In contrast, the average EF rating on a standard tank water heater is .62, quite a difference. Rheem heaters also have no pilot light, which cost money to operate, and also do not have any stand by loss.

The Rheem series of water heaters are labeled the RTG-42, RTG-74, RTG-53, and the 199 series. How do you figure out which one fits with what you have in your home?

Rheem makes it fairly simple, in that they advise based on the number of bathrooms you have in your house. While fairly simplistic, it does give you a general idea of which to choose.

If you have one bathroom in your house, the Rheem tankless RTG-42 is recommended. Next if you have 1-1/2 to 2 bathrooms Rheem recommends the RTG-53 series tankless model. Finally, if you have 3 or more bathrooms at home, the heavy duty RTG-74 series water heater is the one to look at seriously.

Now if you have special circumstances that demand even more hot water, Rheem or hot water circulating systems, you should get in touch with a contractor or dealer who is familiar with Rheem tankless systems for help in getting something a little more customized.

As with all natural gas or propane tankless water heaters, professional installation is recommended. Obviously its going to cost more, but you certainly want your tankless water heater set up right in all cases.

Gas Tankless Water Heaters

When considering a tankless hot water heater, one of the first things to decide is whether you want to go with an electric or a gas mode. Read up on electric tankless heaters in our previous article, and keep on reading if you are looking into a tankless gas water heater.

Tankless gas hot water heaters are designed to be used in whole-house applications. Special circumstances must be met for these gas heaters, which are discussed here. So why replace that old gas water heater with a new tankless model?

A tankless gas hot water heater will provide your house with an unlimited supply of hot water. So you can run multiple showers, then still have the water available to run the dishwasher or the clothes washer. Depending on the capacity of the tankless gas heater you buy, multiple appliances can also be run at the same time. Most models are smaller than a regular water heater, so you may also have some space savings as well.

Costs are certainly a consideration. While a regular water heater is usually about $500, a tankless gas water heater will cost at least double that amount. Paloma, Takagi,and Rinnai are three well known manufactures of gas powered water heaters. Consulting with one or more local dealers is usually the best way to price tankless water heater manufacturers and models.

While natural gas powered heaters will work in most situations, some homes are fueled by propane. Check with your local utility company if your not sure if you have natural gas or propane. Several manufactures including Bosch and Stieble Eltron offer propane powered tankless water heaters.

The Bosch AquaStar line is a popular series, with several models offering between 3-6 gallons of hot water per minute. Higher capacity models will cost more, but are better for large families where several hot water applications are needed at once.

A nice feature with tankless gas water heaters is the constant availability of hot water. Unlike a traditional heater where the hot water may run out based on the capacity of the heater, the tankless heater will continue to pump piping hot water, whether you need it for five minutes or five hours.

Nice to have when someone just filled up the tub!

One final factor to consider is the installation cost that may be involved. A tankless gas hot water heater requires proper ventilation, so check the price and reputation of contractors in your area. In almost all cases, this means a professional installation to ensure the safety of you and your family.