Takagi Tankless Water Heaters

Takagi USA has been manufacturing tankless water heaters heaters here in the States for more than 10 years. While that isn't very long, Takagi has been in the business for more than 50 years in Japan.

What sort of features and benefits can a Takagi tankless water heater offer you? Like other tankless models, the main selling point is the endless supply of hot water that is offered through the heater.

Takagi tankless heaters are also highly efficient. In fact, one tankless water heater from Takagi boasts and efficiency rating of 92% for the natural gas model, and 95% for the propane (LP) model. Compare that to the average rating in the 50-60 range for a standard water heater, or 82% for some of the Bosch water heaters, and you can see the difference.

Takagi heaters only operate when you ask for hot water. When the hot water tap is turned on, water begins to enter the heater, which then is detected by a flow sensor. This in turn activates the burner, and water begins to circulate through heat coil, or exchanger as it is also known. The heat exchanger then heats the water to the preset temperature in less than 7 seconds. This can continue on for an indefinite period of time, so no more worrying about running out of hot water. When the hot water tap is turned off, the heating unit stops as well.

Takagi tankless heaters are also more compact than a regular water heater. They range in weight from 30 pounds to 90 pounds, and are generally about the size of a medium to large suitcase. Most of the units are designed to be placed inside, and can be mounted on a wall. This frees up floor space in your home that can be used for other things. Because Tagaki water heaters are natural gas and/or propane powered, they require proper venting, thus a professional installer is your best bet. Category 3 stainless steel vented pipe is recommended by the manufacturer, and the tankless heater cannot share venting with any other appliances.

One thing that confuses some consumers is that they expect instant hot water when they put in a tankless hot water heater. While a Takagi heater can provide unlimited hot water, it is not instantaneous. It still takes time for the water to reach each faucet or shower head, so if you want immediate hot water, an alternative would be a recirculation pump.

According to Takagi, their tankless heaters have an average life span of 15 to 20 years, which is about 5 to 10 years longer than the average standard water heater. Takagi tankless heaters have a 10 year warranty on the heat exchanger, and 5 years on all other components on the units. Tankless units cost more up front, but generally make up the difference in lower operating costs and longer lifespans.

Based on the model you select, a Takagi tankless water heater can provide you with between three and five gallons (GPM) of hot water per minute.

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.

Titan Tankless Water Heaters

Titan tankless water heaters are designed to offer an unlimited and continuous flow of hot water. What can Titan hot water heaters provide that you won't find with a traditional water heater?

Titan was founded in 1986, and has been building quality tankless water heaters since then. Water heaters built by the company can be found in homes, hotels, and apartments across the country. Titan is an American business, and they manufacture and sell their units in the United States.

According to the company, Titan tankless water heater systems can save your family up to 60% on your monthly water heating cost. That’s because the unit only operates when hot water is needed. These demand or instant hot water systems are gaining popularity because they can provide and endless supply of hot water. Conversely, traditional tank-based water systems continually have to operate in order to keep the water hot.

Titan makes electrical tankless water heaters. Installation of a Titan system is fairly simple, and you do not have to worry about venting issues, as with a natural gas tankless heater. However, a professional installation is still recommended by the manufacturer, as then there will not be any issues to worry about down the line.

Titan has a full line-up of tankless water heater models. What they don’t make on their own they resell from other manufacturers. Their higher end models come from the Stiebel Eltron Tempra series. The Stiebel-Eltron Tempra series has numbers titling the tankless heaters, starting at 36 and going down to 12. For example, the Tempra 36 is the high end model, providing the most juice. It can power between 2-3 hot water applications in your house at the same time.

Titan’s own series of tankless water heaters start with the SCR4 at the high end, then move down to the SRC3 and SRC2 series. These affordable heaters start at $250 and go up to the high $400 range. These work well in warm climates, where the water doesn’t have to be heated up from a very cold temperature, and where the end-user can get by with just 1 or 2 hot water applications being used at the same time. Best of all, the cost about the same as a traditional water heater and take up less space.

Finally, Titan makes a Mini Series of tankless water heaters. These are designed to be used right at the source, just install in-line near a sink or shower for use at that location only. Priced in the mid $100 range, these do the trick in those special situations. Overall, I recommend Titan as one of the top tankless water heater manufacturers.

Rinnai Tankless Water Heaters

Rinnai is one of the major tankless hot water manufacturers in today’s market. Rinnai focuses on the gas tankless water heater market, making both LP (propane), and natural gas fired heaters.

So obviously the first thing you should check before you look at a Rinnai tankless water heater is whether you have either a natural gas or propane connection. If your not sure, you can check with your local utility company and they can help you.

Rinnai became fairly well know in the last few years after adverting extensively on the Rush Limbaugh show. Rinnai mainly designs tankless hot water heaters for whole house applications. Their top of the line model can deliver 9.5 gallons of hot water per minute, so obviously it is a powerful unit. Thats enough water to take a shower, run a dishwasher, and wash a load of clothes all at the same time. And even when your done with that, the hot water will still keep coming.

Rinnai tankless water heaters are also more efficient than traditional water heaters because of their design. A traditional water heater continually eats up energy, as the water in the storage tank must constantly be reheated. With a Rinnai heater energy is used only when you use hot water. Thus depending on the cost of energy in your area, you may save up to 50 percent off your traditional water heating cost by upgrading to a Rinnai tankless heater.

Another nice thing about Rinnai tank is that it is much smaller than a traditional water heater that has a large 40-50 gallon tank. Rinnai tankless heaters are about the size of a suitcase, and can be mounted either inside or outside your house. This can save you floor space in your basement or attic where a regular water heater would regularly sit.

So how does the Rinnai tankless water heater work? As mentioned, there is no tank, thus the smaller size. The Rinnai system is attached in-line with the current plumbing system, generally somewhere near where the main water line enters the house. When a tap is turned on asking for hot water, the Rinnai system kicks on and water flows through a heat exchanger. While it takes a little bit longer to actually get hot water to the tap when comparing to a traditional water heater, the difference is usually negligible.

So if its time to replace your old system, definitely check into a Rinnai tankless water heater.

Electric Tankless Water Heaters

When considering a tankless water heater for your home, there are two specific choices: electric or gas. What can an electric tankless heater offer?

Electric tankless water heaters are generally cheaper than their gas counterparts. Whole house electric heaters can start as low as $500 and move up to the $1000 dollar range. This compares to gas heaters which generally start at $1,000 minimum and go up from there. So which is better for you?

The answer to that question really depends on several factors. Your hot water needs really are what determine what will work out best. While manufacturers of electrical hot water heaters claim their performance is fairly close to gas heaters, gas manufacturers have valid arguments for going down that path. A qualified dealer can run cost comparisons for you to determine if gas or electricity will work out best.

There are several advantages of an electric tankless water heater include the previously mentioned lower initial price tag. Saving $500 or more over a gas tankless heater is what most consumers consider first. Another advantage is the lower initial installation cost. Because electrical tankless water heaters are about one-third the size of a gas heater, there is often more flexibility on where it can be installed.

There are not any venting issues with an electric heater, thus they can be placed under sinks, in closets, or in crawl spaces where a full sized water heater could never be used. Of course they can also be placed wherever your old water heater was.

If you are considering a whole house electrical water heater, you may have to have an electrical upgrade wherever the heater is installed. This is because these are very high power electrical appliances, like your dryer. Thus a 200 AMP, 208 to 240 volt electrical service outlet is needed. If you live in a warm climate like Florida, you may be able to get away with a lower demand heater, and use a 100 or 125 AMP electrical service.

What will your monthly cost be with an electric water heater? While you will save over a traditional water heater, you probably won’t save as much as having a gas tankless water heater. Then again, natural gas and propane rates continue to rise, bringing the energy costs of electric and gas tankless heaters close together.

What about water use? Can a tankless electric keep up with its gas counterpart? In most cases, yes. Whole house heaters can produce between 3-8 gallons per minute of hot water. Why such a wide variance? It depends on the incoming water temperature. For example, the incoming water temperature in Arizona is much different than the incoming temperature in Minnesota during January. In cold climates it is going to be closer to three gallons a minute.

How about gas tankless water heaters? Next time we will consider the advantages of gas over electric tankless water heaters.