Point of Use Tankless Water Heaters

What are point of use tankless hot water heaters, and why would you consider installing one in your house?

A point-of-use tankless water heater is a small unit that can be installed right next a sink where you need hot water. They can also be used for hot water in a shower or bath, though the flow rate may not be sufficient for a bathtub depending on the power of the unit.

So what is the purpose of using a tankless water heater like this? One situation where this might be a good idea is when you are in a part of the house that is extremely far away from the main water heater. If it is taking 45 seconds to a minute for you to get hot water, it is often because of the “run” of the plumbing. When the run is extremely long, you wait and wait for the hot water, meanwhile you're wasting water down the drain. Install a point of use water heater under the sink and your good to go. Now of course your going to pay more for electricity, but you will save on your water bill.

These point of use heaters can truly be called instantaneous or demand water heaters as it is usually just a few seconds before you have hot water. These point of use heaters thus eliminate what is referred to as standby loss.

Another application could be in the kitchen, but with a word of warning. A demand hot water heater can be installed under your sink and thus provide very hot water when needed for cooking or for making hot beverages. The problem here is the risk of scalding, as these heaters can pump out extremely hot water. Check the temperature settings on these heaters, because they can produce water with temperatures between 170-180 degrees. Many manufactures have built in anti-scalding control systems, so that the water will not exceed 125 degrees. Obviously this is a must have if you have children in the house. In fact, the electronic control systems are generally standard on these point of use devices, so if you want something that does produce extremely hot water, you may have to do a little shopping.

There are several manufacturers of these mini tankless water heaters, there shouldn't be much difficulty in finding something for $200 dollars or less.

Major manufacturers include:

PowerStar

Steibel Eltron

Bosch Ariston

Titan

Bosch Aquastar

Bosch Powerstream

Eltron DHC

Overall, a point of use tankless water heater can certainly make life easier when installed in the right situation.

Bosch Tankless Water Heater

When it comes to tankless water heaters, Bosch is one of the most respected manufacturers. What kind of tankless hot water applications can Bosch help your family with?

Bosch tankless water heaters can be placed in three specific groups: Gas, Electric, and point-of-use. With Bosch, you have a variety of choices, and you can always find something very specific to apply to your situation. Bosch is undoubtedly a leader in the tankless water heater field, producing over one and half million units every year.

Bosch gas tankless water heaters come in a variety of sizes. The largest capacity heater is the new 2700ES. This mother of all tankless water heaters can supply hot water for three major applications at the same time, such as a washer, shower and dishwasher. Better yet, you will still have hot water after using all three at the same time. The first step down is the Bosch Aquastar 2400ES. This model will allow use of two major hot water applications at the same time, and has an expected 20 year life.

Next is the Bosch 1600P and 1600PS. These heaters will provide up to 4.3 gallons of hot water per minute. They are also compact, small enough to hang on a wall. The Bosch 1000P is the smallest tankless gas water heater available from Bosch. It is designed mainly for small homes, such as cabins or cottages that may be natural gas (NG) or liquid propane (LP) powered.

What if your home is not propane or natural gas powered? Bosch electric tankless water heaters may be your best choice. Bosch makes two electric tankless water heaters, and they are classified under the PowerStar brand name. First is the Powerstar AE125, an electric tankless heater that can provide 3.7 gallons per minute. That should be enough for one bathtub or shower, or two sinks at the same time. Available at a lower price is the Power Star AE115, which provides up to 2.3 gallons per minute. The AE 125 is recommended in colder climates, while those in warmer states should be able to use the AE 115.

What about point-of-use water heater? Bosch distributes two different lines in this area. First, the Ariston GL line has three different models. The three models here offer either two and a half, four, and six gallon capacity heaters. Designed for use with either one or two sinks, these point of use heaters offer immediate hot water when installed in these locations.

The other point-of-use line offered by Bosch is the PowerStar AE series. Four different models are available in this line, the AE 3.4, AE 7.2, AE 9.5 and AE12. The nice thing about these Bosch Power Star models is that they are so compact, they fit right underneath the sink and can be mounted in almost any direction.

So as you can see, Bosch tankless water heaters can really simplify your life, as they offer unlimited hot water in easy to use applications.