on demand water heaters

John L

Have any of you had any experience with these type of heaters, good/bad or indifferent.What size approx. would be required for an active family of four. I've heard mixed reviews, so your thoughts are welcome.

Scott Gregg

Stick with the big 3 and you'll be happy

First things first. There are lots of ways to make water hot. A demand aka tankless heater is one of the better ways in my opinion.

The big 3 are Noritz, Rennai and Takagi. Stay with one of these. Why? because the others like those found in home centers do not have the btu input or technology to do as good a job. (That's where the mixed reviews com in.) These three have very high quality. I have yet to see a house with 3 baths or less that they could not serve well. I also have seen/sold them into bigger homes including one that had a 31 gallon per hour masster shower system! This one required 3 of the big commercial Noritz tankless heaters.

Watch for a "Tankless 101" peice comming soon (Today?)to my website. "www.profitableplumbing.com"

All that said, if you already have a boiler, an indirect water heater is also a great choice. In some ways better than a tankless and I don't anyone can argue that this would be a wrose choice.

Also, The electric tankless heaters have their own set of challenges and none of them can do more than about 4 GPM under the very best "feild" conditions. (At least for now) They also do have the technology of the above gas models.

If you want tankless, go gas. If you don't have gas, get gas. (LP tanks work great and are worth the extra $) if gas is simply not an option you are willing to consider, I would advies you stick with the tank heater for now unless you have a house with less than 2 baths or learn the limits of better electric tankless by Stieble Eltron or Eemax.

If you have a 3-1/2 bath or less home with no high flow fixtures like a body spray shower:
Noritz N-063S or N-069M, Rennai 2532.