What Is the Most Energy-Efficient Hot Water Heater?
If it’s time to upgrade your water heater, efficiency is probably your primary concern, and with good reason. After all, water heating is your second highest monthly energy expense after home heating and cooling.
So, what’s the most energy-efficient water heater? No other option beats a tankless water heater.
How Do Tankless Water Heaters Work?
When you call for hot water, cold water first enters the tankless water heater. Depending on the fuel source, either a gas burner or electric coil heats up the water instantly. Hot water then leaves the unit and travels to the faucet.
In general, tankless water heaters can provide two to five gallons of hot water per minute. Keep in mind that gas-fired tankless water heaters tend to have a higher flow rate than electric units. If you opt for a gas tankless water heater, make sure you choose a model with an intermittent ignition device, or IID, which prevents the pilot light from staying lit 24/7. This raises the efficiency level.
Even the largest gas-fired tankless water heater may not be able to supply enough hot water for multiple hot water demands occurring simultaneously throughout your home. For example, taking a hot shower while the dishwasher is running may push a tankless water heater to its limit. You can overcome this flow rate restriction by installing two or three units in your home.
What Makes Tankless Water Heaters So Efficient?
The biggest downside to conventional tank water heaters is the standby heat loss. They waste energy any time you go long stretches without using hot water, such as while sleeping all night. On the other hand, tankless water heaters produce hot water on demand, negating the need to keep a supply of hot water at the ready and eliminating the issue of heat loss.
If you consume less than 41 gallons of hot water a day in your home, one or more tankless water heaters can be more energy-efficient than storage water heaters. Even if you consume more hot water—say, around 86 gallons per day—you can still appreciate good energy savings.
For help selecting and sizing the most energy-efficient water heater, contact Arctic Air Conditioning online or call us at 732-455-9110. We can help make sure it is the best water heating choice for your needs!
