Making the right selection of instantaneous electric water heaters for your house involves evaluating some key factors. The increasing popularity of the tankless water heaters is due to their small size and low energy consumption but there are some things that you should weigh before buying them.
Power supply requirements
Confirm that your electrical system has sufficient power supply for the heater which requires a lot of wattage ideally above 8 GPM. While a standard home breaker may support smaller ones, the larger ones will probably require 240V along with very high amp circuits installed. You do not want to overload your electrical while striving to make your unit run efficiently.
Location and ventilation
Because these efficient tankless heaters are extremely compact, they can be placed almost anywhere in your home but require proper ventilation. Ensure you observe clearances on all sides of this appliance plus proper exhaust venting going out via a wall or roof. Ventilation is crucial and should not be compromised through corners or tight spaces in your plans which at times require expensive retrofits.
Upfront cost
The cost of installing an instant electric water heater upfront is much more expensive than conventional water heaters, despite potential savings in energy over time brought about by this type of heating. This is due to special venting materials, extensive wiring for power needs and higher unit costs. In your situation, consider energy/water savings against costs.
Installation considerations
Tankless heater installations typically involve professional tradespeople such as plumbers and electricians because they have to be integrated safely into high electrical power and venting requirements unless you completely understand the relevant codes and procedures. Ensure that you factor in potentially costly installation expenses before making a purchase decision.
Energy factor
Energy factor rating is higher when the efficiency of the product being compared is better so choose the highest energy factor possible for your budget. Even though federal law requires minimally 0.82, pick up the most efficient option available because this will result in big energy savings over time.
Warranties
It would be useful to find out what kind of guarantee will accompany these goods in case some problems arise considering their price level. Many come with at least 5 years coverage for internal components. Also there are extended warranties that offer longer coverage of say 10 year parts/5 year labor for additional charges if one wishes so.
Finally
When you carefully weigh all factors and consider manufacturer advice at every step, you will be led to the right instant electric tankless water heater model for your particular situation.It should be able to meet your capacity needs, installation requirements, efficiency goals and overall budget constraints.