Important Points To Consider About Your Tankless Water Heater Installation

The tankless water heater installation process is complex when you're installing one of these heaters for the first time. You might have to move gas lines around, so it's best to hire a plumber to complete the project. Here are some important points to know about a tankless water heater installation.

Where To Install The Heater

A tankless heater hangs on the wall, and it's not too big, so it can be placed almost anywhere. However, local codes might apply to where the heater can be placed indoors. You might install the heater in a basement or attic if allowed. You can also hang the water heater in your garage or on an exterior wall of your home.

An important consideration is the gas connection if you buy a gas tankless heater. The location you choose for your water heater needs to be near gas lines, water lines, and an electrical outlet. Also, a gas tankless heater has to vent to the outdoors. These heaters are direct vent only, meaning the vent pipe goes directly to the outside rather than up a chimney.

Whether A Gas Or Electrical Upgrade Is Needed

A tankless water heater uses more power when it starts up than a tank heater does. That allows it to heat water quickly. You might need your plumber to put in bigger gas lines when you switch to a tankless water heater. The larger lines allow more gas to flow through so the heater can ignite and heat water quickly. Upgrading the gas lines will add to the cost of your tankless water heater installation. Your plumber will check the lines to see if an upgrade is needed.

An electrical upgrade may be needed for an electric tankless heater if your home's electrical system is old. This may require updating the electrical panel so more power can flow to the heater. If you have a newer home, this may not be needed. An electrician can check your panel and upgrade it if necessary.

If Getting Hot Water Immediately Is Important

A tankless water heater starts heating water immediately, but that doesn't mean hot water comes out of the faucet or shower right away. The reason for the delay is that the cold water that's already in the pipe has to come out before the hot water starts coming out. The length of time it takes to get hot water is determined by the length of the water lines from the water heater to your faucet.

If your tankless water heater is close to your bathroom, this may not even be a problem. If the heater is far away, you'll need to put up with a hot water delay or have the plumber install a recirculating pump. The pump detects when the water temperature in the pipe drops and then it kicks on to circulate hot water back into the line. This gives you instant hot water as soon as you turn on the faucet.

Contact a professional to learn more about tankless water heater installation.



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Hot Water 101: Choosing A Heating System Over the years, the number of options for hot water heaters has increased significantly. Not only are there traditional tank-style hot water heaters, but there are also on-demand units that heat water as you need it instead of storing and maintaining large volumes. Unfortunately, with so many choices, homeowners often find themselves overwhelmed by the options. That's why this site is here. We created this blog to help homeowners like you understand the different types of water heaters in the hopes that the knowledge will make it easier for you to select your next one. Check out the information on this site to help as you shop for your hot water heater.

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