Demand Water Heaters do not have storage tanks, so there is no standby heat loss from the tank, and energy consumption is reduced by 10 to 30 percent depending on your hot water usage. Demand water heaters are available in propane (LP), natural gas, or electric models.
In these types of water heaters, cold water travels through a pipe into the unit, and either a gas burner or an electric element heats the water only when needed. With these systems, you never run out of hot water. However, the flow rate is limited by the outlet temperature.
The appeal of demand water heaters is the elimination of the tank standby losses, the resulting lower operating costs, and the fact that the heater delivers hot water continuously, so you will never run out!
How a Demand Water Heater works
How Tankless Water Heaters Work (1:08)
Transcript: How Tankless Water Heaters Work (1:08)
Conventional hot water heaters heat and store hot water 24 hours a day. That constant heating and reheating of water is an enormous waste of energy and money.
A tankless water heating system is the energy efficient way to meet all your hot water needs. These compact units can produce and supply endless hot water at a constant temperature.
Once a hot water faucet is turned on, cold water enters the tankless system. The system starts operation mode. The burners ignite as the cold water is heated in the heat exchanger. The hot water then flows to the fixtures.
When the hot water faucet is shut off, your tankless system goes into standby mode. You save energy by heating water only when you need it.
Replace your inefficient conventional water heater with one of our tankless systems today, and start enjoying the convenience of endless hot water and greater energy savings. We're the area's specialists and tankless technology. Call today, and we'll provide expert answers to all your questions and help you determine which tankless system is perfect for your needs.
The future in hot water heating is here today.
Typically, demand heaters provide hot water at a rate of 2 to 5 gallons per minute. This flow rate might meet the requirements of a household's hot water needs as long as the hot water is not needed in more than one location at a time (e.g., one cannot shower and do the laundry simultaneously). To meet hot water demand when multiple faucets are being used, demand heaters can be installed in parallel sequence.
Although gas-fired demand heaters tend to have higher flow rates than electric ones, they can waste energy even when no water is being heated if their pilot lights stay on. However, the amount of energy consumed by a pilot light is quite small. Thus, in most cases, gas demand water heaters will cost less to operate than electric water heaters.
Demand water heaters cost more than conventional storage tank-type units and often have more complicated installation. On demand hot water heaters are sized by how much hot water it can produce per minute (gallons/minute). This can be anywhere from 2-5 gallons/minute, so you need to consider how much hot water use your home will need at the same time. The more hot water the unit produces, the higher the cost.
Advantages and Disadvantages of Demand Water Heaters
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