| Electric tankless water heater
Tankless hot water heaters
An electric tankless water heater is worth considering. After all, the allure of instant hot water and the potential energy savings are tempting. However it's important to note that even with recent advancements electric units generally have lower flow rate capacities than tankless gas water heaters. So for larger homes with several adult occupants, an electric powered unit alone may not suit all the hot water needs and demands. But electrical units do make ideal point of use water heaters. There are several important things to seriously consider before purchasing.
Electrical requirements Before you select an electric tankless hot water heater you must first ensure that your home has sufficient enough capacity because electric powered units are limited by a home's electrical service capabilities. Whether your home can accommodate a particular unit will depend on 3 important specifications; voltage, amperage and your circuit breakers.
Voltage If you were to think of electricity as water flow, the voltage would be the amount of pressure or power. Check your home's circuit breaker box (also called the electrical service panel). In most cases within the box the voltage capacity of your panel should be provided. Generally speaking, most homes in America have 220V or 240V breakers. But many manufactures offer units that accommodate 110V, 120V, 208V and 277V.
Amperage Again if electricity were water flow, then amperage would be the flow rate. Simply put amperage is the amount of electricity being used in a given time period. Chances are your homes circuit breaker box also identifies the amperage capacity of the electrical panel. In most cases it's either 100amps or 150 amps, but many newer homes have 200 and 400 amp electrical panels. Knowing this is important because any electric tankless water heater will need a certain amount of electricity to provide instant hot water. And manufactures list the maximum amount of amps, or amp draw, that a particular electrical tankless water heater will need at a certain amount of volts. Simply put, before purchasing see to it that the unit you're considering has a maximum amp draw that your home can accommodate. How many amps you have available is probably the most important electrical consideration to make.
Circuit breakers Circuit breakers are automatic switches to protect and support an appliance, and your home, from damage caused from overload. Simply put make sure that have a circuit that will support the Electric Tankless Water Heater of your choice and connection is possible where you wish to install it. If your home doesn't meet the amperage requirements of a particuliar electric tankless water heater, you can make minor adaptions. An additional electric sevice panel can be added or you can replace the existing circuit breakers.
It's a good idea to consult a licensed electrician before selecting electric tankless water heaters, especially if you can't verify your homes' electrical capacity.
Keep in mind that any potential electrical upgrades will off set your potential energy savings. But such upgrades (such as installing a circuit breaker) should be an easy task for any licensed professional. When choosing an electrician, - Ensure that he or she understands local, state, provincial, and national electrical codes for your area and is familiar with electric tankless water heaters.
- Inquire about possible references and see to it that you receive cost estimates in writing.
Flow rates and climate region When considering any tankless hot water heater, the flow rates of you fixtures, or the appliance the unit will service, should be considered before hand. Flow rates and your regional climate are essential considerations to make to ensure that you choose the best tankless water heater for your home.
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