Tank vs Tankless….. the debate
We bought a fixer and have to move the hot-water heater. (It is currently in the kitchen corner– we have no idea why.) I would like to get a new, tankless model and install it in the laundry room, because a tank water heater will not fit there. If we stick with a tank water heater, we will have to make a place for it by remodeling a closet or something. Ergo, I vote for tankless.
However, we are concerned about the efficiency for our household. We have two bathrooms, one sink, one shower each, a dishwasher, a kitchen sink and a washing machine. Right now, it is just the two of us, and a tankless model probably would be the most efficient. But when the little ones come along, we are concerned that may change.
Any thoughts/opinions on what would be the best route? I have heard that tankless is the way to go for a small household, while a tank water heater is better for busy households. We have thought about a small tankless in the remote kitchen, with a tank central between the two bathrooms and laundry room. Or, tankless units in the kitchen, the farthest bathroom, and one between the master and the nearby laundry room. (We are open to whatever is most energy-efficient.)
Replies
I see this is your first post, Welcome to BT. Some of the following is tounge in cheek to familiarize you with some of the type comments you may get.
most energy-efficient
I'll assume this is electric?
In which case the 'greenest' is a well insulated tank. Plus it will cost you less bucks.
By well insulated, I mean adding 3" external.
Tankless adds many kW to peak loads, which Al Gore does not like (typical tankless is 20 kW) , whereas typical tank models are < 5kW max.
If you believe AlGore, your kids will die underwater in 2032 if you use a tankless.
However, if space is at a premium, or you don't believe Al, and you don't care if you have a $24K per month electric bill like him and will buy carbon credits <G>, then tankless may be for you.
I got a tank myself, built a box around it and filled it with R-19 wrap. Also preheat the incoming water with renewable, non-fossil, energy - e.g solar or biomass heat.
Start here: http://www.taunton.com
The author is available via the e-mail listed and he will work with you as needed.
And
parts for tankless are hard to find on sat nite or on sunday
Your reason for wanting a tankless--lack of space for a tank--is the best reason for going tankless. I don't think there is any efficiency advantage to a tankless unless you have long standby periods, i.e. you travel a lot, only one person lives there, etc. If you are talking about a gas unit then you need to evaluate the gas piping and venting situations, as they can be expensive to make right. If you are talking electric then you need to make sure the unit you use can heat enough water, fast enough.
We have a Takagi gas unit that's ~180K BTU. It heats plenty of water. It is in the attic where venting was easy and used few parts. I already had big enough gas lines to within 10 feet of the unit and I own pipe threading gear so I added what I needed. We are happy with it, especially since we added a dishwasher and do a lot less hand-dishwashing (rinsing dishes with a tankless takes some getting used to...)