![]() You can see the results in our water heater ratings charts. "We didn't find meaningful performance differences that would cause a consumer to choose one brand over another."īecause the differences among models were negligible, instead of breaking out individual models for ratings like we do with most other products, our engineers grouped all the gas tankless units together and all the electric tankless models together, and compared the groups with their conventional storage tank models that run on the same fuel. ![]() ![]() “Whole-house tankless heaters are designed to produce a target amount of hot water-3 to 4 gallons a minute-and they did,” says Banta. “It’s a tough test,” says Banta.Īfter weeks of testing, we discovered that all the gas tankless water heaters performed similarly and all the electric tankless were equivalent in terms of performance. It's a draw totaling 84 gallons of water a day with a starting temperature of 58° F (plus or minus 2 degrees), and a target outlet temperature of 120° F. “That’s the equivalent of taking several showers, running the dishwasher, washing one load of laundry, and turning the faucet on and off multiple times,” says John Banta, an engineer who oversees our water heater tests. We based our tests on what’s called a “heavy use” industry standard. With the help of an outside lab, we conducted performance tests and measured energy use on the nine models we purchased, and calculated installation costs for storage tank and tankless water heaters, as well as how long it would take a homeowner to recoup the investment of a tankless water heater-called the payback time. “And buyer’s remorse is a powerful thing,” he says. He says that years ago, when plumbers were less familiar with tankless installations, homeowners complained that they weren’t getting the same water delivery they experienced with their storage tank. “They’ve come a long way,” says Geno Caccia, a third-generation plumber who operates a family business in San Mateo, Calif., with his brother. ![]() Considering that 90 percent of hot water heater installations take place during an emergency, according to the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy, that puts you at a disadvantage when you're negotiating with a prospective plumber or contractor to make the switch on your tight timeline.īut if your storage tank water heater is nearing the end of its useful life and you’re interested in saving space and energy, tankless water heaters are worth a look. Switching to tankless from a storage tank water heater is no easy swap because it requires a plumbing retrofit and possibly an upgrade to your electric service or gas lines to increase capacity. ![]()
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