A tankless water heater heats water without an external water holding tank. It’s also called a demand water heater because it provides hot water only when needed. This form of water heater is comprised of a heating unit that heats water as it travels through the pipe it surrounds. Whether electric or gas-powered, this type of water heater is housed in a wall-mounted box that’s about the size of a circuit breaker box. A small power supply unit is mounted near gas models for pilot light ignition.
As the hot water tap is turned on, cold water moves into a pipe that goes through the wall-mounted heating unit. After a gas burner or electric heating element heats the water, it is immediately sent through the pipe to your faucet. Such tankless water heaters can typically supply between 7.6 to 15.2 liters per minute. In general, gas units can heat water more rapidly than electric ones.
Due to the limited flow rate, many homes are equipped with at least two tankless water heaters to meet household demand. Therefore, tankless water heaters represent a substantial investment for most homeowners. Routine flushing and other professional maintenance tasks performed by Aire One Heating and Cooling providing HVAC services in Ontario can help protect this investment. With professional maintenance, a tankless water heater can last for 20 or more years, with energy savings of 24 to 34 percent over tank-bound water heaters.
In addition to routine maintenance, there are several ways to reduce energy costs associated with tankless water heaters. Installing low-flow showerheads and restrictive faucet aerators will reduce water consumption. Since gas models have a pilot light, turning off the pilot light when hot water is not needed or installing an intermittent ignition device, or IID, can also reduce operating expenses. An IID is similar to the sparking device that ignites some gas kitchen ranges. It rapidly ignites the pilot light each time a hot water tap is turned on. Aire One Heating and Cooling, serving all over Ontario, can properly install and maintain an IID or a tankless water heater. Contact us today to book a maintenance or installation appointment!