- One popular question that every homeowner must ask before investing in a tankless water heater is: what size of tankless water heater do I need? This article answers that question and everything you must know about tankless water heaters before investing in one.
It’s always surprising how essential tankless water heaters are today. However, despite their growing importance, they rarely get talked about; or better put – they don’t get talked about enough, making them underrated. Tankless water heaters have everything their traditional counterparts everyone is used to don’t. From energy efficiency to space-saving, nothing about them can be ignored.
On the other hand, one big mistake people always make is not doing their homework before going to the market to get a tankless water heater. Most people don’t realize they must consider many things before choosing the right tankless water heater for their homes. Without wasting much time, let’s explore what you must do and know before settling for a tankless water heater for your home.
Assessing Your Hot Water Needs
The most important thing you must do before getting your hands on a tankless water heater is to assess your hot water needs. This puts you in a good position to determine the right size of tankless water heater your home truly needs, making you go to the market with more direction. Let’s face it; different factors influence hot water usage in any home, and you must embrace that reality before picking a tankless water heater.
Consideration of factors affecting hot water Usage:
Number of household members
The demand for hot water increases as the number of household members increases. It is, therefore, crucial to consider the number of people in the house when shopping for a tankless water heater.
Number of bathrooms and fixtures
The number of bathrooms and fixtures in your home has a direct effect on the hot water demand. Each shower, faucet, bathtub, and appliance that requires hot water contributes to the overall usage. Consider all the fixtures in your household, such as sinks, showers, bathtubs, dishwashers, and washing machines, as they will collectively determine the required hot water capacity.
Peak hot water usage patterns
Observe the patterns of hot water usage in your household. Are mornings a bustling rush hour of showers and breakfast cleanup? Or do you have multiple family members using hot water simultaneously in the evenings? Identifying peak usage periods will help determine the necessary flow rate and ensure an uninterrupted hot water supply.
Calculation of the flow rate
Flow rate is another important thing you must get right when getting the ideal water heater for your space. According to Indoor Comfort Marketing, flow rate means the amount of hot water needed per minute to satisfy simultaneous hot water demands. You must determine the GPM (gallons per minute) of peak hot water demand to get the right flow rate.
It’s now the time to account for simultaneous hot water usage. This is where you consider different scenarios of hot water usage, including when multiple fixtures produce hot water simultaneously.
Most times, the temperature rise can be influenced by many factors, including seasonal variation in incoming water temperature or geographical location. If you live in a warmer region, there’s a high chance of a higher incoming water temperature.
Common Sizing Mistakes to Avoid
One thing you must know is that if you choose the wrong size of tankless water heater for your home, you will end up with an inefficient unit that is likely to cost you more in the long run in terms of how you might need to change it or the amount of money you could spend due to its inefficiency. Here are a few common mistakes to avoid:
Undersizing the unit
This is a common one. Many folks tend to undersize the tankless water heater in their homes due to the need for proper research or effort to get the right size. Getting a unit smaller than needed in your home will only lead to a few frustrations. Firstly, you’ll never have enough hot water, especially with a family of four or more. Nothing is worse than being in the shower, and you have to endure a cold shower because there’s not enough hot water.
Secondly, if you get a smaller unit than you need, you’ll have to spend a lot of money trying to keep your energy bills down. An inefficient water unit will consume more energy than it should. Since tankless water heaters are known for their energy-saving properties, you should try to get the right size to save yourself a lot of money in the long run.
Oversizing the unit
You must avoid oversizing the unit as much as under-sizing it. When you get a bigger unit than you need, you’ll only pay more for what you don’t use. This is because the upfront cost will be more than what would have been needed to get the right water heater size. Besides the high upfront purchase cost, you may also have to spend more on installation.
Another thing is energy wastage. Getting an oversized unit means more energy consumption, which may lead to higher energy bills.
Neglecting future growth or changes in hot water demands
Always consider future growth, like future additions to the family or new appliances that may increase hot water demands in the house. Anticipating these potential changes will get you to make the right choice when buying the right water heater size. On the other hand, you also don’t want to overestimate these potential changes, which may lead to more energy wastage. You must find the balance in your predictions to get the right unit size.
Relying on DIY calculations
There’s no harm in trying these calculations yourself. The problem is that they may not always be accurate, as they can only give you a rough estimate, which is not always accurate. Therefore, you should seek professional counsel for accurate sizing recommendations for your water heater.
Conclusion
Sizing a tankless water heater is crucial to get the most out of it. To get your hands on the right size of tankless water heater, you must assess your needs, but not only that. You must also consider your future needs and potential changes to your household, except if you only wish to use the water heater for a year or two. Calculating the flow rate of your home’s fixtures will also help you determine the right size of water heater your home needs. For the calculation, you may need to seek the counsel of a professional that will help recommend the right water heater sizes based on your home and needs.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are there any additional considerations to take into account when selecting a tankless water heater?
Size is one of many things you must consider when selecting a tankless water heater. Other factors like price, energy efficiency, and maintenance requirements must also be considered.
Can I rely on DIY calculations to determine the right water heater size?
As mentioned earlier, DIY calculations can only give you an estimate. To get accurate calculations, you’ll need to seek the help of a professional.
How does oversizing a tankless water heater impact performance and costs?
Oversized units can lead to higher upfront costs and potential energy wastage, as they consume more energy than necessary to heat water, resulting in inefficiency and increased utility bills.
Can I install a tankless water heater myself?
If you’re not an expert at it, we recommend hiring a professional to help install your tankless water heater.
Can a tankless water heater provide hot water to multiple fixtures simultaneously?
Yes, it can.
