How to Choose a Tankless Water Heater?

We guess all people know about special appliances that heat the water. They are called water heaters, and they can be found in every modern house all around the globe. They help to heat water and some of them do it very fast! An instant water heater heats your water almost in a blink of an eye, and it is a huge advantage for busy people who have no spare minute to wait. Most people prefer to use tankless water heaters option due to the number of advantages it offers.

As many people want to buy it, they ask one definite question – How to choose a tankless water heater? It is not that easy to answer this question because many factors affect the choice. You should take into account all of them before you make the final decision. Among such are 6 very important factors. These are as follows:

1. Size;
2. GMP;
3. Type;
4. Energy source;
5. Climate;
6. Warranty.

Our comprehensive review will highlight all these factors. After you read and understand them, you will easily choose a perfect unit. It may be a home tankless water heater, as well as an option without it.

Measure the Size

Size matters a lot! Remember this statement for good! Prior to buying any water heater, you should know the right sizes of two things.

1. The room where you want to install the water heater;
2. The size of the required unit.

How to size a tankless water heater? Begin with the location in your house. Take the measurements of the space where the heater can be installed. After you know the maximum, go to a local store or use an online analog. Look for the adequate size and keep it in memory.

Tip: We wrote to keep it in mind and not to buy it with a purpose. You should consider other vital factors to be sure that the option suits your needs.

Check GMP

You should always check the GMP of your water heater. This abbreviation stands for gallons per minute and really do matter! It is the power of your water heater. There are maximum and realistic GMP.

The maximum indicator shows the full capacity of the water heater. Nonetheless, it is not possible to reach it, no matter what the manufacturer writes on its product. Therefore, you should pay attention to the realistic indicator. It shows what is actually possible. For example, your heater has 8 GMP as maximum. Its realistic measure is 6 GMP. This is the exact power you can reach and so can heat 6 gallons per minute.

Consider the Type

We have already mentioned the polarity of tankless units, and the reasons to choose them are vital. The first thing is quite obvious. It is its size! If you buy a unit with a tank, it will surely require more space than the one without the tank. Such an option is more compact and can be installed in various places. You may install it even outside. In the meanwhile, it is impossible with a tank unit.

The second reason is less obvious. A tankless gas or electric water heater helps to heat water very fast. It does not need to wait until the water refills the tank again to heat it. Everything is hot as long as you need it. This type is especially useful for people who use hot water very often. In case your needs are moderate, a tank unit may suit you as well.

The Energy Source Matters!

Water heaters use various kinds of “fuel”. These are natural gas, propane, or electricity. The energy source means a lot because some sources may be more expensive for you. You ought to take into account the natural sources of your region. If it lacks gas and propane, all water heaters that are based on them will be expensive. You will have to pay a lot for purchasing, installing, repairing, and billing. In this case, the best solution is to buy an electric hot water heater.

However, the situation may change if your region has rich deposits of natural gas and propane. The cost of heating units will be much cheaper because those sources are sufficient for the population of the region.

Consider Weather Conditions

We guess some readers are confused by one factor on our list – the climate. Nonetheless, it is true! A lot depends on your location and the peculiarities of weather conditions. How is it linked to the case? We will explain in one plain example.

Let’s imagine that you live somewhere in sunny California. It is normally warm and even hot sometimes. Do you need a lot of hot water at home? We can bet that you don’t! Accordingly, you do not need a too powerful water heater. If your location is cold, you will need a powerful unit to have hot water all the time long and heat it fast.

Give Heed to the Warranty

Finally, you should pay close attention to the warranty you get in case you buy a certain model. Some manufacturers offer pretty “blurred” policies that do not always explain everything clearly. It may turn out that if your heater gets broken, you will have to repair it by giving your own costs. That is why you should study the warranty attentively to avoid possible complications in the future. To define a reliable contractor, check the next essentials:

• Reputation;
• Average rating;
• Customers’ feedback.

Be sure you analyze all the data before you make the final decision.

Wrapping Up

We hope our comprehensive review was helpful for you. We have highlighted 6 vital factors that should be always taken into account when you buy a gas or electric tankless water heater for shower. You know the advantages of a tankless unit compared to the one with a tank. Therefore, we are confident that you are armed with all the necessary knowledge and plainly understand how to choose a tankless water heater.