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Electric tankless water heater
Tankless hot water heaters
An electric tankless water heater is worth
considering. After all, the allure of instant hot water and the
potential energy savings are tempting. However it's important to note
that even with recent advancements electric units generally have lower
flow rate capacities than tankless gas water
heaters.
So for larger homes with several adult occupants,
an electric powered unit alone may not suit all the hot water needs and
demands. But electrical units do make ideal point of use water
heaters.
There are several important things to seriously consider before
purchasing.
Electrical requirements
Before you select an electric tankless hot water
heater you must first ensure that your home has sufficient enough
capacity because electric powered units are limited by a home's
electrical service capabilities.
Whether your home can accommodate a
particular unit will depend on 3 important specifications; voltage,
amperage
and your circuit breakers.
Voltage
If you were to think of electricity as water flow,
the voltage would be the amount of pressure or power. Check your home's
circuit breaker box (also called the electrical service panel). In most
cases within the box the voltage capacity of your panel should be
provided.
Generally
speaking, most homes in America have
220V or 240V breakers. But many manufactures offer units
that accommodate 110V, 120V, 208V and 277V.
Amperage
Again if electricity were water flow, then
amperage would be the flow rate. Simply put amperage is the amount of
electricity being used in a given time period.
Chances are your homes circuit breaker box also
identifies the amperage capacity of the electrical panel. In most cases
it's either 100amps or 150 amps, but many newer homes have 200 and 400
amp
electrical panels.
Knowing this is important because any electric
tankless water heater will need a certain amount of electricity to
provide instant hot water. And manufactures list the maximum amount of amps,
or amp draw,
that a particular electrical tankless water heater will
need at a certain amount of volts.
Simply
put, before purchasing see to it that the
unit you're considering has a maximum amp draw that your home can
accommodate. How many amps you have available is probably the most
important electrical consideration to make.
Circuit
breakers
Circuit breakers are automatic switches to protect
and support an appliance, and your home, from damage caused from
overload. Simply put make sure that have a circuit that will support
the Electric Tankless Water Heater of your choice and connection is
possible where you wish to install it.
If
your home doesn't meet the amperage requirements of a particuliar
electric tankless water heater, you can make minor adaptions. An
additional electric sevice panel can be added or you can replace the
existing circuit breakers.
It's a good
idea to consult a licensed electrician before
selecting electric tankless water heaters, especially if you
can't verify your homes' electrical capacity.
Keep in mind that any potential
electrical upgrades will off set your potential energy savings. But
such upgrades (such as installing a circuit breaker) should be an easy
task for any licensed professional.
When choosing an electrician,
- Ensure that he or she understands local, state,
provincial, and
national electrical codes for your area and is familiar with electric
tankless water heaters.
- Inquire about possible references and see to it
that you receive cost
estimates in writing.
Flow rates and climate region
When considering any tankless hot water heater, the flow rates of you
fixtures, or the appliance the unit will service, should be considered
before hand. Flow rates and your regional climate are essential
considerations to make to ensure that you choose the best tankless
water heater for your home.
More on tankless hot water heaters
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