Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
We went with propane powered, tankless, re-circulating system on out new build last year after always using traditional 50 gal tank/NG. I'm not terribly impressed with any fuel savings: although we're old flati now and don't even take daily showers like we used to, and only use gas for heating water & cooking <4 meals/d, we still went thru 500+ of propane in the past year....I don't think that translates to any more than $5/month savings, if that....No complaint with how the system works...just thought we'd see better milage.
We went with propane powered, tankless, re-circulating system on out new build last year after always using traditional 50 gal tank/NG. I'm not terribly impressed with any fuel savings: although we're old flati now and don't even take daily showers like we used to, and only use gas for heating water & cooking <4 meals/d, we still went thru 500+ of propane in the past year....I don't think that translates to any more than $5/month savings, if that....No complaint with how the system works...just thought we'd see better milage.
A recirculating system uses a lot more energy. It is also a luxury item, not an efficiency item. If you have no storage tank at all, then the recirculating system requires the tankless to run non-stop. For our tankless, that is equivalent to turning the heat up in your house and opening the windows in the winter. In the summer it is even worse because the recirculating system is heating the house up while the AC is trying to cool it down. this is akin to turning on the heat and the AC at the same time.
A recirculating system uses a lot more energy. It is also a luxury item, not an efficiency item. If you have no storage tank at all, then the recirculating system requires the tankless to run non-stop. For our tankless, that is equivalent to turning the heat up in your house and opening the windows in the winter. In the summer it is even worse because the recirculating system is heating the house up while the AC is trying to cool it down. this is akin to turning on the heat and the AC at the same time.
You'd have to be some kind of idiot to run it constantly. I wouldn't install one these but you insulate both the feed and return pipe, circulation pump goes on a timer. If it was insulated well enough you wouldn't need to run it often. I'd imagine if you live in a area with water shortage problems this is better than wasting water. I wouldn't be surprised if such systems were mandatory in the future in areas like that.
My recirculating system goes on for about 20 seconds every half hour or so to provide "instant on" convenience. Pipes (pex tubing) runs thru the concrete floor. My LP bill (covers only cooking & water heating) is only ~$40/m. Figure cooking was same here as when we lived in town with NG/conventional tank water heater-- I'm saving maybe $10/m on water heating (mis-calculated in earlier post). Thanks to over-reaching govt regs, conventional tank heaters went form $125 each to $600 each. Extra expense of tankless was well worth it.
Going from traditional water heaters to the tankless types only seems to trade resources wasted.
With the traditional type, we waste costs in the form of gas. With the tankless kind, we waste water getting the thing to switch into continuous heating mode. It'll heat for a short burst - assuming washing hands or something - but doesn't activate continuously as though shaving or bathing (until lots of water has been wasted to get it to "understand" what we are doing).
It's all a game. I don't see tankless models as any more "green", though the companies and salespersons are good at selling that.
I don't see tankless models as any more "green", though the companies and salespersons are good at selling that.
Right. I'm not convinced they even save electricity. It will be interesting to compare monthly electric bills before and after, now that a conventional tank heater is installed here.
Electricity comes from hydro in our community, so water " be wasting" one way or another.
Thanks for the suggestion. Plumbing gas line would be required but it's certainly worthy of consideration.
We have a gas tankless water heater and it works quite well. But if you don't need a large quantity of hot water at a given time, I would just go with a regular electric tank heater. But if you plumb for gas, you could also use it for heat and cooking. Something to consider. Gas is way cheaper than electricity in Alaska.
How do you get 40*F inlet water? Supply pipes should be below frostline where it's always ~55*F.
Electric heaters are inherently less efficient than combustion heaters. Use electric only if power is "free."
Not in Alaska. Water temperature coming into the house is down in the 30s.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
