Tankless & Traditional Water Heaters

Tankless Water Heater Installation

Tankless water heaters have been in use in Europe and Asia for over 20 years. They are just starting to gain wider acceptance and use in the United States, and we’re bringing them to you in San Francisco. Tankless water heaters are more energy efficient than traditional tanks because they heat water as it is used, rather than heating and re-heating water in a storage tank. They are also common in Europe and Japan in large part because they take significantly less physical space.

We have found that our customers that have Tankless water heaters installed have been very pleased. We install most brands of tankless water heaters including both indoor and outdoor units. A customer service representative can also help you decide which unit would work best for you.

Tankless water heaters are gaining in popularity in the U.S. for several reasons:

Endless Hot Water

Since a tankless hot water heaters heat on demand, hot water will not run out. This is especially useful for large families or for homes with larger hot water demands – for example homes with a soaking tub or spa system are often good candidates for a tankless system. If you are considering upsizing your tank from 40 or 50 gallons to 66 or 80 gallons, we strongly recommend you also consider a tankless hot water heater.

While traditional hot water tanks are compared based on gallon capacity, recovery rate and first hour rating, tankless hot water heaters are compared based on flow rate. As long as the home uses hot water at a flow rate below the tankless heater’s maximum flow rate, there is no “recovery”; first hour usage is for practical purposes unlimited.

Flow rates for residential tankless hot water heaters are measured in gallons per minute based on a given heat rise (typically 25 or 50 degrees) and range from 4 gallons per minute to 8 gallons per minute. A unit that heats 4 gallons per minute can handle a shower plus one appliance operating at the same time. A unit with over 7 gallons per minute can typically handle two showers and a large appliance.

Important to note: Tankless units do not provide “instant hot water” as hot water still takes time to flow from the unit to the tap or shower.

Space Saving

The footprint of tankless units is much smaller freeing up additional space in the home or garage.

Traditional Water Heaters

Traditional Water Heaters Come in Two Main Types

Traditional or storage hot water heaters are typically either gas or electric powered and come in a variety of sizes. Power source generally varies by geography. For example, in Oregon and Washington about forty percent of homes have electric powered heaters while in Northern and Southern California the vast majority of water heaters are gas powered.

Water Heaters Come in a Variety of Sizes

Both residential gas and electric water heaters come in a variety of sizes but the most common are:

• 40 gallon
• 50 gallon
• 66 gallon
• 75 gallon
• 80 gallon
• 120 gallon

Call the water heater pros San Francisco has come to love!