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naturalChoice

On demand

Tankless water heaters save money and space.

By Monica Stavish Skaggs

njoying that hot shower while the dishwasher and washing
machine are operating is a reality with today’s energy-effi-
cient tankless water heaters. Natural gas tankless water heat-
E ers deliver a continuous supply of hot water to a household.
With conventional water heaters, homeowners often spread out dif-
ferent tasks that require hot water to allow time for the heater to re- PhOtO COURtESy Of nAviEn inC.
cover. A typical tank can deliver lots of hot water at once, but it can also
run out quickly. That can create an abrupt end to showering or lack of
proper temperatures for laundry or the dishwasher. With a properly
sized tankless system, water is heated as it is distributed, meaning it
won’t run out of hot water.
And while it’s great to indulge in that luxuriating shower, consum-
ers conscious of the environment can be guilt-free because tankless
water heaters provide energy savings. They are also more compact and
mount on a wall, taking up less space than bulky conventional storage
water heaters.
“High efficiency and eco-friendly condensing tankless technology
can reduce energy consumption by 20% to 40% and significantly reduce
greenhouse gas emissions,” said Brian Fenske, director of commercial
sales, Navien Inc.
Tankless water heaters are called demand-type or instantaneous wa-
ter heaters. They instantly heat the water for as long as there is a demand
for hot water. This eliminates the added cost of keeping 40 to 50 gallons
of water hot in a storage tank.
While tankless water heaters’ upfront cost is generally more than
conventional water heaters, they usually last longer and are less expen-
sive to operate. The initial cost to install a tankless water heater can
be $2,000 to $3,000, but most last up to 20 years. According to the U.S.
Department of Energy, that compares to the average life span of 10 to Navien Inc.’s tankless water heaters offer reliable, space-saving design and
15 years for conventional water heaters. flexibility. They are compact and can be mounted on a wall, taking up less
“Tankless water heaters have much longer component and parts space than conventional storage water heaters.

“High efficiency and eco-friendly condensing warranties than conventional water heaters. Like all equipment, they
tankless technology can reduce energy should be maintained and supplied with acceptable water quality and
have regularly scheduled or required service,” Fenske said.
consumption by 20% to 40% and significantly Replaceable parts can extend the life of tankless water heaters by
reduce greenhouse gas emissions.” several years. At the same time, they save money because they don’t
produce the same standby energy losses associated with conventional
— Brian Fenske, director of commercial sales,
water heaters.
Navien Inc. (continued on page 15)

Spring - Summer 2021 ❙ naturalLiving 07
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