[Greenbuilding] Water heater comparison

Speireag Alden speireag at gmail.com
Tue Feb 3 15:31:42 CST 2009


On 2009, Jan 12, at 12:17, Lawrence Lile wrote:

> A tankless heater is way, way better than an old inefficient water  
> heater.  It also never runs out of hot water (does this encourage  
> energy waste?).  Tankless heaters are terrible a low-flows, you  
> can't for example dribble hot water out of your sink while you are  
> doing dishes, it's all or nothing.  Many tankless owners end up  
> coring out the flow restrictor in their shower, to prevent them from  
> cycling hot and cold, wasting more energy.  Tankless are complex  
> units with lots of controls.  I've come full circle and now think  
> they are not that great an idea.  I'm sure there are others here  
> with a different opinion and I'll be interested in what they say.


     I used to advocate for tankless.  I've used both, though I have  
not yet used an electric tankless.  I must say that, especially when  
combined with solar pre-heat, I'm leaning back toward tank heaters,  
for all the reasons Lawrence cites.

     I did like endless hot water.  However, I also like to trickle  
hot water into a tub, and I couldn't do that with the tankless.

-Speireag.


--
The most ridiculous concept ever perpetrated by Homo Sapiens is that  
the Lord God of Creation, Shaper and Ruler of the Universes, wants the  
saccharine adoration of his creations, that he can be persuaded by  
their prayers, and becomes petulant if he does not receive this  
flattery.
--Robert A. Heinlein




More information about the Greenbuilding mailing list