Tankless Water Heater Q&A

Many homeowners have heard about tankless or “on demand” water heaters (also called instant water heaters, though installers are quick to point out that the hot water isn’t delivered “instantly”). And with today’s rising energy costs, many homeowners are considering installing these devices. However, questions abound.

An alternative to tank-style water heaters, where the water is heated and then stored in a tank until its needed (which sounds incredible inefficient, doesn’t it?), a tankless water heat is essentially a box that mounts on the wall and heats the water only when you need it. A typical tankless unit can operate up to three devices (shower, dishwasher, clothes washer, etc.) simultaneously, according to Rheem, a manufacturer of tankless water heaters. The company provided the following Q&A to help homeowners better understand how to make the transition between a tank water heater and a tankless unit.

Question:  What is the first step in making the switch to a tankless water heater?

Answer: The first step is to hire an experienced contractor or plumber for installation.  He or she will advise you on the right model for your home, and your installation options.

During installation, your old water heater is disconnected and removed.  Next, your installer will mount the new tankless water heater inside or outside your home, and connect necessary plumbing, piping and venting.

Because tankless heaters “fire” at a much higher temperature than tank-based heaters – but for a much shorter time – you may need to upgrade your natural gas piping to accommodate the increased flow of natural gas needed by the tankless heater.  Your installer will be able to advise on this and other issues.

Question:  How much money can I save by going tankless?

Answer: This will depend on how much hot water you consume and the efficiency of your current water heater.  Typically, an average homeowner can save up to 35 percent on water heating costs by switching to a tankless water heater.

Question:  Will there be a difference in my hot water with a tankless heater?

Answer: Yes!  You won’t be running out of it anymore – and you won’t be paying to keep a tank of water hot when you’re not using it.  You’ll be able to have someone showering, the laundry going, hot water for the breakfast dishes in the sink, and still you won’t run out.  As with a tank water heater, there will still be a short period when you first turn on the tap before the hot water hits the faucet, but it won’t run out (once it has started) before you’re finished.

Question: Can anything be done about the time it takes for the water to heat up after I turn on my fixture?  It’s quite wasteful.

Answer: The time it takes for the hot water to reach your faucet is not due to waiting on your water heater to start working.  Rather, it takes a few seconds (and perhaps longer, depending on your home) for the cooled water in the pipes to be displaced by the hot water from your heater.  Granted, this can be wasteful, given that the standard 3/4-inch pipe holds a quarter gallon of water for every 10 feet of pipe.

One solution is to have a professional contractor or plumber install a circulation pump system in your home.  These can be triggered by motion sensors so that, for example, when you walk into your bathroom, the pump would start and pull hot water from the heater and circulate the cold water in your pipes back to the heater.

Another solution would be to install tankless water heaters in different parts of your house, so the distance from the water heater to your faucet is shortened.

For more information on Rheem tankless water heaters, visit www.rheemtankless.com.

Glass That Stays Clean

One way to make a cramped bathroom look larger is to install a glass-encased shower, which will give the room a more spacious appearance. One problem, though: Over time, as the shower glass is subjected to soaps, shampoos and harsh cleaners, it can become cloudy. And as the residue hardens into a permanent build-up, the glass can appear dirty and unattractive.To solve that problem, Guardian Industries, a glass manufacturer based in Auburn Hills, Mich., has introduced ShowerGuard glass, which is specifically designed to resist the discoloration and corrosion caused by constant exposure to heat, humidity, hot water, soaps and household cleaners. It’s also easier to clean than standard glass and maintains its original appearance through the years, making it a good option for use in a small bathroom that is dependent on a glass shower to achieve an open feel.

The residue-shedding properties of ShowerGuard glass are built in during its manufacture, when the surface of the glass is permanently sealed using an ion beam process. The built-in protection is part of the glass itself, so it never needs to be re-applied. With minimal cleaning, the glass will stay clear, no matter what type of water your have. ShowerGuard glass is backed by a 10-year warranty. For information or to find a local dealer: www.showerguardglass.com.

Creative Countertops

When it comes to kitchen countertop materials, homeowners have a wide range of options from which to choose, including wood, butcher block, ceramic tile and laminates as well as marble, granite, quartz, engineered stone, soapstone, solid surface, concrete, stainless steel and recycled-glass terrazzo. Now you can add two new materials to that list – bamboo and recycled commodes.

That’s right – a company called EnviroGlas, based in Plano, Texas, has developed a way of taking crushed porcelain from recycled toilets, sinks and tubs and mixing it with resins of various colors to create a terrazzo called EnviroMODE, a durable, eco-friendly material homeowners can use as countertops. The material is heat- and scratch-resistant, is highly resistant to common household stains and is easily cleaned. It’s also free of volatile organic compounds (VOCs), and does not require a seal.

EnviroMODE was developed by Tim Whaley, principal of EnviroGlas, who was approached by the City of Dallas and asked if he had any ideas for using old toilets the city wanted to recycle. Having had experience in creating terrazzo surfaces using recycled glass, Whaley saw a way to use the crushed porcelain to create a similar material. The crushed porcelain used in the countertops has “a beautiful pearl-like finish,” notes Sherlyn McAnally, recycling manager for the City of Dallas. EnviroMODE is also available in planks for use as flooring.

Speaking of flooring, bamboo has become a popular flooring option in the last few years, thanks to its beauty and durability as well as its sustainability. Now, after conducting extensive research, Totally Bamboo has introduced its new solid bamboo kitchen countertops.

The bamboo countertops are constructed with cross-band laminates called Multilam, which greatly reduce twisting and warping and result in a countertop that is 16 percent harder than maple, according to the company. In addition, the countertops are non-toxic and formaldehyde-free. Flat grain, vertical grain and parquet end grain patterns are available, in sanded and unfinished planks, with standard thicknesses and lengths. The cost is about $30 per square foot. For more information on EnviroMODE: www.enviroglasproducts.com. For more info on Bamboo Countertops: www.totallybamboo.com.

Energy Star Appliances and Lighting

Generally, Energy Star-rated appliances use 10 to 50 percent less energy and water than standard units. Among the 50 categories of Energy Star products are energy-efficient air conditioners, clothes washers, dishwashers, refrigerators and dehumidifiers.

Swapping a 10-year-old room air conditioner for an Energy Star-qualified unit can easily save $25 annually in energy costs. Every Energy Star air conditioner comes with an Energy Guide label that lists the unit’s EER (energy efficiency ratio) and compares the energy use of that unit with all similar models within the same BTU range. The greater the EER, the greater are the savings.

Energy Star clothes washers use fast spin speeds to extract more water from clothes than non-Energy Star models, reducing clothes dryer time and therefore energy use. Energy Star dishwashers consume at least 41 percent less energy than the federal minimum standard requires. They also use less water, including hot water, therefore saving on heating of the water as well.

Today’s Energy Star refrigerators use about half the energy of models predating 1993. Featuring high-efficiency compressors, better insulation and more precise temperature and defrost mechanisms, they use, at minimum, 15 percent less energy than required by current federal standards and 40 percent less energy than conventional models sold in 2001.

The more efficient refrigeration coil, compressor and fan of an Energy Star dehumidifier enable removal of moisture from interior air with less energy than a conventional unit, potentially saving up to $20 annually.
Energy Star-qualified light bulbs or light fixtures use up to 75 percent less energy than standard lighting, produce 75 percent less heat (reducing the air cooling load for a space) and last up to 10 times longer.

LEDs, still an emerging technology, consume the least amount of energy of any lighting source (except daylight, of course). Because they are highly directional and put together in an array, they require special fixtures to maximize light distribution, which some manufacturers already offer. In addition, LED strips are increasingly popular choices above cabinets, under counters and inside kickspaces. For more information: www.energystar.gov.

Smart Wine Storage

It’s becoming more and more common these days to install a small, built-in or freestanding wine cellar in the kitchen. Not only is a kitchen-based wine cellar considered a convenience by many homeowners, but it’s also a great way to show off your wine collection. These stylish cellars can hold anywhere from a few to as many as 40 or 50 bottles or more, and will keep your wine in a cool, low-light, humidity-controlled place until you’re ready for it.

Generally, two types of kitchen wine cellars are available – those cooled by compressors, similar to your refrigerator, and those cooled by a thermoelectric system, which uses an electrical current flow through two dissimilar conductors to create a cooling effect. The benefits of thermoelectric cooling is that is uses less electricity than a compressor, is very quiet, gives off no vibrations (which can sometimes affect the sediments in a bottle of wine), and releases no CFCs (chlorofluorocarbons), as compressors do.

On the downside, thermoelectric cellars can take longer to cool a bottle of wine, and can cool only to a certain temperature, usually about 18 to 20 degrees below the ambient temperature of a room. So if your kitchen is 70 degrees, you can cool your wine bottles to about 50 degrees – fine for reds but not ideal for whites.

Thermoelectric wine cellars are widely available. Haier, for instance, sells a number of thermoelectric wine cellars with capacity from six to 48 bottles. Some have dual storage compartments (for whites and reds) and electronic control LED displays. Franklin Chef, Avanti, Urbina Design and SubZero also make thermoelectric wine cellars. Prices range from a few hundred dollars and up.

Which type of wine cellar is right for you? That depends on your home, your tastes in wine and your interest in energy efficiency and air quality. Talk to your local wine dealer or retailer, but just be aware than you have options before you buy. For more information: www.haieramerica.com.

Energy-Saving Awnings

Homeowners have long installed awnings as a way to shade windows, improve the appearance of their homes or provide a shaded area to sit outside on a warm, sunny afternoon. But awnings also can have a positive affect on your energy bill, according to a new study conducted by the Center for Sustainable Building Research at the University of Minnesota, in conjunction with the Professional Awning Manufacturers Association (PAMA).

In a cooler climate, such as Seattle, installing window awnings can reduce home cooling requirements by as much as 80 percent, the study found. And in a warmer climate, such as Sacramento, awnings can reduce cooling requirements by as much as 48 percent. The amount of energy saved varies, and depends on the location of the home, the number of windows, the orientation of the windows (east, south, west) and the type of glass in the windows.

The study measured the impact of awnings in seven U.S. cities, including Albuquerque, Boston, Minneapolis, Phoenix, Sacramento, Seattle and St. Louis. There were significant savings in all cities for all window orientations.

For a home in Phoenix, a warm climate, windows awnings can reduce the use of home cooling energy by as much as 26 percent, compared to a home with unshaded windows, the study found. In St. Louis, a mixed climate, awnings can reduce the use of cooling energy by as much as 23 percent, while in Boston, a cold climate, awnings can reduce the need for cooling energy by as much as 33 percent.

“Depending on the region, awnings can save homeowners more than $100 annually [in energy costs],” says Michelle Sahlin, managing director of PAMA. She also notes that “when homeowners reduce their need for energy, there is less demand at the time of peak usage, resulting in overall savings to utility companies and the public.”

The study measured energy performance for a typical new home of 2,000 square feet, with 300 square feet of window area. To view charts of specific energy savings in various cities or to locate a local awnings retailer or installer, visit the Awnings Today website at www.awningstoday.com.

Green Prefabs

It’s getting easier all the time to go green. Latest example: Living Homes, a Santa Monica, Calif.-based developer of prefab homes, has just introduced three prefabricated, LEED-certified homes, making it first company in the country to offer these types of green-certified residences to consumers. The homes – two designed by architect Ray Kappe and one by architect David Hertz – are built in a factory, delivered to a site to be erected in a matter of hours, and are designed to achieve at least a silver accreditation by LEED for Homes (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design), a green rating program developed by the U.S. Green Building Council.

RK1, the first prefab home designed by Ray Kappe, is a five-bedroom, two-story, 3,100-square foot home suitable for urban infill lots. RK2, the second Ray Kappe home, is a narrow one-story structure that is engineered to accommodate a second story at a later date, making it ideal for a second or vacation home. DH1, the David Hertz home, is an L-shaped design with open living spaces, raised ceilings, a series of balconies, a rooftop garden and a semi-private courtyard. It, too, is designed to expand, with plug-and-play pieces, from 2,200 to 2,600 square feet.

All homes feature energy-efficient and water-conservation design, and are built with recycled-content materials, certified wood and non-toxic finishes. Rooftop solar, solar water heating, water reclamation and home automation systems are available as options. Prices range from $215 to $250 per square foot. For more information: www.livinghomes.net or 310-581-8500.

Toilets That Make Sense

The average family uses about 400 gallons of water per day, according to estimates, with up to 26 percent of that daily usage attributed to flushing toilets. To reduce some of that water usage – and trim water bills as well – homeowners can install some of the newer low-flow toilets, such as three water-conserving models from Wisconsin-based Kohler Co.

Highline and Wellworth Pressure Lite toilets from Kohler incorporate pressure-assisted technology, which ensures one-flush, no-plug performance on as little 1.1 gallons per flush (gpf). That’s a 30 percent reduction in water usage when compared to standard 1.6-gpf models, and is enough to qualify the toilets for water rebate programs in certain localities. In addition, it has earned the toilets the WaterSense label from the Environmental Protection Agency. Similar to Energy Star, WaterSense is an EPA program designed to highlight water-efficient products.

The Highline and Wellworth water-conserving toilets can save homeowners more than 5,000 gallons of water per toilet, per year, according to Kohler. The toilets are also available in 1.4-gpf models, which can save 2,000 gallons of water per toilet, per year.

A third model, the San Raphael Power Lite toilet, uses an electric pump inside the tank to improve efficiency and conserve water. The dual-flush toilet uses just 1.0 gallons of water for light flushes and 1.4 for heavier waste, averaging just 1.08 gallons per flush. It, too, can save about 5,000 gallons of water per year over standard 1.6-gpf gravity-fed toilets. Multiply those savings by a neighborhood, town or city, and you’re saving significant amounts of potable water. For more information: 800-4-KOHLER or www.kohler.com.