Tankless water heaters, like the more conventional storage water heaters, have a rating based on their capacity. A tankless water heater is rated based on the amount of water that it is capable of heating to a set temperature, typically between 49 degrees and 60 degrees.
In order to determine the correctly sized on-demand or tankless water heater you need for your home, you should add the flow rates for all the devices that you expect to use at one time. Next, you should determine the rise, or the difference in temperature from the inlet to the expected temperature.
For example, if you are using a faucet that is rated for 2.84 liters per minute, and a shower head that puts out 9.46 liters per minute, you would need a capacity for at least 12.3 liters.
Most gas-powered tankless water heaters are capable of producing a 39-degree Celsius rise in temperature at approximately18 liters per minute, while an electric on-demand water heater can make the same approximate rise at a flow rate of approximately 11 liters per minute. Additionally, Arpi’s recommends a water softener with the installation of a tankless water heater, due to Calgary’s hard water.
Another way to save energy, and to get the most out of your tankless water heater is to replace all your faucets and shower head with low-flow models.
For more expert information about tankless water heaters or other home comfort related questions, contact Arpi’s Industries today. We have been proudly serving the Calgary area for more than 50 years.
Our goal is to help educate our customers in Calgary, Alberta about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems). For more information about tankless water heaters and other HVAC topics, downloadour free Home Comfort Resource guide.
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