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The Inside Scoop on Why We've Choosen to Install Nortiz Tankless Water Heaters |
| Reliabilty Like I said I've sold and installed over 200 tankless water heaters. I've installed everything from Nortiz, to Rinnai, Tikagi, Bosch and more. I've had unmatched reliabiliy and manufactuer support with Nortiz. I'm not being paid to say this but Nortiz has the best tankless currently on the market. . |
| Performance With the whole green movement every manufactuer out there is pumping out tankless water heaters. Unfortunatly not all units are equal. One of the things you'll notice when shopping for tankless is that they are rated by flow rate. In other words how many gallons of cold water can the unit turn into 120 degree hot water in a minute. The problem with these flow rate numbers is they are all tested under different circumstance and in different environments. I like to use the analogy of fuel efficiency in your car. The car may say 20 miles to the gallon, but in actuality you're getting more like 16. Well tankless is the same way. A unit that claims 7 gallons rarely actually produces that much. The number one complaint I hear from clients is that the tankless unit "they" purchased and installed doesn't produce enough hot water. Usually this is a result of undersizing and an inferior product. I trust the Nortiz name because when properly sized the unit produces pretty close to what it claims. I find that in Santa Cruz, the 751 unit will produce about 6 gallons per minute. |
| Efficiency The Nortiz water heater does not have a standing pilot which means when not in use it consumes no gas. Also the unit has the ability to determine flow rate and adjust the BTU usage to the right amount. |
| Flexibility With numerous models avaliable Nortiz has a size and model type for every application. Also with the recently release of their condenser type venting system the units can be vented in PVC pipe allowing for retrofit in homes the currently run direct or power vent type water heater. |
| Durability The entire design of the Nortiz is well done. The unit utilizes the best of all the tankless water heaters on the market in my opinion. Plus the heat exchanger is built with 25% thicker piping than other units. |
How do I Choose the Right One?
By: Jason Schlunt, Managing Plumber Bellows Plumbing & Heating
Proper Sizing & Quality
I have personally sold and installed over 200 tankless water heaters and the number one and two reasons for dissatisfaction with a tankless water heater is improper sizing and poor quality selection.
On demand water heaters can supply a continuous stream of hot water but they can only supply so much. Make sure you have a reasonable understanding of your hot water demand and then find a heater that can accommodate that. That goes hand in had with choosing a quality unit. The initial upfront cost of a tankless water heater is more than a conventional tank heater; about $400 for a tank water heater and $1000 for a tankless before installation. There are a lot of diffenent manufactuers out there that make all sorts of promises. The fact is, you get what you pay for when it comes to tankless. A lot of the units out there simply can’t perform for the average household.
At Bellows Plumbing Online Shop we only stock tankless water heaters that we’ve tested and tried, the ones that don’t perform in the field don’t make it on our site. If you follow our guidelines in choosing one we guarantee you’ll be thrilled with you new tankless unit.
Peak Demand
Sizing a tankless water heater is different than sizing a tank type heater. Sizing a traditional water heater means estimating the volume of hot water you will need within a one to two hour time frame. Sizing a tankless water heater requires estimating peak demand in terms of momentary usage; in other words, what is the most you will be running at the same time?
For a single person with low demand, this could be a single shower. For others, this could be multiple showers plus dishwasher. Use our hot water calculator to come up with a flow rate. Keep in mind that the calculator is based on averages and may not reflect your actual plumbing fixture or appliance. As a general rule I recommend getting a little more than you think you need.
“Actual” Flow Rate
The primary measure you’ll hear people talking about with tankless water heaters is flow rate, measured in gallons per minute (GPM). In other words, how many GPM can be output while raising the water temperature by 35°F, 45°F, 60°F, 70°F, etc. The larger the temperature rise, the less the unit can output.
You will notice that all of our tankless water heaters are marked with an “Actual” Flow Rate. When we say “Actual” we really mean actual. A lot of units claim lofty temperature rises but these are typically only in perfect conditions. We install and service these units so have confidence in the flow rates that we report. Keep in mind that if you live in a cold climate, your actual performance could be less.
Gas or Electric
In some case you will only have one or the other, that makes choosing the right one pretty easy. If you have both gas or electric as an option, gas is always the better choice.
Electric tankless water heaters can be tricky to work with because they have a lower output and require a lot of electricity. They all have different electrical requirements and we recommend consulting an electrician prior to making a purchase. In terms of flow rate, most of the electric heaters we carry can only run one major application (shower, dishwasher, washing machine) at a time.
Gas tankless water heaters, sized with the proper gas line, can supply more hot water and are a better choice for those with mid-high demand. Gas tankless heaters can be installed indoor or out; though indoor is best in very cold climates to avoid a freezing risk. Outdoor installations can be less expensive since you eliminate the need for vent pipe.
High Flow Applications
Some customers will find that their peak demand is greater than any single unit can accommodate. In these situations, a multi-unit (manifold) configuration should be considered.
This type of set up is generally only required for multi-unit or commercial type buildings: condos, duplexes, restaurants, etc. For private residential use I have rarely come across it being necessary, more often than not when I see multi-unit on a residential home it’s because the client or plumber that installed the unit provided a sub-par type of unit. Call us for details if you think you might need a second unit, more than likely the unit you already have is install or size improperly.