Home Improvement : THE SENSIBLE HOME : Tankless Water Heater Provides Endless Supply

QUESTION: I like a steamy shower in the morning, but I run out of hot water after the kids shower. Setting the water heater thermostat higher is wasteful. Will an efficient tankless instant water heater help?

ANSWER: A gas, propane or electric whole-house tankless water heater can provide an endless supply of steamy hot water, enough for 10 consecutive showers. There are also mini point-of-use units available for a single bathroom.

Eliminating the need for a water heater tank saves the typical 15% standby energy losses and cuts your utility bills. The hot water temperature can be adjusted on the tankless heater or remotely in the bathroom.

Tankless water heaters offer several other advantages. With no tank to rust out, one will last a lifetime. The stainless steel parts, copper heat exchanger and solid state controls are easily replaced if they ever fail.

A tankless water heater (also called instantaneous) uses powerful built-in gas or electric heaters to heat cold water as it passes through the heat exchanger. Some heat exchanger designs force the water to make nine passes for the quickest and most efficient, low-cost water heating.

When a hot water faucet is first turned on, an automatic pressure differential sensor in the tankless water heater switches it on. Within seconds, precisely heated water is flowing to the bathroom or kitchen.

Automatic sensors and heat output controls are built into gas and electric models. If only a slow flow of hot water is needed, the burner operates on a low setting. As you need a greater hot water flow rate, the burner’s output automatically increases.

In electric models, the elements come on sequentially to achieve accurate hot water temperature control. Some newer designs use sophisticated electronic controls to vary the elements on-time for constant temperatures.

Tankless water heaters are small and lightweight enough to be mounted on a utility room or basement wall. This saves floor space.

Some gas and propane models have power vents to exhaust the flue gases outdoors through a horizontal flue. This simplifies converting from a costly electric water heater to an efficient gas or propane tankless model.

Point-of-use tankless water heaters are ideal for a single bathroom. One new electric model, Instant-Temp, has a digital temperature control mounted on the shower wall. You can instantly adjust the shower or bath water temperature. It maintains the temperature within one degree of the setting.

Write for Update Bulletin No. 929 showing a buyer’s guide of efficient whole-house and point-of-use gas, propane and electric tankless water heaters manufacturers, listing hot water output rates, specifications and prices. Please mail $2 and a self-addressed SASE to James Dulley, Los Angeles Times, 6906 Royalgreen Drive, Cincinnati, Ohio 45244.

Either Type of Plywood Usable for Shutters

Q: I am building natural wood shutters for my family room windows to block the cold at night. Is it best to use plain-sliced or rotary-cut plywood for the shutters?

A: Either type of plywood will be acceptable for your project. Plain-sliced (cut across the log) plywood has a more regular grain pattern and may look better if you plan to leave it natural. Rotary-cut plywood is made by peeling off the wood, similar to unrolling paper towels.

Make sure to use weatherstripping, preferably a compression type, between each shutter section. This saves energy and reduces condensation and noise.

Letters and questions to Dulley, a Cincinnati-based engineering consultant, may be sent to James Dulley, Los Angeles Times, 6906 Royalgreen Drive, Cincinnati, Ohio 45244.