MYTHS AND REALITIES OF TANKLESS HOT WATER SYSTEMS

Tankless systems have been well integrated into European and Japanese markets for decades. In North America, the transition to tankless is gaining traction. Still, there remain some misperceptions about the technology. Here are some common myths and corresponding realities about tankless hot water systems:

Myth: Tankless systems require complicated venting.
Reality: Tankless systems vent differently from tank systems, but it's not complicated. Tankless systems can vent directly out a side wall, preventing excess roof penetrations. In the southern part of the country, tankless systems can be mounted outside. For large arrays, several units can vent into the same configuration.

Myth: Zero-net-energy goals require all electric equipment.
Reality: Multiple energy sources working in partnership help achieve emissions goals. Propane, for example, is one such partner in achieving zero-net-energy goals.

Myth: Tankless systems are more expensive
Reality: Tankless systems can be more expensive initially. But savings in energy can recoup that investment in a few years. And when rebates and incentives are factored in, there may be no initial cost difference.

Myth: Electric water heating is the only option when a natural gas main is difficult or expensive to reach.
Reality: Many architects, builders, and property managers don't realize that propane can be available on any type of building site, making gas tankless water heaters a possibility even when natural gas isn't available. If desired, they can get their local propane company not just to bury underground tanks, but, in big developments, they'll put in the underground piping so that it works like a natural gas system. Virtually all tankless units are field-convertible from natural gas to propane or vice versa, so a facility could be developed or retrofitted with propane and switched to natural gas if it becomes available later.

INNOVATIONS AND THE FUTURE OF TANKLESS WATER HEATING

Innovations in tankless water heating systems will surely accelerate in the future as they have in the recent past. Consider these cutting-edge developments:

Commercial Hybrid Water Heaters

Commercial hybrid water-heating systems combine a tankless water heater's on-demand, continuous hot-water supply with a hot-water storage tank. Although tankless water heaters have made inroads in the commercial market in recent years, storage tank water heaters remain the predominant technology. Hybrid systems combine the best of both worlds—installing just like a storage tank to easily replace old units but performing like a tankless water heater with a continuous flow of hot water. That means hybrid units provide more hot water in the first hour than other systems on the market and have a faster recovery time than a traditional storage tank system.

Artificial intelligence (AI), Smart Controls, and Larger Capacities

Computerized controls allow even sizeable tankless water heater arrays to precisely track the water-heating load of a building and activate individual units accordingly. Those controls allow the tankless system to ramp up to meet a building's peak load and then ramp back down so just a single unit is active.

Today, commercial tankless water heaters have joined other building technologies in offering wireless connectivity and remote monitoring and controls. Many units offer smartphone or app-based connectivity to provide facility managers or contractors with mobile access to their units.

Tankless water heaters even utilize artificial intelligence. One manufacturer touts AI built into its units that analyzes a building's hot-water usage patterns, identifying and predicting the timing of peak loads so that the units can fire up and activate a building's recirculation system in preparation for the higher hot-water demand. The manufacturer also offers larger on-demand systems with individual unit heating capacity up to 3 million Btus.

CONCLUSION

Architects and contractors should consider tankless systems when specifying for new construction or renovations, as hot water is such a critical factor in commercial operations. Tankless systems, mainly propane or natural gas units, use less energy, require less space, and can last up to three times longer than conventional tank systems. Most importantly, when the system is sized correctly, there is never a shortage of hot water. The facts show that keeping hundreds of gallons of water heated day and night for a short-lived demand spike is inefficient. On-demand systems remove this problem. With today's thin margins and competition, commercial facilities cannot stand the stress of a failing hot water system. A propane or natural gas tankless system often creates the winning solution.

END NOTES

¹ "Everything You Need to Know About Water Heaters". U.S. Dept. of Energy. 19 April 2013. Web. 11 April 2024.
² "Energy Efficient Commercial Buildings Deduction". U.S. Internal Revenue System. 8 August 2023. Web. 11 April 2024.

Kathy Price-Robinson is a nationally known remodeling and construction writer. Her award winning remodeling series titled Pardon Our Dust ran for 12 years in the Los Angeles Times.