What is the best tankless water heater?
We receive emails all the time asking what is the best tankless water heater? I wish I could give you a simple answer, but I can’t. There are some water heater manufactures which put out a really good product and then there are some which put out an ok product.
What is the warranty on a tankless water heater?
Since the average life span of a tankless is a20-25 years, you will want to find the longest warranty out there. Most manufactures run between 10-15 years on the heat exchanger. A.O. Smith has a 15 year warranty were as Rheem only has a 12 year warranty on the heat exchanger. In most cases the heat exchanger is the most expensive part to replace on a tankless unit. However, If you have hard water, then the warranty might be worthless.
Most of the major players have 5 year warranty on all parts except for the heat exchanger. There is also usually a 1 year warranty on the labor, if the unit is installed by a authorized installer. A.O. Smith does not currently have a warranty on labor.
Who can service my tankless water heater?
Make sure there are multiple authorized dealers in your town for the unit you select. If the tankless breaks down you want to have some options on who you call. If there is only one dealer in your town and they go out of business or they are booked out for a week, you could have no hot water for along time. Also these dealers will access and in some cases have an inventory of replacement parts on hand.
What is the reputation of the manufacture?
A.O. Smith and Rinnai have a very good reputation. We really like their units. Also, you will want to do a little research on who manufactures the unit. A.O. Smith owns Takagi. They have some units which are identical, just the label is different. You might be able to find a better deal on a leaser know manufacture, but not risk being able to find parts or service for the unit.
What size tankless water heater do I need?
This question in itself is its own article, which we happen to have right here. Really quickly, once you know the size water heater you need find the manufactures that make that size unit.
Sorry we couldn’t pin point an exactly what the best water heater is, but hopefully you have an idea of things to look for when shopping for a new tankless water heater.