Advice - Tankless Water Heater

Several people in our building (NYC USA) have switched to tankless water heaters with varying degrees of success. In each case they were trying to save space in the kitchen. (The prime goal of every renovation in New York is to create space.) In each case the heater was supposed to be able to handle both the kitchen and the bathroom.

Um, mostly not so.

If you like short (less than five minute) showers you'll be okay, but you'll never be able to run the dishwasher and take a shower at the same time.

Just ask how many gallons per minute the thing will produce at 113F and don't forget to have them factor in how FAR the water will have to travel.

Joe(ahihihh!! a cold shower!!)Nation

So you have 3 baths total and 2 kitchens. That's a total of 8 hot water lines (3 tubs/showers, 3 bath sinks, 2 kitchen sinks) not including the possibility of a washing machine, dishwasher or utility sink.

A single point of use water heater is NOT going to be a good idea.

If you are set on using a tankless weter heater then I'd recommend you consider installing one large unit (like the Takagi T-M1) for the main house and a seperate, smaller unit for the in-law apartment.

Those tiny, single use systems are designed for applications like my own - I live in a very small house with one bathroom and a klitchen. I have no dishwasher or washing machine and a total of 3 hot water faucets. Plus, the house isn't really big enough for more than one person to live in. The odds of me running the kitchen hot water faucet while I'm standing in the shower are pretty slim.

Personally, I'm not a big fan of the Bosch units.

huh.

my house has 3 bathrooms, washer, dishwasher and we have a tankless water heater.

Never had a problem, never run out of hot water. We did buy the upgraded model, maybe that's why.

I've been very happy with it.

What make and model, please.

Joe(and how much)Nation

We recently got a Noritz 751 model with a low profile venting system that serves us nicely. We had it installed last month so we are still breaking it in It will go on for as long as youve got gas and the hot water doesnt run out (like a tank type
"summer winter hookeup"). The goal is to match your average and peak use rates. We calculated based upon doing 2 showers and a load of dishes with the rinse cycle on hot. (coarse theres a booster heater in the dishwasher so maybe that was not so bright). Ours is rated at 7.5 gpm of continuous hot water.
If youve got big use , Id still go with one big unit like a Noritz 951 rather than getting several small ones , The initial model cost is higher to install and regulate 2 or more units than one big one. ALso the venting may create a problem.

sorry thought this was thankless walter hinteler

my bad

Aqua Star
model # 240FX

The bigger model, which we have, was $1000

There is a smaller one.

The only reason I'd disagree with this is that with the in-law apartment there is the possibility of renting it out in the future and I wouldn't want to be paying for a tenant's hot water.

If that isn't a future possibility/option then I'd agree with you.

I have the Takagi Flash T-K Jr for a single family home 1 bath, kitchen, no dishwashing machine and it is really nice (in use for about 5 months now) no problems at all. However, I will be moving into a larger 2 story home with about 5 bathrooms, dishwasher, washing machine. Is 2 tankless (1 on each story) better than 1 tankless that pushes out more GPM? I was thinking of either 2 Flash T-K Jr Models (~3GPM totalling 6 GPM) or the single bigger unit (7 GPM)

EDIT: famerman kinda answered my question hehe.