Tankless water heaters provide many benefits over their gas-powered counterparts, including space-saving benefits, endless hot water supply, and energy efficiency. However, you must remember they must be installed outdoors in a protected location to be effective.
As part of your carbon monoxide prevention measures, ensure the unit isn’t near doors or operable windows to avoid carbon monoxide poisoning. For this to work effectively, professional plumber assistance will likely be required.
For expert guidance on safeguarding your outdoor tankless water heater during winter and ensuring safety measures like avoiding carbon monoxide risks, consider checking out Diamondback Plumbing and Cooling.
Cost
If you are contemplating installing a tankless water heater outdoors, there are various considerations you must keep in mind.
First and foremost, professional installation must select an oversized model suitable for your household, which may incur more initial costs. They should also insulate pipes connecting to the unit against low temperatures to protect from freezing or burst pipe conditions.
Gas tankless water heaters may not pose the same risk of freezing as traditional tanks do; however, they still can be damaged by low temperatures. Suppose an outdoor tankless unit’s electricity remains off during wintertime without being turned back on properly. In that case, gas in its pipework may congeal and block its vents, leading to carbon monoxide poisoning in your home.
An annual water heater maintenance visit from a plumber or utility specialist is highly recommended to ensure its efficiency for years. They may recommend cleaning the filter to prevent mineral build-up from clogging it and blocking the heat exchanger, which could be very unhealthy for you and your family.
In addition, inspection will help detect any potential issues that could impede its performance and ensure optimal efficiency over time. These services can ensure long-term usage.
Energy efficiency
Tankless units differ from traditional water heaters by only heating water when necessary and thus operating more efficiently, particularly in homes where hot water demands are higher.
Unfortunately, tankless heaters may still run out of energy in larger homes where multiple appliances, such as dishwashers and clothes washers, are in use at once – in these instances, additional tankless heaters or restricting high-usage appliances could improve energy efficiency.
Another disadvantage of installing a tankless unit outdoors is that it must be protected from extreme weather conditions, usually by creating an enclosure around it to block out rain, snow, and other elements. While this might sound economical initially, costs associated with this enclosure could quickly add up if constructed from durable materials like galvanized steel.
Homeowners must also consider access to their tankless water heater for maintenance and repairs, which may involve running gas lines or electricity to their new unit and add further installation costs.
Indoor installation of the water heater allows it to be located closer to appliances that require hot water, potentially shortening wait times for hot water and saving on energy costs.
Ventilation
Certain tankless water heaters require venting to dispose of carbon monoxide and other hazardous gasses safely. Vents are commonly run through walls in homes, necessitating ripping out drywall and creating an opening for pipe installation – an expensive process that adds hours to installation times; professional installers might be able to bypass this entirely with outdoor models.
However, it’s essential that even when placing the water heater outside, proper venting measures must still be implemented to ensure it operates as intended. You must also make sure the pipes leading from it remain well insulated to prevent freezing or burst pipes during colder weather.
Installation of a tankless water heater indoors does require many of the same supplies that would be needed when installing one outdoors, including stainless steel vent pipe and rain cap or roof flashing.
Furthermore, using a concentric venting system with an inner exhaust vent and an outer intake vent could decrease penetrations through walls while speeding up installation and creating an aesthetic finish.
Ensure that any combustible objects, such as gas appliances, hot or steamy pipes, or electrical equipment that could catch fire are at least two feet away from the water heater. Other potentially combustible materials to keep an eye out for include gas appliances and hot or steamy pipes.
This can protect it from potential damage or fire hazards while also keeping children away from any potentially dangerous parts.
Safety
Installation of an outdoor tankless water heater involves some risk. Make sure that the plumber uses materials appropriate for outdoor use and follows all steps outlined by your manufacturer’s manual to minimize those risks.
Furthermore, ensure your location complies with local codes and recommendations, such as being at least four feet from any open window or door (in order to prevent carbon monoxide poisoning) or near pipes which might leak or produce condensation; additionally, it’s also crucial that children don’t access any potentially flammable or electrical equipment located nearby.
Outdoor tankless heaters present another potential safety hazard: damage from freezing temperatures can occur quickly in regions with harsh winter climates. Even small amounts of standing water can freeze up quickly and cause significant damage; to prevent this, regularly drain your tankless water heater to avoid this happening.
To keep your electric tankless water heater running in the event of a power outage, think about purchasing a gas generator or a battery backup. Otherwise, its functioning would eventually cease due to lack of electricity and leave your family or business without hot water.