I`m from the waterheater capital of the world ashland city tn (state stove)waterheaters really suck alot of energy.aren`t the tankless water heaters more efficient?I know a guy that invented a wh that just heats the water in the tank and a pipe coiled around the inside of the tank goes round and round the inside of the tank and comes out hot . the hot water in the tank never leaves so you`re not always replacing the hot with the cold.works real well.like to hear thoughts around the world on the best way to heat water
Discussion Forum
Discussion Forum
Up Next
Video Shorts
Featured Story

Engineered-stone shower panels are waterproof, but proper installation relies on tight seams and silicone sealing.
Featured Video
Builder’s Advocate: An Interview With ViewrailHighlights
"I have learned so much thanks to the searchable articles on the FHB website. I can confidently say that I expect to be a life-long subscriber." - M.K.
Fine Homebuilding Magazine
- Home Group
- Antique Trader
- Arts & Crafts Homes
- Bank Note Reporter
- Cabin Life
- Cuisine at Home
- Fine Gardening
- Fine Woodworking
- Green Building Advisor
- Garden Gate
- Horticulture
- Keep Craft Alive
- Log Home Living
- Military Trader/Vehicles
- Numismatic News
- Numismaster
- Old Cars Weekly
- Old House Journal
- Period Homes
- Popular Woodworking
- Script
- ShopNotes
- Sports Collectors Digest
- Threads
- Timber Home Living
- Traditional Building
- Woodsmith
- World Coin News
- Writer's Digest
Replies
my vote
http://www.aers.com/heatpump.html#residential
if you contact them, they will send you the information on their latest models.
These units only really save $$$ in the sothern US where there's lots of free heat most of the year.
IIRC, the last ratings I saw basically said the gas tankless heaters can save you $$, but the electric ones won't.
If I was throwing $$ around, I'd probably think about a solar water heater with a tankless gas as backup.
jt8
"When one door closes another door opens; but we so often look so long and so regretfully upon the closed door, that we do not see the ones which open for us." -- Alexander Graham Bell
>>a solar water heater with a tankless gas as backup.
I have a customer considering this. As far as I understand it, modern burners are most efficient at full output, but lose a significant amount of efficiency when the burner modulates down.
My dad, in Maine, has had solar heated domestic hot water for 15 or 20 years. In the summer in takes care of all the heating; in the other months it pre-heats the well water to between 70 and 100 degrees, and an oil-fired burner takes if from there.
The other important factor is how the building is used. Tankless really save on things like churches and art galleries, where you have short periods of heavy use and long periods of little or no use.
-- J.S.