I do recommend going with a point of use water heater for the kitchen since this really cuts down on the amount of cold water that is first drained via the piping before hot water reaches the kitchen sink, and also because this allows the tankless setting to be left at the temperature that is most comfortable for bathing and showering. Point of use water heaters come in all sizes from 1 gallon that fits under the sink to the larger units like ours that we were able to place in the basement directly under the kitchen. In homes with lots of piping to remotely located bath rooms several point of use units can be used while others have opted for circulating pumps that will come on when ever water is being drawn, but these really add to the total cost and cannot be left running all the time as tankless heaters sense water flow to activate and it can be readily seen that this would defeat the purpose and savings of the tankless units.
I might also add that I did all of the installation work myself and this also made the tankless conversion far more affordable. As for flushing, I did not add the flushing bypass connections at the time of installation, partly because of the constraints of time and partly because as I have stated earlier, the house is plumbed with plastic and those can be quickly installed later. The other two system I installed for friends have been in operation for over 5 years and have not needed to be flushed but that also depends largely on the water that is available. Ours in this area is all well water and contains heavy lime deposits, making ours a worse case situation. Rheem offers a flushing kit which consists of a 5 gallon bucket, a pump and hoses but I did not price their system as I in all probability will assemble my own system if and when needed.
As for payback. If payback is the primary condition being considered, go with a tank, because it is doubtful it will pencil out to the tankless route advantage. There was and may still be a $300.00 tax credit available for converting over to tankless and this might help those who are not on a fixed income. I just happened to like the idea of having an endless supply of warm water at my disposal and also at the temperature I desired. You can stand in the shower until the city water tower runs dry and still have warm water flowing over those tired old bones, and mine are both old and very tired.
Hi, I've been reading this discussion with interest. I am a senior residing alone and have a 60 gal (I think) electric tank that is coming to the end of its warranty period. The bottom of the last one suddenly gave out (perfectly dry floor at 8:00 p.m., lots of water by 9:30 p.m.) so I'm thinking of replacing this one before disaster strikes, although the plumber said it was very unusual for one to suddenly give out like that. I have only electric in my house and have no desire to have gas (my choice). I asked the plumber what he thought about tankless. He didn't like them - talked about difficulty of getting replacement parts. Maybe he was just not comfortable with (or not knowledgeable about) tankless units. I run the dishwasher maybe once a week and the clothes washer the same. What do you think would be the best choice for me? I will switch plumbers in a heartbeat if tankless is recommended. Thanks. Joyce
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