Tankless Government Grants

Currently the Ontario and Canadian government are giving rebates to households in Ontario that upgrade their conventional water heaters to either a state or a tankless water heater (I realize that state tanks have not really been explained so I will make a point to do a synopsis on them this week). The provincial (Ontario) will give 250$ for any tankless water heater that is installed, the federal government will match that offer which totals the rebate to 500$. This is a good chunk off the purchase and installation of a tankless water heater. State tanks are eligible for 300$ from the federal government and another 300$ from the Ontario government totaling 600$.

Additionally if you live in the Enbridge territory they are offering 300$ off your gas bill for any new tankless water heater installation in your home. Enbridge’s territory consist of most of southern Ontario. Their service territory includes these cities referenced below and a number of others but it would be too long to list:

• Barrie
• Bolton
• Brampton
• Caledon
• Metro Toronto
• Mississauga
• Newmarket
• Richmond Hill
• Whitby

Ontario has a unique market where a significant portion of hot water tanks are rented. As the market for tankless hot water tanks begins to penetrate households there has become a strong demand for rental units for these systems as well. If you decide that renting is a better idea than outright purchasing you are still entitled to the rebates that are offered from both the government and from Enbridge.

There is a small catch though; to prove that you have upgraded you water heating system the Ontario government requires that a homeowner get an energy audit. This is a thorough evaluation of your home and its overall efficiency. Once the first audit is completed, you, the homeowner are sent the results of your audit (SAMPLE REPORT). Now that this is completed you have 18 months to make any renovations, or get your tankless hot water tank installed. After the renovations have been completed you need to get a second audit which will validate that all upgrades have been completed and grant cheques will be sent. Looking for an audit? we can put you in touch with a certified eco energy evaluation company.  FIND OUT MORE

This is a bit of a complicated process but if you are looking to upgrade even a few things there are rebates from the Ontario government for almost anything that will make your home more energy efficient.

Fill out a quick form to get a price for a tankless water heater for your home  FREE QUOTE

Navien Tankless Water Tank

Firstly let’s get this straight; Navien is a brand of tankless hot water heater not Navian. I have seen this spelled wrong many times, Navian (I googled it) is nothing, definitely not a tankless water heater.

Navien has 6 residential models (CR-180, CR-210, CR-240, CR-180A, CR-210A, CR-240A) and then 3 commercial units (CC-180, CC-210, CC-240). These tankless water heaters are all relatively similarly designed but as you go up in model number you increase the amount of hot water the tankless unit can provide. Here is a quick list of each units performance.

• CR-180 and 180A are able to provide roughly 3.8 gallons per minute with a 77 degree F rise.

• CR-210 and 210A are able to provide roughly 4.5 gallons per minute with a 77 degree F rise

• CR-240 and 240A are able to provide roughly 5 gallons per minute with a 77 degree F rise

We should definitely look at the efficiency of the Navien tankless water heater which is currently the only condensing unit on the market. This extra step gives Navien the efficiency title, currently rated at 98%, therefore 98 cents of every dollar spent on heating your water is actually turned into hot water. This is an amazing number as most tankless water heaters are 10% to 15% less efficient. Of course being the first on the block has its issues, the Navien tankless water heater is facing some problems from rubber hoses becoming blocked. This has been reported numerous time in several forums around the internet.

The good thing is that most of the other Tankless water heater manufactures are working on their own form of tankless condensing units. This should give the consumer a good choice in high efficiency water heating.

CR-180, CR-180A…… Specifications Sheet

CR-210, CR-210A…… Specifications Sheet

CR-240, CR-240A…….Specifications Sheet

UPDATE

This write up was done in February of 2009 so its been over a year now and there are a number of alternate condensing tankless water heaters available now.   Navien was the first on the block and realistically you cant beat the price of the unit, even today its still lower than all condensing tankless units.  Sure there has been some issues regarding the system but thats to be expected from a new technology (we will be authoring a new post on all these problems and their fix, check back soon).

Navien problems and the Fix – Click here to read

If your interested in a Navien tankless water heater fill out the form below and we will contact you, there’s no obligation and at the very least you will be more informed on whether a tankless is right for you or not.

Hot Water Tank Thermal Images

Here are some thermal shots of a conventional hot water tank, as you can see there is a lot of heat loss occurring. Sure during the winter months this is probably not a very big deal as the heat leaks into the house. During the summer when you are paying copious amount of money to keep your house cool a conventional tank sits there 24 hours a day leaking heat, and costing money. Additionally if you can see the vent pipe coming off the tank it is quite warm, this is wasted heat and energy being directly vented outside. That is lost energy and money for you. A tankless water heater has a much higher efficiency rating which significantly reduces the amount of heat and energy vented out of the house. The increased efficiency also means that there is less heat escaping into your home during the cooling season.

More pictures to come soon.

If you are interested we can bring the thermal camera out on an in home consultation and you can see first hand why your conventional tank is one of the largest energy waters in your home.  Fill out the simple inquiries form and we will contact you within 1 business day (please specify if you would like us to bring the thermal camera).

Renting a Tankless System

Is a tankless rental the right option?

I hate to get in to this and fuel the recession right now but if money is tight then renting a tankless water heater might be the right thing to do.

A tankless rental works out to be a cheap investment for your home as as the cost for the unit is fixed every month and the amount of natural gas, propane or even electricity consumed is reduced significantly. On top of that a rental system has the installation cost, and the venting kit built into the rental price. Currently systems are renting from around 35 to 50 dollars per month. The price does vary according to the size of the unit required for the house. If you live in a 4000 sq foot home you will need a larger tankless than a 2000 sq foot duplex. Is renting a tankless the right option for you? This is really up to your financial situation, the cost of outright purchasing a system is between $1500 and $3500, renting might work out more cost effective in many cases.

If you are interested in finding out more about a tankless rental systems please fill out the form and we will have someone contact you within 1 business day to discuss your options.

The Rinnai tankless R85 water heater is a more efficient way to heat water for residential users. This system heats water quickly and delivers an endless supply of hot water for as long as you need it. With the Rinnai tankless water heater, you only pay to heat water when you need it and for as long as you want it. Thus Saving money.

Rinnai R85

• White Powder Coat Enamel Finish
  

  

Tankless Technology

• Continuous Hot Water on Demand Delivered at Up to 8.5 GPM
• Whole House Water Heating Solution
• MC-91 Digital Temperature Controller =/-2° F Included
• Direct Electronic Ignition – No Pilot Light
• On Board Diagnostics and Safety Monitoring
• Exterior Unit – No Venting Required
• Battery Backup Possible for Operation in Power Interruptions

Tankless Energy Efficiency

• Up to .83 EF Providing Significant Energy Cost Savings
• On When You Need It, Off When You Don’t… No Standby Loss!

Warranty

• 10 Year Limited Warranty On The Heat Exchanger
• 5 Year Warranty On All Parts

Specification Table

• Minimum / Maximum Gas Rate (Input BTU/Hr.) 15,000 – 199,000
• Dimensions: 9″D x 14″W x 24″ H
• Weight: 48 lbs.
• 8.5 GPM Maximum Hot Water Capacity at 35° Rise
• 4.5 GPM Maximum Hot Water Capacity at 75° Rise
• NoX Emissions Less Than 40Ng/J
• Temperature Range 98 – 140° F
• Altitudes Up to 10,500 Feet Without Kits or Additional Parts

Click here to download

REU-V2520FFU…….. R53
REU-V2520FFUC….. C53
REU-V2532FFU…….. R85
REU-V2532FFUC…… C85
REU-V2520FFUD…… R53PLUS
REU-V2520FFUCD… C53PLUS
REU-V2532FFUD…… R85PLUS
REU-V2532FFUCD… C85PLUS

Click Here to Download the Manual / Operation Guide.