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Tankless Hot Water Heaters, Efficient, Effective, Endless.
Posts tagged efficiency
Why does everyone rent water heaters in Ontario?
Jan 22nd
No other province rents hot water tanks so why does everyone here in Ontario?
It is a strange province we live in. No one rents their furnace, air conditioner, fridge, stove, washer or dryer. So why do we rent water heaters?
Ontario is in a transitional phase right now as old tank type water heaters are being replaced with the new, technologically enhanced, tankless water heaters. A tankless is well over 90% efficient and heats water on demand, significantly reducing your energy consumption (and energy bills).
With this new transition it’s time for Ontario residents to start owning verses renting their water heater…. here’s why now is the right time to start owning.
- A tankless has a much longer lifespan than a regular tank, so you save money.
- Tankless systems typically cost more so the rental fees can be more than double
- Rental water heater companies don’t care about efficiency, why would they? You’re the one paying the bill.
- The Government is offering free rebates to offset some of the additional costs of a tankless.
- It will cost you significantly less to own than to it will to continue renting a water heater.
Tankless Math Breakdown – Renting a Tankless Vs Owning a Tankless
Rental Tankless
Monthly Rental Fee - $39.95 plus taxes
Lifespan of 20+ years – 39.95 x 12 x 20 = $9588 plus taxes to rent a tankless.
Owned Tankless
Purchase and Installation Cost – $2400 – $4000 (not including government rebates)
Lifespan of 20+ years – these systems have exceptionally long warranties so you’re likely to get an easy 20 or more years of reliable service.
Conclusion
None of the other appliances are rented in our homes what baffles us so much to assume that a water heater needs to be? Renting a regular water heater verses owning will cost homeowners more than double. It’s time to get out of these ridiculous 10 year contracts and get back to simply owning your water heater and saving money. Technology is revolutionizing water heating systems don’t get locked into a lengthy contract call or email today and see how cheap owning a tankless can be.
We offer free site inspections to provide you with an exact price and to ensure a tankless can be installed in your home.
Call Toll Free 1-855-OWN TANK (696-8265)
Or send us a quick message through the automated form below.
Water Heater Flush Service Toronto
Dec 9th
Do you have a tankless or conventional hot water tank? I bet you do. 
It needs to be flushed!
Well, actually I lied, if it’s less than 2 years old it doesn’t.
BUT
If your tank is any more than 2 years old it really could use a flush to make it more efficient and clean. A tank will decrease in efficiency by 2-3 percent a year as minerals build up on the heating surfaces. These minerals effectively insulating the heat from the water forcing your heater to burn more fuel longer to heat the water.
The best part is that there is a simple solution.
Flushing a water heater requires that vinegar be circulated though the system repeatedly with a small pump for about 30-40 minutes. The acid in the vinegar eats away the deposits that have accumulated on the walls of the heater revitalizing the past efficiency of your water heater.
Tankless Flushing
A tankless is incredibly efficient and thus incredibly susceptible to scale and mineral build up. Thankfully, most tankless systems are installed with flush valves so that this process is easy and fast.
- Unplug the unit
- Shut the water and gas off
- Hook up the hoses
- Start the pump and run the vinegar thought the tankless.
- Your done, just reverse the steps.
Conventional Tank Flushing
This type of water heater is a bit more difficult, but it is just as important to have the system flushed and cleaned.
- Unplug if necessary
- Shut water and gas supply off
- Drain tank
- Pump vinegar through system
- Rinse and flush a second time
- Done, reverse steps to hook everything back up
That should pretty much clean both types of water heaters sufficiently to bring the efficiency back to nearly factory standards. It is important to have this done on a relatively regular basis and, by chance we offer a flushing service for 99$ for either system.
Toronto and Area Water Heater Flush – $99
Tankless Isolation Valve Install and Flush – $149
(cheap tankless installers don’t always include the isolation valves)
Cold Weather Is On The Way Toronto
Dec 5th
It’s December and here in Toronto we have seen basically zero snow and above seasonal temperatures pushing our heating season back by over a month. It’s true we have a strong focus on tankless water heaters but we are also able to install and maintain furnaces within most of the Greater Toronto Area. We like to ensure that you have effective HVAC equipment that is the most suitable system for your home. 
Fundamentally high end tankless and furnaces are for the most part very similar to low and mid range units. You are going to get some upgraded parts and whole lot more features on the high end units but will you use those features? I know I purchased a high end dishwasher once; it has a whole bunch of features and a ton of buttons. Of all of those options and buttons I use one, and it’s the same button everyday… START. Keep that in mind when purchasing new home equipment, it’s easy to get caught up in all the features.
We always work with you as the home owner to find something that will fit your budget and most importantly generate savings though efficiency. Even a 12 year old furnace is sufficiently less efficient to justify looking into a new system. Remember that this week the cold is going to set in and bring the chills associated with winter, make sure your prepared and have your furnace inspected today.
Takagi Tankless
Nov 10th
Takagi tankless water heaters were the first to enter the North American market around 1995. 
Although they had more than perfected the tankless having manufactured their systems in Japan for over 50 years prior. Takagi is committed to quality and innovation and they have done a good job with excellent reliable systems. It would not be a mistake to install a Takagi tankless in your home.
Takagi has a few popular tankless models and here in Ontario you would probably be installing one of these systems.
- The T-H2 – Green, 2nd generation condensing tankless, 4.6 GPM (40 degree ground water temp) and can be vented with PVC piping. It’s a great system that meets the NRCan audit program requirements for high efficiency and qualifies for a $375 Government grant.
- Takagi T-K3 – Low flow activation rate, link up to 4 units in conjunction for increased hot water flow, extra long vent pipe applications (50 feet with 5 elbows). Expect around 4.1 GPM at a 40 degree temperature rise. Does qualify for NRCan audit rebates of 300$ plus.
- T-K4 Takagi is a new tankless that can be installed indoors and out, designed for easy venting and lots of hot water production. The T-K4 can produce up to 8 GPM, impressive for a tankless water heater. Built in power venting system.
Give us a call for a Request a Free Quote on a Takagi tankless for your home. Or you can fill out this Quick Form and we can contact you regarding a new tankless.
ecoENERGY Grants and Rebates
Nov 2nd
The ecoENERGY Retrofit for residential homes is creating jobs and helping Ontario residents save money. These changes help to reduce energy bills now and in the
future. BUT you need to act quickly, funding for the grant program is limited and everyones evaluations and retrofits need to be completed before March 31, 2012 or you will missout.
This ecoENERGY retrofit program has a specific section for tankless water heaters as they’re very high efficiency systems compared to what has conventionally been installed in homes. In Ontario you can expect a $375 rebate from the Government if you decided to switch over to a high efficiency tankless.
Several tankless brands are able to deliver the required efficiency and all bring in the full rebate value. If your interested you can read more about the different tankless brands and their specifications below.
Eligibility for the ecoENERGY retrofit program in Ontario
New ecoENERGY Participants – If you or the previous owner of your home didn’t have and energy audit completed between April 1 2007 and June 5 2011 than you are considered a new applicant. All you need to do is sign up and have the initial audit of your home completed – FIND OUT MORE
Past ecoENERGY Participants – If you or the previous owner of your home participated in the program between April 1 2007 and June 5 2011 and the maximum amount of $5000 wasn’t submitted then you can submit another application for upgrades completed on or after June 6 2011.
Popular Items on the Ontario Grant Table
- Furnaces — high-efficiency gas/oil furnace, up to $790
- Central air conditioners — replacement air conditioner $250
- Hot water heaters — high-efficiency gas water heater $375
- Hot water heaters — condensing tankless water heater $375
- Boilers — high-efficiency gas or oil boiler upgrade $750
- HRV — in home heat recovery ventilator $375
- Solar Thermal— installation of solar hot water system $1,250
- Heat pumps — air-source heat pump that doubles as air conditioner $500
- Geothermal — energy-efficient ground or water source heat pumps, up to $4,375
Ontario homeowners also can take advantage of these upgrades
- Attic or roof — insulation up to $750
- Exterior wall — insulation up to $1,875
- Basement — insulation up to $1,250
- Crawl space — insulation up to $1,000
Interested in an Energy Audit and dont know where to start? Start Here and know information is always free!
If your interested in a tankless than you want to Start Here
Servicing areas in and around Hamilton, Brampton, Georgetown, Etobicoke, Toronto, Brantford, Barrie, Vaughan, Maple, Nobleton, Bolton, Rexdale, Unionville, Newmarket, Bradford, King, Port Union.
Navien Tankless Installation In Toronto And Area
Nov 1st
Navien tankless water heaters are 98% efficient and are a qualified energy star partner. With a Navien in Toronto you get the best of both worlds, great value and ultimate savings. A Navien can provide you with endless hot water as the unit will fire only when you want hot water and for as long as you need it.
The lifespan of a Navien is 20 plus years and the manufacture provides a warranty for 15 years on them. By the time your conventional tank type water heater hits 15 years it will be so full of calcium and build up it you will be lucky if it is achieving more than 20% efficiency. Meanwhile if you had had one of our Toronto reps come by and install a tankless your system would still be operating in the high 90% efficiency range.
Servicing the Toronto and area region has shown one thing to us, houses are small and space is important to home owners. A Navien tankless can reduce your water heaters footprint by over 90% as it simply mounts on the wall. Take back some of your space with a tankless heater.
Not all Toronto and area homes can meet the venting and positioning requirements necessary and thus its important to understand the requirements that need to be met. If you live in Toronto or surrounding area we do offer free assesments where some one can come to your home and ensure that a tankless will work for youand your home. Again this is free for Toronto and surrounding areas. Otherwise if your handy you can check out the diagram to see for yourself if a tankless will fit.
Toronto, Ontario
Periodic Maintenance of a Tankless
Oct 27th
There areonly a few things that need to be maintained on a tankless water heater. If these steps are preformed regularly you can expect your unit to last much longer (20 plus years) than a conventional tank type water heater.
First there is a inline screen filter that is installed to insure that incoming water is clean and free of debris before running through the heat exchanger. This little filter should be checked every so often, (dependent on water quality) and is a circular mesh screen. Incoming water needs to be shut off and then the screen can be cleaned.
Secondly a tankless needs to be flushed to remove calcium and scale build up in the heat exchanger. If your tankless was installed by a reputable company they will have included a pair of flush valves which make this process quite easy. It’s probably best this be done by your installer but here is a brief rundown of what occurs. Water and gas are shut off and the unit is drained. Then two hoses and a small pump are hooked up to the flush valves and fresh vinegar is pumped through the systems heat exchanger for roughly 30 minutes. This cleans out all the buildup and scale that severely reduces a water heaters efficiency.
Those are basically the two things that a tankless owner needs to perform to ensure maximum efficiency and a prolonged lifespan. Barrie through to Toronto and basically all of southern Ontario have significant concentrations of limestone and thus relatively hard water conditions. A conventional tank can’t be cleaned whereas a tankless can and hot water accelerates the rate of scale deposits.
Navien Tankless NR180 NR210 NR240
Oct 19th
With Navien Condensing Technology, you’re purchasing the most efficient home water heating system with “Ultra Condensing Efficiency”. Their systems offers substantial savings and produces less emmissions than a conventional water heater. Plus, the installation and venting processes are easy, cost effective, and Navien’s products are high in quality and performance.
The 3 primary Navien models
NR-180
NR-210
NR-240
These three are Natural gas systems, but you should note that they come in propane versions as well. In fact as propane burns hotter than natural gas the propane versions are a bit more efficient.
Navien tankless water heaters utilizes dual stainless steel heat exchangers, providing a longer life-expectancy and more resistance to erosion than copper heat exchangers. All tankless systems are designed to be cleaned and de-scaled, improving life span and durability.
Hot Water Flow Chart.
This chart shows the corrected values for hotwater production of each Navien water heater in relation to ground water temperature. Here in Ontario, Toronto, Mississauga, Hamilton, and the surrounding cities we should assume a ground water temperature of 35F.
Intelligent Remote Control For the Navien Tankless
NR-10DU (Included with every Navien Tankless Water Heater)
. Temperature adjustment in 1¡ÆF increments between 98-120¡ÆF
. Touch activated backlight function
. Easy-to-Use button type control
. Built-in recirculation timer for water and energy savings
. Key-pad lock button prevents inadvertent temperature changes
. Advanced water heater diagnosis capability and error feedback
Endless Hot Water Supply
Navien’s (and all tankless systems) offer an unlimited supply of hot water to meet a home’s unending demand
for hot water. With body showeres becoming much more common place now, it is imperative that you install a tankless. These new shower systems can
run a conventional tank type water heater dry in very short period.
Navien Venting Benefits
The high effciency of Navien’s Condensing Tankless Water Heater results in lower exhaust
temperatures, allowing for the use of 3” PVC venting.
• PVC venting offers a significant cost savings when compared with other venting materials.
• PVC venting is lightweight and easily slides together, reducing installation time
and makes it easy to run long distances.
See the Full Navien Brochure
Grants For Tankless Are Ending In Ontario
Mar 3rd
The grant money available to home owners that switch from a regular conventional tank to the newer tankless system will disappear on MARCH 31st 2011.
This a great program that the Government has in place to help home owners offset the cost associated with upgrading old heating, cooling, insulation and various other systems within a home. Upgrading old conventional tank type water heaters was one of the major targeted areas that saw huge grants to promote the removal of these systems. A tankless system is designed to have a lifespan of over 20 years, where as a tank will be lucky to last 12-15 years. The efficiency comparison between a storage tank system and a tankless is roughly around the 40% mark. Yes a tankless will be more expensive but it will save you money, and even though that money is hard to see a tankless systems is a proven money saver. 
You Have Never Had An Eco Energy Audit
If your living in Ontario and just hearing about this program now your OK you can still participate you just need to act fast visit home eco energy audit to book an audit as soon as possible the auditor will explain everything you need to know.
- Get your first audit
- Upgrade your home (furnace, tankless, windows insulation, as much or a little as you choose)
- Have a second audit preformed to confirm upgrades
- Wait for rebate money from the Government (usually takes a while, as we all know how fast they work)
You Have Had Your First Audit
If you know about the program and have had your first audit completed and maybe a few upgrades on your come installed, you have until the end of the month to get the final audit and receive your grant money.
- The second audit is cheap and you will receive all your rebates for all upgrades
- You can go with any auditing company to do the second audit (they all have access to your first audit details and info) Home Eco Energy Audits is a good Toronto based company that has auditors all over Ontario.
- You only have until March 31 to finish this last audit or you lose out.
This is a Win Win program for all Canadian and Ontario citizens, the Government is helping you pay for new HVAC equipment for your home and you never need to pay them back for it.. DEAL
